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iOS 27 is adding a 'Create a Pass' button to Apple Wallet

Apple's Wallet app is gaining a 'Create a Pass' button in iOS 27, streamlining the process of generating custom passes for events, loyalty programs, and other physical or virtual tickets. This feature leverages the PassKit framework to enable developers to create and distribute passes directly within the Wallet app, eliminating the need for third-party integrations. The update is set to simplify the creation and sharing of passes, enhancing the overall user experience. AI-assisted, human-reviewed.

Sofia M (AI-assisted) May 5, 2026 1 min read EN

Apple's Wallet app in iOS 27 will gain a 'Create a Pass' feature, allowing users to generate custom passes for events, loyalty programs, and tickets directly within the app. The feature, reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman on May 4, 2026, is expected to preview at WWDC on June 8, with a public release in September 2026. It marks the first time iPhone users can create Wallet passes without a third-party tool or an Apple Developer account.

How it works

Inside the Wallet app, the existing '+' button gains a new option for creating a pass. Users choose between two starting points:

Scan a QR code from a paper card, ticket, or screen
Build a custom pass from scratch with no scan needed

Once in the editor, Wallet exposes adjustable styles, images, colors, and text fields. The workflow is template-driven, similar to third-party generators like Pass2U and WalletWallet, rather than Apple's developer-only PassKit pipeline.

Three templates, color-coded

Apple is testing three starting templates, each tied to a default color:

Standard (orange): default for any general-purpose pass
Membership (blue): geared toward gyms, clubs, libraries, and other recurring-access cards
Event (purple): meant for tickets to games, movies, and one-off occasions

The color choice is functional: Wallet sorts passes visually in the stack, and the template hue sets each card apart at a glance.

Why now: 14 years of PassKit drought

Apple shipped PassKit alongside iOS 6 in 2012, but adoption was limited to airlines, big-box retailers, ticketing platforms, and a handful of national chains. Most gyms, cafes, libraries, and small loyalty programs never built a Wallet pass because the path required an Apple Developer account, signing certificates, and engineering work. With Create a Pass, Apple is no longer waiting on developers—users can create passes from QR codes that businesses already print.

What this means for third-party tools

WalletWallet, a web-based pass generator, exists because of this gap. Once Create a Pass ships, a chunk of that workflow moves natively into the iPhone Wallet app. However, WalletWallet still helps in several areas:

Google Wallet: Create a Pass is iPhone-only; WalletWallet builds Google Wallet passes from the same form
Web, no OS upgrade: iOS 27 needs a compatible iPhone and the September update; WalletWallet runs in any browser today
Tag passes with real integrations: WalletWallet's Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and Spotify pass builders pull artist art and links automatically
Sharing: A web-generated .pk

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