What Apple Wallet Custom Passes Are and Why They Matter
Apple Wallet custom passes are user-created digital cards that replicate physical membership, loyalty, and event cards so they can be stored, scanned, and organized directly on an iPhone. Instead of juggling plastic gym tags, library barcodes, or paper loyalty cards, you can turn them into iOS 27 digital passes that live alongside your payment cards, tickets, and transit cards. This new Create a Pass feature was added to Apple Wallet to replace awkward workarounds like third-party pass generators or relying on each service’s app. According to AppleInsider, the Wallet app has long handled more than payments, but previously “you had to do so in one of two ways,” both of which were limited. Now, Apple Wallet custom passes give you a single, consistent way to create membership cards and keep everything in one digital wallet.
Check Your Requirements and Find the Create a Pass Button
Before you start creating Apple Wallet custom passes, check your basics: you need the iOS 27 Wallet app and an iPhone that supports the latest Apple Intelligence features if you want camera-based scanning. Pocket-lint notes that scanning physical cards with Visual Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, because the feature depends on the new Siri mode in the camera app. Open Wallet and tap the plus (+) button at the top of the main screen. You’ll see Add to Wallet, with a new option labeled Create a Pass, described as “Tickets, membership cards and more.” Tap this to open Apple Wallet’s new digital wallet features for custom passes. If Visual Intelligence scanning is not available yet or your device does not support it, Wallet will offer manual creation instead so you can still create membership cards from your existing barcodes.
Use Visual Intelligence to Scan and Create a Digital Pass
If your iPhone supports Apple Intelligence, the fastest way to build iOS 27 digital passes is by scanning your physical card. From Create a Pass, choose the option to use Visual Intelligence. Wallet opens a Siri-enabled camera mode that reads text, card layouts, and barcodes. According to Pocket-lint, this mode “uses Visual Intelligence to scan the card, including its barcode, and generate a digital version you can save to Apple Wallet.” Center your loyalty or membership card in the frame and follow the prompts as the system detects the code and fills in fields like card number or member name. You can still adjust titles and details before saving. If the scan fails or Visual Intelligence is unavailable in your region or account, you can fall back to the manual method without losing the ability to create functional Apple Wallet custom passes.
Build Custom Passes Manually with Templates and Barcodes
Manual creation takes a bit more time, but it gives you full control over how your Apple Wallet custom passes look and behave. After tapping Create a Pass, choose one of three templates: Membership for gym, office, or library access; Event for concerts and shows; or Standard for anything that does not fit the other layouts. AppleInsider notes that Membership includes fields like Member Status and membership number, while Event offers Admission Type and seat details. Tap any field to edit its label and value, or use Add/Remove Fields to customize the layout with premade options. The central barcode or QR code area is key: use it to enter the number under your plastic card’s barcode, or scan the code where supported. When you save, the new pass appears in Wallet and can be scanned like any other digital card.
Customize, Organize, and Use Your New Digital Membership Cards
Once the structure of a pass is set, you can refine how it looks and where it lives in Wallet so your digital wallet features stay organized. Choose a background color or pattern that helps you identify different categories at a glance, such as bright tones for gym passes and calmer colors for library or workplace access. Example event passes shown in AppleInsider’s coverage demonstrate how clear labels and color choices make a ticket easy to find and scan. Test your new pass at a self-checkout, access gate, or box office scanner; if it uses a standard barcode, it should scan similarly to your plastic card. Over time, you can create membership cards for coffee loyalty programs, supermarket clubs, or theater memberships, so they line up with existing tickets and payment cards in Wallet, cutting down the clutter in your physical wallet.
