The latest iOS beta makes it easier to use Apple Cash

The iOS 17.4 beta lets iPhone users generate a virtual card number for Apple Cash, reports 9to5Mac, citing user reports on Reddit in the last couple of weeks. With a virtual card number, iPhone users can pay with Apple Cash even when Apple Pay isn’t available, removing one of the big limitations of Apple’s built-in Venmo-like service.

I’m seeing the option in the 17.4 beta as well, but as 9to5Mac notes, its possible it hasn’t been rolled out to every beta user. It’s easy to check if you have it, though. Simply open the Wallet app, tap on your Apple Cash card, and look for a message below your balance invites you to set up a virtual card number — doing so is a simple, two-step procedure.

Once you’ve created the number, you can tap the three dots menu in the top right to view the newly-generated card information, which includes an expiration date and three-digit security code. Apple Cash still appears to use a separate card number for Apple Pay transactions — that’s now another menu deeper from the card number info screen, when you tap “Additional Card Numbers.” After setting up the feature,

This is a nice change for frequent Apple Cash users since, as widely as Apple Pay has been adopted, there are still plenty of places where it’s not supported. Now, users can auto-fill their Apple Cash card number rather than deal with transferring money to their bank, which costs a small fee when users choose the instant transfer option versus the free 1 – 3 business day alternative.