Split Checks and Scan Passes: iOS 27’s New Wallet Tricks

Apple is finally giving us a way to settle a dinner tab without pulling out a calculator or awkwardly asking who ordered what. With iOS 27, a new Visual Intelligence button lands in the Control Center, and it works like a cross‑between Siri and a scanner.

First things first – you need Apple Cash set up in Wallet, an iPhone that can run iOS 27 (most models from iPhone 13 onward), and an itemized receipt that the camera can read. No special apps, no fiddly menus; just the camera you already use for photos.

To get the button up and running, swipe down from the top‑right corner, press and hold on an empty spot, then tap “Add a Control.” Search for Visual Intelligence and tap to add it. Once it’s there, a simple tap will fire up the scanner any time you need it.

When the bill arrives, lay the receipt on a flat, well‑lit surface. Open the Control Center, hit the Visual Intelligence icon, and point the camera at the paper. The iPhone will automatically recognize the numbers, line items, taxes and tips, and a yellow “Split Bill with Apple Cash” button will appear over the scan.

Tap that button, pick the contacts you want to involve, and double‑check the individual amounts. The feature is clever enough to let you split by each item instead of just dividing the total evenly, so you can keep that extra guacamole charge out of your friend’s share. When you’re satisfied, send the Apple Cash requests – they land instantly in each person’s Wallet.

But Apple didn’t stop at receipts. The same Visual Intelligence control can also capture physical passes – boarding passes, event tickets, loyalty cards, you name it. Just aim the camera at the QR code or the Apple Wallet logo on the card, and if iOS 27 deems it compatible, a prompt will let you add it directly to Wallet.

Not every pass will cooperate; some issuers still require you to use their own app or an “Add to Apple Wallet” link. Still, it’s a handy fallback for those stray paper tickets you keep in a drawer.

Once the passes are in Wallet, you can rearrange them by pressing and holding a card, then dragging it wherever you like. It’s a small touch, but it makes the whole experience feel a bit more personal.

At the moment, Visual Intelligence and the split‑bill feature are only available in the iOS 27 public and developer betas, so you’ll need to be on a beta build to try them out. When the final release rolls out later this fall, the tools will be there for everyone – and they’ll probably feel like they’ve been part of iOS forever.

All in all, iOS 27 gives Apple Wallet a modest but genuinely useful upgrade. If you already use your iPhone as a debit or credit card, adding a few extra taps to split a check or scan a boarding pass is a natural next step.