Your Complete Guide to Google Wallet: How to Store and Manage Your Cards, Tickets, and More

Google Wallet is a mobile payment application that enables users to pay for items online or through contactless payments. It also offers features for exchanging money with others, tracking personal spending, adding virtual credit cards, and managing finances.

Transition from Google Pay to Google Wallet
Google’s branding strategy has caused some confusion, but in June, the company officially rebranded its payment services under the Google Wallet name, retiring the Google Pay label. While you may still encounter the old branding on the Wallet website, in the app, and at point of sale terminals, Google Wallet is now the primary service to use going forward.

Compatibility Issues
It’s important to note that Google Wallet is available only on Android devices, as the transition has led to the discontinuation of the Google Pay app on iOS. iPhone users will need to rely on Apple Pay instead.

Google Wallet Features and Setup
Google Wallet retains most of the features from Google Pay, with the exception of peer-to-peer payments. Here’s a guide on how to use Google Wallet via the web and on an Android phone.

Setting Up Google Wallet
To get started with Google Wallet, log into your Google Account on the website or the mobile app. If you have financial information saved in Chrome’s AutoFill feature, your credit and debit cards will automatically be transferred to Google Wallet. Otherwise, you’ll need to enter them manually during the setup process.

Google Wallet is typically preinstalled on most Android devices, but you can also download it from Google Play. Open the app, sign in, and add a payment method. Navigate to Add payment card > New credit or debit card, and you can add a card by positioning it within the camera viewfinder. Alternatively, tap Enter details manually to input the information yourself. Follow the remaining prompts to set up and verify the card.

To add PayPal as a payment method, tap Add to Wallet at the bottom of the screen. Select Payment card > PayPal, which will direct you to the PayPal website to sign in and complete the verification process.

If you’re setting up the service on the web, click Add payment method, choose either a credit or debit card or a bank account, and click Next. Enter the required details and click Save.

The service will then display your entered payment methods. You can edit or remove existing methods at any time or add new ones by clicking the Add a payment method button. Follow the steps to link additional methods to Google Wallet, and the page will then show all the payment methods you’ve added.

Setting Up Tap to Pay
With Google Wallet, you can pay for public transportation rides with supported train and bus systems using the Tap to Pay feature. This allows you to tap your phone on the payment scanner without needing to authenticate the transaction. The first card you added will be automatically set as the default for Tap to Pay, but this can be changed.

On the main screen, swipe through the carousel of cards until you find the one you want to use for contactless payments. Tap the card to view it full-screen, then tap the three-dot icon in the upper right corner and select Make default for contactless.

To pay for an item in a store that supports Google Wallet, hold your phone near the payment reader and confirm the transaction using your password, PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition. To pay within an app or on a website, select the item for purchase and tap the Google Wallet button. Google Wallet will display your default payment method, which you can change if needed before confirming the transaction with your authentication information.

Adding Cards, Passes, and Event Tickets
Google Wallet allows you to add not just payment methods but also transit passes, loyalty cards, gift cards, ID cards, and even photos. To set this up, tap Add to Wallet on the main screen of the app, then select the type of item you wish to add.

For transit passes, Google Wallet will display nearby transit agencies, allowing you to purchase and add the pass. Select Loyalty to scan your loyalty card or Gift card to choose the retailer and manually input the details. To add an ID card, select ID card, where you can add a driver’s license or other identification (note that this feature is only supported in certain states and airports). You can also scan a photo of yourself for identification purposes by selecting Photo. Additionally, a COVID-19 vaccination card can be added from the main screen.

Event tickets, boarding passes, and similar items can also be added to Google Wallet. To do this, open the email or webpage that contains the confirmation of your event or flight, click Save to Google Wallet, and follow the steps to add the tickets or passes. They can then be viewed in Google Wallet and presented when needed.

Setting Google Wallet as Default on Samsung Phones
Google Wallet is typically the default payment system on most Android devices, but Samsung phones may require manual setup to replace Samsung Pay. To set Google Wallet as the default, go to Settings > Connections and select NFC and contactless payments. Choose Contactless payments and change the default from Samsung Pay to Google Pay. After this, Google Wallet will be the payment system that pops up when needed.

Reviewing Payment Methods and Transactions
The easiest way to review your history with Google Wallet is through the website. Log in with your Google account, and from the categories on the left, you can view saved payment methods, passes, past transactions, and adjust Google Wallet settings.

Some of this information is also accessible in the Google Wallet app. Tap your profile icon at the top to view tips for using Wallet, change payment methods, view specific data, and customize settings.