Apple Pay, once the domain of iPhone and Watch users, has arrived on macOS Sierra. Here’s how to use it.
Right now, the number of online merchants accepting Apple Pay is somewhat small, but you can expect that number to grow as more and more get on board.
To use Apple Pay on your Mac, make sure you’re first set up to use it. You will still need an iPhone to complete Apple Pay transactions, and ensure that Continuity is working between your iPhone and Mac as well. Additionally, this feature will only work on Safari.
To use Apple Pay on your Mac, we first go to a website that supports it. Naturally, Apple.com is already set up to handle such transactions, so we’ll perform an example transaction there.
First, select an item and place it in your bag. If the site supports it, you’ll see a “Check out with Apple Pay” option.
Go through the rest of the transaction, and click the black Apple Pay button.
A dialog will then appear prompting you to confirm the transaction on your iPhone.
You’ll then be prompted on your iPhone to confirm by placing your finger on the Touch ID sensor. If you’re using your Apple Watch to pay, then you will need to press the side button twice to complete the transaction.
That’s it. Once the transaction is completed, you will be presented with a transaction confirmation and e-mailed an invoice.
How to Set up Apple Pay and Google Wallet on Your Phone
How to Make Macs and iOS Devices Work Together Seamlessly with Continuity
If you have doubts about using Apple Pay to buy things on the Internet, then rest assured, it’s more secure than using a credit or debit card. With each transaction, Apple Pay uses a single-use token, which means that it doesn’t transmit your card information during the sale. Instead, the process takes place between your Mac and iPhone or Watch.
Apple itself describes the process as such:
When you use Apple Pay to make a purchase on your Mac in Safari, Apple Pay transfers purchase information in an encrypted format between your Mac and your iOS device or Apple Watch to complete your transaction.
Like we said, right now the number of supported websites is small, but that’s likely to change in the coming months. In the meantime, be on the lookout for the black Apple Pay logo, because it means you won’t have to go searching for your purse or wallet to retrieve your card.