How To Add, Use, and Share Tickets and Passes in Apple Wallet on iPhone

Adding Tickets and Passes to Apple Wallet

So, here’s the deal. Getting tickets or passes into Apple Wallet? It’s not exactly intuitive right out of the gate. I’ve been there—clicking around a bunch, wondering why nothing’s happening. But once you get the hang of it, it actually isn’t too bad, even if sometimes the process is a little finicky — especially with how unpredictable websites or emails can be. Usually, it starts with some message from the issuer: an email, a notification, or maybe an app notification. Most of the time, if you bought tickets for a concert or a boarding pass from an airline, there’s a very clear “Add to Apple Wallet” button somewhere—often big and obvious. Sometimes it’s embedded right on a webpage, other times it’s inside an email link, or even inside an app.

Whenever I tap that button, the ticket or pass should pop right up in your Wallet app. But here’s where I got stuck a few times—sometimes it took a few refreshes, especially if the page or app isn’t loading properly or if your internet connection is dodgy. I’ve had to refresh multiple times, switch between Wi-Fi and cellular, and even restart my phone to get it to finally show up. When it does, just tap “Add” in the top corner to confirm. Usually, that’s all you need. Also, if you’re like me and use an Apple Watch, adding it to your iPhone tends to sync automatically—so your pass is ready on your wrist, no extra step needed. Super handy when you’re trying to go through security without holding your phone out, I’ll admit.

Using a Ticket or Pass in Apple Wallet

This part’s confusing—at least, it was for me—because Apple doesn’t always make everything obvious. When the moment comes, like at a concert, airport, or movie theater, and you’re supposed to show your ticket, sometimes you get a notification that it’s ready. But if not, just open up your Wallet app manually. On newer iPhones with Face ID, double-click the side button, and your passes should appear. On older iPhones, it’s a double-tap on the home button. Honestly, it feels like unlocking some secret vault of tickets—because, yeah, sometimes it’s tucked away. Mine was in a menu called Wallet & Apple Pay inside Settings. Sometimes it’s under a different label like “Cards” or “Tickets”; it’s a bit of a scavenger hunt.

Once you’re inside, you might need to swipe through a stack of passes—swiping left or right—until you find the one you need. If you’ve got a bunch saved, it can be a bit awkward, as the interface isn’t super intuitive. When you do find your ticket, tap it and then proceed to scan or tap your iPhone at the contactless reader. If your NFC isn’t working properly, try holding the phone a little closer or experimenting with the position—sometimes the signal just feels weak or inconsistent. Also, don’t forget that you can use the side of your iPhone to scan NFC, which sometimes works better than just holding it near the reader.

Transferring and Sharing Tickets and Passes

Sharing passes was another weird part. Not all issuers support it, so your mileage may vary. The process usually involves opening up your Wallet, selecting the pass you want to share, and looking for an option like “More”—which might be a three-dots icon, a gear, or an arrow, depending on your iOS version. If sharing is supported, you’ll see “Transfer to Another Account”. Tap that, then enter the recipient’s Apple ID email or select a contact. After confirming, the pass gets transferred—usually with a notification sent to the other person. But beware: some passes are locked down by the issuer, so sharing might be disabled entirely. In that case, it’s just easier to forward the email or take a screenshot—though that’s not ideal and may violate the terms of some tickets or passes.

When sharing, you might need to authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID. Also, if you see the transfer option grayed out or missing, it’s likely because the issuer turned off this feature for that pass. So, don’t get frustrated if it’s not there; it might just not be supported for that ticket or airline pass.

Wrapping it all up: getting tickets into Apple Wallet isn’t impossible—even if it feels complicated at first. Once you’ve done it a couple times, it’s mostly just patience and a bit of trial and error. Stuff like reloads, switching networks, and restarting the phone actually really helps sometimes. The biggest pain points are the sometimes-hidden menus or the occasional glitch where passes don’t update or show the wrong info until you restart the app or reboot. Notifications can also be weird—delayed or sometimes not showing at all—depending on your network or iOS version. But in the end, it’s a solid way to keep all your passes handy without cluttering your email or printing. Just remember: double-check your iOS version, make sure Wallet & Apple Pay are enabled, and verify the pass is fully downloaded or updated.

Hope this helps—took me way too long to get all this sorted out. It’s still not perfect, but at least now I know what to look for. Good luck, and hopefully this saves someone else a few frustrating hours of hunting around. Cheers!