The NFC Vulnerability
By default, double-clicking the side button on a locked iPhone immediately pulls up your Apple Wallet, displaying your default credit card and transit passes. While you must authenticate with Face ID to actually complete a purchase, displaying the cards themselves reveals which banks you use and potentially the last four digits of the cards to anyone looking at the screen. Furthermore, if the phone is stolen while unlocked and then locks in the thief’s hands, the active NFC chip can still be exploited in certain edge cases. You must lock the wallet behind the passcode wall.
How to Turn Off Wallet on the Lock Screen
You can permanently hide your financial cards from the locked state via the Face ID settings.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode).
- Enter your device’s master PIN code to access the secure menu.
- Scroll down to the section labeled “Allow Access When Locked.”
- Locate the toggle switch labeled Wallet (or Wallet & Apple Pay).
- Toggle this switch to the Off position (the green background will disappear).
Secured Finances
The change takes effect instantly. The iPhone will completely sever the double-click hardware shortcut while the phone is locked. If you (or a thief) double-click the side button on a locked screen, the operating system will absolutely refuse to display the Apple Wallet. The screen will remain exactly as it is. To access your credit cards, you are now strictly required to either unlock the phone first or trigger the wallet only after the device has authenticated your face, guaranteeing maximum financial privacy.