Summary
- After receiving backlash for its F1 Apple Wallet ad, Apple is adding new notification settings to Apple Wallet.
- With iOS 26, Apple has added the ability to turn off Apple Wallet notifications for offers and promotions.
- To turn it off, open Apple Wallet, select Notification settings, and toggle off notifications for Offers & Promotions.
If I had to choose a single app as my favorite on my iPhone, it would be Apple Wallet. I use it daily, and it makes contactless payments quick and convenient, whether I’m fueling my car, grabbing coffee, or shopping for groceries. Plus, while I’m traveling, it’s handy for boarding passes and train tickets. Although I still carry a physical wallet, I hardly use it anymore due to Apple Wallet.
However, a few weeks ago, Apple did something with its Wallet app that annoyed me for the first time ever. It sent out a push notification for Apple Wallet, but it wasn’t about any of my cards or purchases; it was an unwanted advertisement.
This happened in June when Apple sent out a push notification to an untold number of Apple Wallet users about saving money on tickets to see its latest movie, F1, in theaters. The notification was about getting $10 off through Fandango. Usually, when I see a push notification on Apple Wallet, it’s right after I’ve made a purchase, so receiving one randomly when I hadn’t bought anything was alarming. When it turned out to be just an ad from Apple, I felt relieved but also annoyed because it worried me for no reason.
It wasn’t just me who was bothered by this. Many people took to social media and Reddit to complain about it, and in the Apple Wallet settings, there is no way to turn off notifications for offers or promotions. However, it seems in response to the F1 push notification debacle, Apple has made a significant change to Apple Wallet with its forthcoming iOS 26 update.
A new toggle has been added to Apple Wallet’s notification settings
If you’re using any version of iOS 18, there isn’t a way to disable push notifications for offers and promotions exclusively from Apple Wallet without turning off all notifications for the app itself. I prefer not to do that, and I believe many others might feel the same, especially since it also sends important financial alerts.
However, with iOS 26, it appears that Apple took note of the negative response it received from the F1 promotion and made a change to allow users to turn off notifications for offers and promotions entirely. This means you can simply toggle it off and still receive important notifications for card purchases and orders, without any unwanted advertisements appearing (via 9to5Mac).
On the latest public beta build of iOS 26, this feature is present for me, and I was able to toggle off notifications for offers and promotions. If you have the iOS 26 beta, or you’re reading this once iOS 26 has officially launched, here’s how to disable it yourself:
1. Open up the Apple Wallet app.
2. Tap the three dots in the top right of your screen.
3. Select Notifications from the pop-up menu.
4. Turn off Offers & Promotions notifications.
Luckily, turning it off is quick and easy. However, it still raises the question: should Apple be sending notifications for offers and promotions to Apple Wallet users at all? When the F1 movie ad went out, people were quick to point out online that it broke Apple’s own guidelines for App Store apps, which say “Push Notifications should not be used for promotions or direct marketing purposes unless customers have explicitly opted in,” and I certainly don’t remember opting in the first place.
Considering all this, I’m just glad Apple added a toggle to turn it off. If some people don’t mind receiving notifications for offers and promotions in Apple Wallet, more power to them. Personally, I’m happy I can turn it off and only get important notifications from Apple Wallet now.
