Tap to pay with your phone (2024)

You can use your phone to pay for goods or services with Google Wallet.

Where you can use Google Wallet

Important:

  • Near field communication (NFC) must be turned on to make contactless payments. To turn on NFC, check your phone settings app.

To use tap to pay on Pixel Fold oranother foldable device, fold your device.

You can pay with Google Wallet wherever you find the contactless or Google Pay symbols. They’re located on the payment terminal screen or cash register at checkout.

You can buy items with your phone or pay for transit on trains and buses on contactless terminals with either of these logos:

Check your tap to pay set up

  1. Open the Google Wallet app Tap to pay with your phone (3).
  2. At the top right, tap your profile picture or Account Tap to pay with your phone (4) Tap to pay with your phone (5) Tap to pay setup.
  3. Check if you’re ready to make contactless payments. To tap to pay with Google Wallet:
    • Near field communication (NFC) must be turned on.
    • To make a tap-to-pay transaction with a card in your Google Wallet, Google Pay should be set as your default payment app.
    • Add a contactless payment method.
    • Set up a screen lock.
    • Your phone must meet the security requirements.

If all these requirements are met, your phone is ready to make contactless payments.

Set up a payment method for contactless transactions

To set up contactless payments, add one or more payment methods to Google Wallet.

  1. Open the Google Wallet app Tap to pay with your phone (6).
  2. At the top, tap the card you want to use. You may need to swipe to find it.
  3. Check the message above your card:
    • If there's no message, your card is ready to tap and pay.
    • “Card not set up” Tap to pay with your phone (7). To make contactless payments, above your card, tap Finish setup. Follow the on-screen instructions and verify your payment method.
    • “Contactless disabled” Tap to pay with your phone (8). Your phone either doesn’t support NFC or has it turned off. You must have NFC turned on to make contactless payments.
    • “Card suspended” Tap to pay with your phone (9). There’s an issue with your card. To fix it, contact your bank.

Pay in a store

Step 1: Wake up & unlock your phone

Important: For users with a Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro, Face Unlock is currently not supported for tap to pay transactions.

Turn on your screen, then unlock your phone. You don’t need to open the Google Wallet app.

Tip: In most countries or regions, smaller transactions don't require you to unlock your phone.

Step 2: Hold the back of your phone to the payment reader

When you’re done paying, a blue check mark appears on the screen.

If the check mark isn’t on your screen:

  • Try to hold your phone in a different way. Your NFC antenna could be near the top or bottom of your device.
  • Hold your phone closer to the payment reader.
  • Hold your phone to the payment reader for a few extra seconds.

If there’s a check mark but the cashier says that the payment didn’t work:

  • Double check that the store accepts mobile payments.
  • Contact your bank. There may be an issue with your card and your bank may have declined the transaction. If the transaction is declined, you aren’t charged.

How to tap to pay

Tap to pay with your phone (10)

Step 3: If prompted, follow the on-screen instructions

Some stores ask for a PIN or signature. If you’re asked, follow the steps on the screen.

  • Debit cards: Enter the PIN that you set up with your bank. This PIN is different from the one you use to unlock your device.
  • Credit cards: For larger transactions, sign the receipt or the on-screen signature box.

Use a different payment method

To pay with a different card, you can change your default payment method.

Return something you bought in a store

  1. Bring your receipt and item to the store.
  2. If asked to swipe your card, hold the back of your phone to the contactless payment terminal.

For some returns, you might have to provide the last 4 digits of your virtual account number:

  1. Open the Google Wallet appTap to pay with your phone (11).
  2. At the top, tap the card you used for the purchase. To find it, you may need to swipe from right to left.
  3. Tap Details Tap to pay with your phone (12)Virtual account number.

The retailer should tell you when to expect your refund.

Related resources

  • Fix problems with tap to pay transactions
  • Find supported payment methods for contactless payments
  • Find activity for your cards

Still need help?

If you still have issues or any questions, you can ask the community or contact us.

Need more help?

Try these next steps:

Post to the help community Get answers from community members
Tap to pay with your phone (2024)

FAQs

Why is it convenient to tap to pay with your NFC phone quiz answers? ›

tap to pay uses secure card tokenization technology to store card tokens on your device. when you tap your phone on a card reader, this token data is transferred via NFC to the reader to initiate a payment. this way, your card data is never shared with the merchant.

