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Is there a way to stop Apple Wallet from opening automatically when near a paying terminal.

I wouldn’t mind it, but i have to give my phone to a bus driver so he could read my bus ticket’s QR code. As the payment terminal is situated near to the QR-code reader device on the same console, sometimes it takes 10 or even 20 seconds to get it done. It is annoying to the driver and to the passengers, too. Please help.

iPhone SE, iOS 16

Posted on Jul 27, 2023 1:49 AM

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Posted on Jun 4, 2024 6:20 AM

That doesn’t work, even when that button is on, cards still kick in when the phone gets close to a paying terminal. The only thing that having on such button prevents is that no charge is done to the card until you press double click. But still the card appears and overrides the photo app where the QR code is. This is a serious design flaw.

76 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 4, 2024 6:20 AM in response to Jeff Donald

That doesn’t work, even when that button is on, cards still kick in when the phone gets close to a paying terminal. The only thing that having on such button prevents is that no charge is done to the card until you press double click. But still the card appears and overrides the photo app where the QR code is. This is a serious design flaw.

Jul 28, 2023 4:12 AM in response to Jeff Donald

Btw. I found the following: “When it is turned on and it detects an NFC field, it is normal for your iPhone to automatically launch Apple Pay. It is not possible to change this behaviour. No payment information is sent without your authentication (using Touch ID or your passcode).”

So I might be stacked with it. Thank you anyway. Greetings and I wish good health to you.

Aug 10, 2024 2:13 AM in response to YZ7RRE

can 100% relate to the issue and the annoyance: flight back from svalbard - ticket by norwegian airline as pdf. all in hurry and i was not able to scan the barcode in the pdf because immediately wallet pops up on top😫. my sons old iphone was the solution as he is too young for apple pay. really ****** to not being able to stop the iphone from doing it although paying a fortune😢

Jun 4, 2024 6:37 AM in response to pau_uvieu

It works for some users and apps. Have you tried this fix?


iPhone > Settings app > Wallet & Apple Pay > scroll down > Transit Cards > Express Transit Cards > make sure <None> is selected.


Any design flaw is caused the QR code and the poor implementation of the company using it. The airline I use frequently uses QR codes and they work perfectly as does Apple Wallet. So do several other apps I use regularly that use QR codes.

Jul 25, 2024 7:24 AM in response to ozan230

The Wallet has a priority set at a system level. It will popup over other apps. That’s how it is designed. Apple has no provision for turning it off. But there’s a solution, albeit probably not what you’re hoping for.


All tickets, passes etc. are supposed to be stored in the Wallet app. Tickets, passes and other secure item need to be stored there. The only exception is a third party app.


The app developer needs to add code, that Apple makes available to registered developers, that will suppress Wallet from opening when the third party app is open first.


Download the app the ticket issuer has or use their website and add tickets to Apple Wallet the way intended. If you don’t want to do that, download a third party app and add your tickets there. Hope the developer added the code to the app.


Those are the options that work. Lastly, continue to do what you’re currently doing, but as you noted, that doesn’t work and you might miss your train or plane.


Aug 26, 2024 11:01 AM in response to Jeff Donald

As explained in one of the other replies above, these are gates that do both optical QR code scanning and NFC payments. The ferry company doesn’t offer Apple Wallet support. The tickets only come as a PDF document that contains a QR code. The NFC module automatically triggers the display of the Wallet app, thereby preventing the scanning of the on-screen QR code.


This is not user error. This is iPhone getting triggered on NFC when it shouldn’t. I would never want my iPhone to automatically open the Wallet app. I’m used to open it myself or triggering it using a double click of the power button. This issue apparently has been around for years. This is the first time I encountered it. I’m a hardcore Apple user and I have never seen my iPhone act this user-hostile.

Aug 26, 2024 4:44 PM in response to pau_uvieu

So, Apple should support older technology no matter what? Is that your position? If not, at what does a company drop support?


I see basically one thread on this and one to two dozen posters wanting QR support. How about support for the first iPhone and 2G cellular service, or 3G service that’s still used in a few countries? If Apple continued to support what other people want, you wouldn’t mind paying the extra for a modem that doesn’t benefit you, would you?


I think you see my point. So far I’ve seen one use case. Do you have a use case that millions could benefit from or is it a convenience for a few thousand, like supporting 3G cellular?


So, the behavior that you object to is a convenience for millions around the world. I see far more people traveling by plane, and subways that use NFC for convenience and speed through turnstiles. All the transit company needs to do is add a button to add the QR code to your Wallet. This is not a monstrous undertaking.


Why isn’t it the transit companies responsibility to adapt to modern technology?

Aug 26, 2024 12:56 PM in response to pau_uvieu

Rather than spend time and energy wanting Apple to modify iPhones, essentially billion+ devices, why doesn’t the transit company support one standard, NFC?


I don’t expect an answer, just an understanding of my logic and how technology is supported. I’m not going to argue the expense of supporting two systems etc. But QR codes are not the future. I doubt Apple will make a move backwards to support a technology that is not the future of payment systems.


However, there’s nothing wrong with pleading your case to Apple. Apple welcomes your feedback, but regrets they cannot respond individually to those sharing their feedback.


Feedback - Apple Pay - Apple


Jul 25, 2024 5:09 AM in response to JohannVdW

Yes, it’s exactly the way it’s supposed to work. It’s not considered safe to use PDF’s QR codes for items that have value. I’m surprised a company expects you to do that. If the tickets were in Apple Wallet, where they’re safe and secure, Apple’s implementation would work fine.


On a side note, I download and delete apps all the time to meet my travel needs.

Aug 27, 2024 8:50 AM in response to pau_uvieu

pau_uvieu wrote:

Do you understand that no one is here asking to implement any change, but rather to find a way that prevents Wallet from popping up automatically when close to an NFC reader? Because it doesn’t seem as if you do.

YOU don’t seem to understand that it isn’t going to happen. No matter how many times you repeat yourself to other users in this exclusively user-to-user forum with no real Apple participation.

Aug 27, 2024 8:55 AM in response to pau_uvieu

pau_uvieu wrote:

Do you understand that no one is here asking to implement any change, but rather to find a way that prevents Wallet from popping up automatically when close to an NFC reader? Because it doesn’t seem as if you do.


Not gonna get solved here.


Your bus company is the problem.


Send your feedback to the bus company.


You can send your feedback to Apple too, but they have already made a better solution available to the bus company.



Aug 27, 2024 9:50 AM in response to pau_uvieu

pau_uvieu wrote:

What possible turnaround? How can you add a QR code to the wallet, if that QR code is not given to you in a pkpass format, but in jpg? Did you get, that you don’t get the QR code in pkpass format? So what turnaround are you talking about? Any useful ideas, by any chance?


Whether a bus company employee such as the driver is annoyed by issues with your use of a bus company provided payment system for riders to pay for a bus company service seems an issue for the bus company and for the regulators of the bus company to address.


Whether there are alternatives or enhancements to the current bus company payment system is for the bus company and regulators to address, as well.


it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the maintenance and updates of the payment and enforcement systems are more costly than the fees received in some transit systems, too; that the payment systems and policing systems are themselves a net loss.

Is there a way to stop Apple Wallet from opening automatically when near a paying terminal.

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