Google Wallet FAQs

What is Google Wallet?

Google Wallet’s Tap and Pay is a form of contactless, secure payment on devices using an NFC-enabled Android device running 4.4 (KitKat) or higher on any carrier network. (Not all devices running KitKat will support Tap and Pay.) For the most up-to-date information, visit https://www.google.com/wallet/.

Don’t have an Android phone or tablet? You can use the Google Wallet app for iPhones and iPads, which can be used for some payments (although not Tap and Pay) on Apple Devices. Register for a Google Wallet Card and direct it to your various accounts via the app.

How do I activate Google Wallet?

Go to your phone’s “Settings” and touch “More settings.” Make sure NFC is turned “On.” Go back to Settings and check for a “Tap and Pay” option in the menu. If there is one, you can start adding cards to your Google Wallet. For the most up-to-date information, visit https://www.google.com/wallet/.

How do I use Google Wallet?

Look for the Tap and Pay or contactless icons on the terminal when you checkout at a store. Old your phone to the contactless reader and select the card you want to use. For the most up-to-date information, visit https://www.google.com/wallet/.

Is Google Wallet secure?

Yes—more secure than magnetic stripes! It replaces actual data on the physical card (i.e. the credit card number) with “virtual data,” or a secure token from VISA®. Even if hackers steal tokens, they will not be able to obtain other data associated with your card. The information is useless without your device and the device’s secure log-in information (i.e. your phone’s PIN). If a large retailer’s database is hacked, this principle still applies: the token will be useless without the phone and its user.