The Complete Guide to Apple Pay on Amazon

Apple Pay offers iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch owners a seamless way to make purchases using supported apps and websites, including Amazon. With Apple Pay, you can speed through checkout in just seconds while also keeping payment details secure through encryption.

This in-depth guide will walk through everything you need to know to setup and start using Apple Pay on Amazon. Whether shopping on the Amazon mobile app, via iPhone browser or on desktop, we’ve got you covered on how to pay conveniently and securely.

The Rise of Mobile Payments

Over the past three years, mobile payments have exploded in popularity and become many consumers’ preferred payment method:

• Mobile payments totaled $131 billion in 2019 in the United States
• As of June 2022, over 90 million users have set up Apple Pay accounts
• 75% of users reporting using mobile payments instead of cash or physical card

Mobile payment transaction volume – Source: Statista

Apple Pay specifically has seen adoption grow since its introduction in 2014 thanks to ease of use and technology seamlessly integrating across Apple’s product ecosystem.

Additionally, the global pandemic accelerated reliance on contactless payments both online and in-store.

Who is Using Mobile Wallets Most

Based on multiple surveys and adoption data, the demographic adopting mobile payments like Apple Pay the most rapidly across age groups is millennials. Over 50% of millennials said they regularly use a service like Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Gen Z is also demonstrating increasing reliance on mobile wallets, with almost 45% penetration for users under 25.

By comparison, only about one-third of Gen X survey respondents reported integrating mobile payments into their routine spending. Seniors 65+ show the slowest uptake with 80% still rarely or never opting for mobile wallet payments.

This breakdown indicates mobile payments should continue growing as a share of transaction volume as younger generations increasingly become dominant spenders.

Mobile wallet usage frequency by age demographic – Source: First Insight

Now that we’ve covered the mobile payments landscape, let’s get into details on using Apple Pay specifically for Amazon purchases.

Apple Pay Compatible Purchase Types

Apple Pay can be used seamlessly to make a variety of different purchase types on Amazon:

• Physical products – Anything fulfilled or sold directly by Amazon that can be shipped to registered address
• Digital purchases – Kindle books, Amazon Music subscriptions, Prime Video rentals
• Gift cards – Physical or digital gift cards purchased as gifts
• Amazon Services – Select services like home installation and assembly

Purchases requiring specialist handling or release agreements like wine sales, auto parts, restricted products or Amazon Explore virtual classes may not offer Apple Pay yet.

Additionally, third party sellers on the Amazon Marketplace can choose whether to enable mobile wallet payments. If options besides credit/debit card are shown during checkout, then Apple Pay is supported.

Below are examples of compatible and incompatible purchase types:

Now let’s walk through the full process for completing an Apple Pay transaction on Amazon using different devices.

Step-By-Step Guide: Apple Pay on Amazon Mobile App

If you want to use Apple Pay on your iPhone, iPad or other mobile device to make Amazon purchases, here is an overview:

1. Install latest version of Amazon mobile app
2. Configure Apple Pay wallet in Settings app
3. Add compatible credit/debit card to Apple Pay
4. Open Amazon app and browse items
5. Add desired item to cart and proceed to checkout
6. Confirm delivery address
7. Under payment method, select Apple Pay

8. Use Face ID, Touch ID or device passcode to authenticate

Once authenticated via biometrics or your passcode, your Apple Pay purchase will rapidly process and transaction completes in seconds.

You will receive confirmation email from Amazon with order details. Amount is also logged for corresponding Wallet card in Apple Pay payment history.

Walkthrough: Apple Pay on Amazon Website

If accessing Amazon on iPhone or iPad browser instead of mobile app, you can still checkout swiftly using Apple Pay with just a couple extra steps:

1. Configure cards in Apple Wallet
2. Visit Amazon website and sign into account
3. Add item(s) to cart and proceed to checkout
4. Select shipping address
5. For payment method, choose Apple Pay

The website will prompt you to authorize using Touch ID/Face ID. Your default card payment details automatically transmit securely to Amazon after securely authenticating identity using biometrics or device passcode.

How to Pay on Amazon via Apple Pay on Mac

Apple has expanded Apple Pay web compatibility to macOS devices for select sites, including Amazon.

Here is how to use Apple Pay on your Mac for Amazon purchases using the Safari browser:

1. Open Safari on a Mac with Touch ID configured
2. Go to Amazon website, add items to cart
3. Proceed to checkout and pick Apple Pay as payment option
4. Use Touch ID built into newer MacBook model trackpads to authenticate with fingerprint
5. Safari will leverage connected iPhone/Apple Watch to process transaction via Apple Pay wallet

Older Macs can still use Apple Pay by approving checkout with a paired iPhone or Apple Watch. This allows users without Touch ID-equipped laptops to securely pay on supported sites integrated with Safari.

