UK iPhone users can now see their bank balance in Apple Wallet on iOS 17.1 — here's how to use the new finance hack

(Image credit: Future / Apple)

iOS 17.1 is now available and one of the major new additions to your iPhone will help you take control of your finances

Currently only available in the UK (sorry everyone else), iOS 17.1 adds a brand new feature to Apple Wallet that allows you to see all of your bank balances and full transaction history right from within a single app.

This feature is possible thanks to the United Kingdom’s Open Banking API which is supported by most major banks like Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS, Monzo, and Starling.

Currently, there is no timeframe on when Apple will add similar functionality in the US, or if the company plans to do so. That said, Discover credit cards show transaction history and balance information within the Apple Wallet app for US customers and Apple are planning to add more compatibility soon.

If you are in the UK, here’s how to see your full transaction history and bank balance in Apple Wallet.

How to see your bank balance in Apple Wallet on iOS 17.1

Tap your credit or debit card that has previously been added to Apple Pay
Tap Get Started on the See Balances and Full Transaction History pop up
Follow the steps specific to your bank to connect your banking to Apple Wallet
You can now see all your transactions and your Available Balance

It’s a very easy process to set up and if you use multiple accounts at the same bank, you can add them all seamlessly with just a few clicks.

One more thing… Financial control

I love the UK’s Open Banking API and use it in my main banking app to keep track of all my finances. With the even easier addition to Apple Wallet, checking my bank balance and making sure I have the right card for the right Apple Pay transaction is brilliant.

Seeing how much money I have in my checking account before making a small purchase is very useful and those who haven’t used the Open Banking API will benefit from having easier access in the first-party Wallet app. For years, I’ve paid extra to use Monzo’s Premium service just to have all of my accounts in one place. Yes, that service gives added benefits like Travel Insurance but you need to pay £15 a month to access. Now that Apple offers the same functionality for free, I may be tempted to cancel my subscription.

John-Anthony Disotto is the How To Editor of iMore, ensuring you can get the most from your Apple products and helping fix things when your technology isn’t behaving itself. Living in Scotland, where he worked for Apple as a technician focused on iOS and iPhone repairs at the Genius Bar, John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade and prides himself in his ability to complete his Apple Watch activity rings. John-Anthony has previously worked in editorial for collectable TCG websites and graduated from The University of Strathclyde where he won the Scottish Student Journalism Award for Website of the Year as Editor-in-Chief of his university paper. He is also an avid film geek, having previously written film reviews and received the Edinburgh International Film Festival Student Critics award in 2019. John-Anthony also loves to tinker with other non-Apple technology and enjoys playing around with game emulation and Linux on his Steam Deck.

In his spare time, John-Anthony can be found watching any sport under the sun from football to darts, taking the term “Lego house” far too literally as he runs out of space to display any more plastic bricks, or chilling on the couch with his French Bulldog, Kermit.