Apple is making Apple Wallet more useful in iOS 27 with two practical changes. Users can split a restaurant bill by scanning a receipt, while iPhone and Apple Watch users can also create digital passes from certain physical loyalty and membership cards.
These features are designed to reduce the number of separate apps and physical cards people need in everyday situations. Some Wallet features depend on Apple services, supported cards, apps, and country or region availability.
iOS 27 makes splitting a bill much easier
One of the most useful new Wallet features is the ability to split a bill using Apple Cash and Apple Intelligence.
Instead of manually typing every item from a restaurant receipt, users can scan the receipt with the iPhone camera or use an existing photo of the bill. iOS can then recognize the items and help work out what each person owes.
The feature can be accessed in several places, including Messages and Apple Wallet. Apple also says users can use Visual Intelligence with an on-screen image or the iPhone camera to start the process.
This is especially useful after a meal with friends. Rather than dividing the total amount equally, each person can pay for the items they actually ordered.
How to split a restaurant bill in iOS 27
The process is designed to be simple. You first need a clear photo or scan of the receipt. The system then identifies the items and lets you choose which ones belong to you.
Once you select your items, iOS calculates your share. Apple says the calculation can include your portion of tax and tip, so the amount is not limited to the listed price of your food.
The basic process is:
- Open the receipt using the supported Wallet, Messages, camera, or Visual Intelligence option
- Scan the receipt or select a photo of the bill
- Select the food or other items that you need to pay for
- Review the calculated amount, including your share of tax and tip, then use Apple Cash to pay
This can save time when a group orders many different items. It also reduces the need to use a calculator or manually work out each person’s share.
However, Apple Cash availability is limited by region. The feature therefore may not work in exactly the same way for users in every country.
You can turn physical loyalty cards into Wallet passes
iOS 27 also adds a convenient way to create certain passes directly from physical cards.
If you have a physical loyalty or membership card, your iPhone can use the card to create a digital pass for Apple Wallet. Apple says the feature is also available on Apple Watch.
This means users can keep supported loyalty and membership information on their devices instead of carrying every physical card in their wallet.
The feature is particularly useful for cards that are used regularly at stores, clubs, or other participating services.
How to add and manage Wallet passes
Apple Wallet already supports many types of passes, including tickets, boarding passes, coupons and rewards cards. A pass can normally be added when the company that issued it provides an “Add to Apple Wallet” option.
Apple’s current instructions say users can open the email, app, notification, or other message containing the pass and select the option to add it. If the issuer supports the feature, the pass is then added to Wallet.
Once a pass is in Wallet, you can also organize your collection. Apple allows users to touch and hold cards and move them into a different position. This can make frequently used cards easier to find.
The new iOS 27 system also gives pass creators more ways to design and personalize passes. Apple has introduced a new “Poster Generic” pass style, which can use a background image, logo, fields, and a barcode. This part is mainly controlled by businesses and developers rather than by ordinary users editing a pass themselves.
What is actually customizable?
There is an important difference between customizing your Wallet and customizing the design of a Wallet pass.
As a normal user, you can organize your cards and passes and manage which ones remain in Wallet. You generally cannot freely redesign a pass issued by a business.
In iOS 27, Apple is giving businesses and developers more control over how their passes look and what actions they offer. The new Poster Generic style is one example. Developers can also add up to two featured actions to supported passes, giving users quick access to useful functions.
So, if a company creates a better-looking or more useful Wallet pass, the changes can appear automatically when that company updates the pass. Users do not need to manually redesign it.
New barcode support also expands Wallet passes
Apple is also expanding the types of barcodes that Wallet passes can use in iOS 27.
The new system supports four additional barcode types: EAN-13, Code 39, Codabar, and Interleaved 2 of 5. This gives businesses more options when creating digital versions of tickets, cards, and other passes.
This may not be something most users notice directly. The important point is that more types of physical cards and existing barcode systems can potentially be represented in Wallet.
Older iOS versions still need suitable fallback barcode support when a pass is designed to work across different versions of Apple’s operating system. That is mainly a concern for pass providers and developers.
Managing old and unwanted passes
A cleaner Wallet also depends on removing passes you no longer need.
Apple allows users to remove tickets, boarding passes, rewards cards, and other passes from Wallet. To remove one on an iPhone, open the pass, tap the More button, choose Remove Pass, and confirm.
Expired passes can also be moved out of the main Wallet view. Apple provides an Expired section where users can view, restore, or permanently delete those passes.
This is useful for old event tickets and boarding passes that are no longer needed but might otherwise make the Wallet app harder to navigate.
What you need to use the new features
Not every iOS 27 Wallet feature will be available to every person. Availability can depend on the user’s country, Apple services, payment support, the type of card or pass, and whether the business supports the necessary Wallet technology.
| Feature | What it does | Important requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Bill splitting | Identifies items on a receipt and calculates your share | Apple Cash and supported availability |
| Receipt scanning | Uses an iPhone camera or receipt image | Clear receipt and supported iPhone features |
| Physical card conversion | Creates supported Wallet passes from physical cards | Supported loyalty or membership card |
| Poster Generic | Gives pass providers a new visual pass style | Created by the pass provider |
| New barcode types | Supports additional barcode formats | Pass provider must create the supported pass |
| Pass organization | Lets users rearrange cards and passes | Available in Wallet |
Apple’s Wallet system also supports automatic appearance for some passes based on time and location. For example, a boarding pass may appear when you arrive at an airport.
Why these iOS 27 changes matter
Neither feature completely changes how the iPhone works, but both solve common everyday problems.
Splitting a restaurant bill can be annoying when several people order different things. iOS 27 reduces that work by using the camera and Apple Intelligence to read the receipt and calculate each person’s share.
The expanded Wallet features solve a different problem: keeping track of physical cards. Turning supported loyalty and membership cards into digital passes can make the Wallet app a more useful place for everyday cards.
Together, these changes show Apple’s broader effort to make Wallet more than a place for payment cards and boarding passes. It is becoming a central place for tickets, memberships, loyalty cards, payments, and other digital credentials.
Final thoughts
The iOS 27 Wallet update is focused on convenience rather than flashy changes. The new bill-splitting feature can make group meals easier by identifying items on a receipt and calculating each person’s share of tax and tip.
The ability to create supported Wallet passes from physical loyalty and membership cards is another practical improvement. At the same time, Apple’s new pass design tools, additional barcode support, and featured actions give businesses more ways to make Wallet passes useful.
For users, the biggest benefit is simple: less manual work and fewer physical cards to carry. The exact features available will depend on the user’s location, payment services, device, and the businesses that support Apple Wallet.