Users can use passes in Wallet on iPhone, iPod touch, or Apple Watch. Passes can display on the Lock Screen at the right time, like when the user reaches the airport or walks into a store.

Passes can work with NFC readers for contactless redemption. Users hold their device near a reader with contactless symbol to use a pass, with no need for a barcode. If you’re developing an NFC-enabled pass to use with Apple Pay, learn about supporting loyalty and membership passes on Apple platforms.

Passes can contain barcodes that are scanned in order to obtain information stored in the pass. Wallet supports 2D barcodes using QR, Aztec, and PDF417 formats. Wallet optimizes the presentation of passes in order to facilitate a successful scan. For example, the screen’s orientation locks to portrait and the backlight is temporarily boosted to the brightest setting. However, it’s still important to test your passes with the hardware you expect to use for scanning. An optical scanner works better for scanning an iPhone screen than a laser scanner. For more details on using barcodes, see the Add to Apple Wallet Guidelines.

Passes can also display text below the barcode to show the user’s membership or account number in case scanning is unavailable.