Paying via Apple Cash and Gift Cards

While you can’t directly use your Apple Cash balance for Amazon purchases, adding funds to Apple Pay using Apple Cash is possible. This then makes those dollars accessible for Apple Pay transactions.

To set this up:

1. Transfer desired amount to Apple Pay via Apple Cash card
2. Designate transferred funds as default source for payments
3. When authenticating transactions, balance is applied before other cards

Additionally, you can use Apple Pay in iMessage to purchase Amazon gift cards from contacts and instantly add to account balance.

To purchase a gift card through Messages:

1. Open a conversation in the Messages app
2. Tap Apple Pay icon
3. Browse gift card options for Amazon amount
4. Pay using Touch ID/Face ID
5. Scan the QR code or link to automatically add gift card funds

This provides a streamlined way to exchange gift card funds using Apple Pay.

Customizing Apple Pay Cards

The Apple Wallet app provides extensive options for personalizing how your cards appear. This helps quickly distinguish between multiple credit, debit, rewards and gift cards added to the service.

Customizations available include:

• Unique card colors
• Dynamic or branded card backgrounds
• Custom card name
• Emoji or photo icon overlay
• Alternate card number representation

To edit a card’s appearance in Apple Wallet:

1. Tap card
2. Select card color in top-right
3. Give custom name if desired
4. Tap icon to change graphic

These customizations sync across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Watch to help identify go-to payment cards.

Keeping Apple Pay Secure

Concerns around security of mobile payments are common. Credit card details transmitted wirelessly seem like they could easily be intercepted by attackers.

However, Apple has instituted rigorous protections for all transactions made via Apple Pay:

• Tokenization – Actual credit/debit card numbers are replaced with unique device identifiers representing account. This means card details are never shared.

• Dynamic security codes – Each transaction generates a secure, one-time-use code keeping data safe from interception.

• Encryption – Wallet data is end-to-end encrypted on certified chips and can only be decrypted on final payment processing servers.

These mechanisms ensure data remains protected throughout the transaction lifecycle. Biometric authentication required for every Apple Pay checkout on Amazon adds another layer of security.

Rewards Multiplier for Apple Card

The Apple Card offers additional rewards benefits when using Apple Pay for transactions:

• 3% cash back – On purchases made directly from Apple (including digital goods)
• 2% cash back – All Apple Pay transactions including Amazon
• 1% cash back – Non-Apple Pay transactions

So you can maximize rewards by checking out via Apple Pay whenever accepted. Cash back is instantly deposited daily in Apple Cash card balance.

There are also financing options for large Apple purchases made directly. However, Amazon itself does not currently offer installment plans via Apple Card.

Earning and Spending Apple Gift Cards

In addition to funding Apple Pay via Apple Cash, there are programs that reward Apple gift card balance for shopping.

You can earn reward points from select retailers, airlines, lodging and more. Certain credit card point transfers even convert to Apple balance.

Once loaded to Apple Wallet, these funds can apply towards Amazon orders in a roundabout way.

Ways to earn Apple gift cards include:

• Credit card rewards programs
• Referral bonuses
• Shopping portal cash back
• Airline mile transfers
• Hotel stay programs

Comparing Mobile Payment Fees and Limits

When evaluating payment methods accepted by Amazon, here is a comparison of key attributes:

Review account agreements to confirm transaction limits, foreign transaction handling and any applicable rates when determining payment method.

Expert Predictions for Future Evolution

According to payments industry experts, future developments that could expand Apple Pay flexibility for Amazon purchases include:

• “I think we’ll see a move towards card-free payments where your biometrics and device act as your identity.”

• “Everything will be mixed payments embedded in messaging apps or social platforms.”

• “BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) options along with loyalty redemption will be tightly integrated into wallet apps.”

As mobile payments mature and become widely adopted for in-store and online transactions, tighter platform cohesion between leading retailers like Amazon and Apple Pay infrastructure provides opportunities to remove remaining friction in commerce.

Conclusion

This comprehensive guide covered configuration requirements, step-by-step usage instructions, security mechanisms and expert predictions around Apple Pay for Amazon purchases.

As mobile payments become the predominant transaction method for online and offline spending, Apple Pay offers iPhone, iPad and Mac owners accelerated checkout speeds alongside robust data protections.

Amazon’s integration means customers have one less barrier when making common retail purchases and reduces time to finalize orders thanks to biometric authentication.

We expect innovations like loyalty program integration and installments to make future Apple Pay on Amazon checkout even more frictionless. But for now, accessing your digital wallet for purchases unlocks valuable simplicity and security.