Is my phone tap to pay capable? ›

Important: You must have a device with Android 7.0 or higher to make tap to pay transactions. Learn how to update your Android version.

How to use tap to pay on phone? ›

Pay with a tap at stores worldwide

Hold your Android device near the card reader and wait for the checkmark. Pay with your default card or select another. Google Pay will handle the rest. Order free stickers for your business to let customers know you accept Google Pay.

Why is my tap to pay not working? ›

Make sure your phone is awake and unlocked. Hold your phone in a different way. Your NFC antenna could be near the top or middle of your device. Hold your phone closer to the payment reader.

Why is it convenient to tap to pay with your NFC phone? ›

NFC-enabled terminals only communicate with the phone and the information is encrypted. This makes it more secure than swiping a card. The reader only connects with one phone at a time, so a customer can't accidentally pay for someone else's purchase.

Is tap to pay safer than swiping? ›

Benefits of Contactless Credit Cards

In comparison, tapping to pay using a contactless chip can take only seconds. Contactless payments are much faster than inserting a credit card and safer than paying with cash or by means of magnetic stripe swipe.

Can I use tap and pay without NFC? ›

You must have NFC turned on to make contactless payments.

Can I add NFC to a non-NFC phone? ›

Install an NFC-enabling app: There are several apps available on the Google Play Store that can enable NFC on non-NFC phones. One popular app is called Trigger. After installing the app, open it and tap the "Enable" button to allow the app to use your phone's built-in RFID/NFC hardware (if available) [1].

Why doesn't my phone support NFC? ›

Go to Settings > Apps > Show system apps > Google Play services > Manage space > Clear all data. Then, re-add your cards to Wallet. Is Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled on your phone? Open phone Settings > Connections > NFC > Contactless Payments > enable NFC.

How to pay without a physical card? ›

Here is a quick guide to the main ones.
  1. Debit card. If merchants can take payment by credit card, they can also take payment by debit card. ...
  2. Direct debit. Direct debit used to be for recurring payments only. ...
  3. Open banking services. ...
  4. Payment Apps (E-Wallets) ...
  5. Gift cards. ...
  6. Reward points. ...
  7. Bank transfer. ...
  8. Cryptocurrency.

Can I tap my phone to pay for things? ›

To pay with your phone, you'll need a digital wallet like Apple Pay®, Google Pay™ or Samsung Pay®. Like contactless cards, phone payments use encryption to help make transactions more secure. You can use your phone to tap and pay wherever you see the contactless payment symbol.

Does Walmart accept tap to pay? ›

Walmart's mobile payment solution: Walmart Pay

Tap-to-pay methods are mobile payment options that are widely used when shopping in-store. Walmart has its own mobile wallet called Walmart Pay. Walmart Pay is a mobile payment app that lets customers pay for their purchases using their mobile devices.

Why is my tap declined? ›

Insufficient funds – A Tap to Pay transaction may decline if there are insufficient funds to cover the cost of your order. Blocked merchants – As responsible lenders, we reserve the right to block transactions with certain merchants or industries and as such, you will not be able to use Tap to Pay with these merchants.

Does tap Pay work without Internet? ›

A network connection is not required to tap and pay. However, your iPhone or Apple Watch must be turned on and your TAP card must have sufficient Stored Value or a pass for use. Note: A network connection is required to add a TAP card or reload your card in Apple Wallet.

What is the advantage of NFC payment? ›

NFC transactions are fast and seamless since people only need to tap their smartphone to another NFC-enabled device. This essentially speeds up transactions and customer validation while reducing manual errors, effectively boosting efficiency and improving customer satisfaction.

Why do you need NFC on your phone? ›

Near Field Communication (NFC) technology allows users to make secure transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch. NFC transmissions are short range (from a touch to a few centimetres) and require the devices to be in close proximity.

Do you need NFC to pay with phone? ›

You must have NFC turned on to make contactless payments.

Why is tap to pay important? ›

Quicker transactions and shorter queues at the checkout are the most significant advantages of contactless payment. Handling cash is not a concern at the checkout. You also don't have the hassle of punching in your PIN. Tap-to-pay technology is more reliable and secure than other forms of payment.

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