What Apple Wallet Custom Passes Are and Why They Matter
Apple Wallet custom passes are user-created digital cards that store barcodes and membership details from physical passes so they can be accessed and scanned directly from an iPhone. With the latest Wallet app features, you can create digital passes from gym tags, supermarket loyalty cards, or paper event tickets and keep them beside your payment cards. Previously, adding passes depended on dedicated apps or third‑party tools that generated Wallet-compatible files. Now, Wallet itself offers a Create a Pass option, letting you scan or manually enter barcodes, assign fields like membership number or seat, and keep scattered codes together in one reliable place. This new approach helps you reduce wallet clutter, speed up check‑ins at venues, and avoid searching through screenshots or emails every time you need a specific membership card.
Set Up Requirements and Where to Find Create a Pass
To use Apple Wallet custom passes, you need the updated Wallet app that includes the Create a Pass feature and, for camera-based scanning, compatible Apple Intelligence features. When you open Wallet, tap the plus (+) icon at the top of the main screen, then choose Create a Pass under Add to Wallet. You will see a brief explanation that you can build digital tickets, membership cards, and more using Visual Intelligence or by entering the data yourself. According to Pocket-lint, the scanning flow uses a new Siri mode in the camera app to read your physical card and its barcode so Wallet can generate an iOS 27 digital pass automatically. That camera-based option requires suitable hardware, while the manual method works as long as you have the pass details in front of you.
Create Membership Cards with Manual Templates
If Visual Intelligence scanning is unavailable, you can still create membership cards by hand with Wallet’s templates. After choosing Create a Pass, pick one of three layouts: Membership for things like gyms or workplace access, Event for concerts or theater visits, or Standard for generic passes where you define the details. Each template includes a barcode or QR code area plus editable fields. Tap a field to rename it and enter data such as Member Status, membership number, admission type, or dates using built‑in selectors. If the preset fields do not match your card, use Add/Remove Fields to delete unwanted rows and replace them with other premade options. Once you add your membership barcode and key details, save the pass and it will appear alongside your other Wallet app features, ready to scan at check‑in.
Use Visual Intelligence to Scan Barcodes and Screenshots
When the Apple Intelligence-powered flow is available on your device, creating iOS 27 digital passes from physical cards becomes faster. From Create a Pass, choose to scan a card and point your iPhone camera at the membership card or a clear screenshot that shows its barcode. Wallet uses Visual Intelligence to detect the code and relevant text, then generates a draft pass with the barcode placed in the correct area and basic fields filled in. You can confirm or edit titles, numbers, and dates before saving. This reduces typing and helps avoid errors in long membership IDs. The same scanning approach appears in the new bill‑splitting tool, where Siri mode reads receipt items, which shows how tightly Apple Wallet custom passes are integrated with the broader Apple Intelligence feature set.
Organize Passes and Try the New Bill-Splitting Feature
Once you create membership cards as custom passes, you can organize them in Wallet like any other card. Arrange frequently used passes, such as a transit or gym card, near the top so they are easy to access at check‑in. Group loyalty cards and event tickets so you know where to look before you reach the front of a queue. Beyond custom passes, iOS 27 digital passes live alongside newer Wallet app features, including order tracking and bill splitting. With bill splitting, you point the camera at a receipt in Siri mode, then select Split Bill so Wallet can identify items and calculate each person’s share before sending payment requests. Keeping membership passes, payment cards, and these smarter tools in one place turns Wallet into a central hub for everyday purchases and access.
