Common problems with Google Wallet and how to fix them

You'll know if your phone isn't ready to make contactless payments if it doesn't respond when you tap it on a contactless terminal in a store while the phone is unlocked. You can check that your phone is ready to pay by opening Google Wallet, tapping your profile picture, and selecting Payment Setup. Any outstanding issues that need resolving, such as a card that hasn't finished setting up, can be fixed here. Google's built-in guide for this will help you get started.

You'll also need to enable NFC, the tech that lets your phone communicate with payment terminals, by searching for it in your phone's settings and switching it on. On a recent Samsung Galaxy smartphone, it'll be listed under Connections > NFC and contactless payments, and you'll need to make sure this slider is tapped on. You can search for NFC in the Settings app if it isn't listed there.

With your card ready, you should be able to unlock your phone and hold its back against the contactless reader for a few seconds for the contactless payment to complete. One of Google Wallet's advantages over Apple Wallet is that you shouldn't need to open the app at all to get this to work, as it'll use your default card. You can use an alternative card by swiping through to that card in the Wallet app.

Move your phone around slightly if it doesn't work the first time, as the NFC antenna might be in a different place to what you expect. Waving it quickly over the terminal isn't the right method, either: just hold it in place to give it a chance to connect.

Your case is a potential blocking point, too. Thick cases, cases made of metal, and those that include slots to hold physical cards can all block or interrupt a reader. You can always double-check if it'll block payments by simply giving it a go, but you'll probably want to do this in a store that isn't busy. If it doesn't work, remove the case, try again, and you'll know for sure if the case is the problem.

Also, keep an eye for any on-screen checks and instructions. You may need to verify if it's the first payment you've made with a contactless card. If a payment fails unexpectedly, double-check with your bank to see if the issue is separate to your digital card. You can check Google's troubleshooting guidance if you do run into issues, too.