How to Use iPhone Camera App to Make UPI Payments on iOS 15 in India

Sep. 22, 2021

Looks like Apple has started viewing India from an altogether different lens. With the release of iOS 15, the company has introduced anIndia-exclusive feature that will simplify the UPI payment flowfor iPhone users. Apple now lets you scan UPI QR codes from the camera app on your iPhone runningiOS 15and choose from up to 10 of your most recentlyused UPI apps for merchant payments. Well, if you have upgraded your iPhone to iOS 15 and want to learn how to use this all-new feature, we have you covered. Let me teach you how to use the camera app to scan UPI QR codes and make payments on iOS 15 in India.

It’s worth noting that Applerecently updatedthe iOS 15 features page to highlight this feature. Users can now select their most recently used UPI payment apps inside the camera app when scanning UPI QR codes to complete payments. So, if you arerunning the beta version of iOS 15, you won’t get access to this feature. If you haven’t updated your device until now, head toSettings -> General -> Software Updateand then download and install the official version of iOS 15. Once that’s done, follow the steps below to learn using this nifty feature.

Before we look at the steps, make sure you have set up the UPI payment app that you frequently use on your device. Also, be sure theScan QR Codestoggle is enabled in the Camera settings. These are the pre-requisites for using the UPI payments via camera app feature in iOS 15.

1. Head over toSettings -> Cameraon your iPhone and ensure that the toggle next toScan QR Codesis on (green).

2. Now, launchthe camera appon your iPhone.

3. Next up,point the camera at the UPI QR Codeyou want to scan. The moment the camera app recognizes the QR code, your most recently used UPI payment app will show up in the viewfinder. Now,tap on the applinkto proceed.

4. Next up, you will see a pop-up saying,“Camera wants to open [UPI payments app name]”. TapOpen to continue. After that, go through the usual process to make the payment. For instance, you will need to enter the amount, add a message, and hit Send to enter the UPI PIN and authorize the transaction.

5. If you want to use another UPI payment app instead of the one suggested by the camera app,tap on the QR code scanner iconat the bottom right corner of the viewfinder. Now, a context menu with a list of all your recently used UPI payment apps will pop up.

6. Next, choose your preferred app from the list. Again, if you are using a certain UPI payments app for the first time from the camera app, it will ask your permission to open the app. After that, you can go through the usual process to make the merchant payment securely. That’s as straightforward as it can ever get!

While I’m pleased with this new India-exclusive feature in iOS 15, I think the user experience could be better. First, it took me a good 10 to 15 minutes to discover how to access all recently used UPI apps, instead of just the one suggested by the camera app. Second, the context menu doesn’t show up all the 10 recently used UPI payment apps, as claimed by Apple.

In my case, the context menu showed only 7 apps at a time. It would have been better had there been a pull-up tab or an iMessage-like bar above the camera options. That way, you could access all the recently used UPI apps and select the preferred app by swiping left/ right.

Even though this is a new iOS 15 feature, most UPI payment apps support the UPI QR code scanning functionality via the iPhone camera out of the box. So, it doesn’t matter which payments app you use, there is a high chance you won’t run into any incompatibility issue. Here is a list of all the UPI payment apps (we tested most of them) that support iOS 15’s QR code scanning feature in India.

We have compiled anextensive roundup of the best UPI payment apps. So if you wish to find out more about these apps and get to know some handy tips and tricks, head over to the linked article.

Use iPhone Camera App to Scan UPI QR Codes in India

So that’s how you can use your iPhone camera to scan UPI QR codes while buying food or buying groceries at the local farmer’s market in India. Now, you don’t need to jump through multiple hoops to scan the QR code and complete the payment. Moreover, it’s great to see Apple cozying up to India’s popular UPI framework. The company evenrecently added UPI, Rupay cards, and net banking as supported payments methods on the App Store. So yeah, you can use your iPhone to make UPI payments with ease going forward. What are your thoughts on this India-exclusive feature? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

An old school bibliophile who turned a tech nerd out of obsession. When he is not digging into hacks and tracking down stories that are breaking the internet, you may find him reciting poems.