Apple has confirmed that some Apple Cash users couldn’t make purchases for about three hours on September 16. Its System Status page lists the problem from 1:17 p.m. to 4:18 p.m. PDT that day (4:17 p.m. to 7:18 p.m. EDT), and marks it resolved.
If an Apple Cash payment failed for you in that window, this is Apple’s explanation, and the page shows no further Apple Cash problems since. Apple added the entry on September 18 at 3:59 p.m. PDT, two days after the fact.
What Apple’s status page says
The entry is brief. Under Apple Cash, Apple wrote: “Some users may have been experiencing issues making purchases using Apple Cash.” It describes the scale only as “Some users were affected” and gives the status as resolved.
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Apple doesn’t give a cause, a region or a number of affected users. The entry covers purchases specifically, so it says nothing about sending or receiving money in Messages or transfers to a bank.
It was also the only entry on the whole status page when we checked on September 19. Apple Pay, Wallet and Apple Card each showed no events.
What to check if a payment failed
Apple doesn’t say what happened to individual payments, so it’s worth confirming your own record, especially if you retried at the register or paid some other way.
- Open the Wallet app and tap your Apple Cash card. Your Latest Transactions appear there.
- Look for any purchases from the afternoon of September 16, and tap one to see its details.
- If you see a charge you don’t recognize, or one that went through twice, contact an Apple Cash Specialist at Green Dot Bank, which provides Apple Cash services. Apple’s support page links to them for help with a transaction or payment.
On iPad, the same list is under Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay, then your Apple Cash card and the Transactions tab. Apple’s support document on Apple Cash transactions also explains how to request a PDF statement covering the last 12 months, which is handy if you need a record for a dispute.
If Apple Cash still isn’t working
Apple’s support page for sending and receiving money with Apple Cash starts with the step this story is about: check the System Status page for outages or maintenance affecting Apple Cash. If nothing is listed there, Apple suggests making sure your software is up to date, that you have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, and that your account isn’t restricted or locked, then restarting your device.
Apple Cash is available only in the US. We covered which iPad models get Apple Cash bill splitting, and what stays the same for Apple Card’s Daily Cash during the Chase move.
