Set up backup payment methods

For some Google products and services, you can set up one or more backup payment methods that will be used if your primary payment method can’t be charged. Backup payment methods can help avoid interruptions to your subscriptions.

Know more about backup payment set up

Before you set up a backup payment method, there are some things to know:

• Not all payment methods can be used as a backup payment method.
• Bank accounts can’t be used as an automatic payment method.

Set up backup payment methods

You can authorize Google to charge the payment methods saved to your Google Account if your primary payment method can’t be charged. You can choose one or more backup payment methods. If you turn on the feature, Google will attempt to charge your selected backup payment methods for eligible purchases made through Google Play and across Google products and services if your primary payment method fails.

The feature is currently available for subscriptions purchased through Google Play and will be available in other Google products and services in the future. If you turn on the feature, new payment methods you add to your Google Account will automatically be included as backup payment methods unless you manually unselect them. You can select which payment methods can be used as backups or turn off this feature at any time with these steps:

1. Go to play.google.com.
2. At the top right, click your Profile icon.
3. Select Payments & Subscriptions.
4. Click Payment methods.
5. If you find “Backup payment methods:”
   1. Enable the toggle next to “Backup Payment methods.”
   2. Select the payment methods you want to use as your backups.
6. If you don’t find “Backup payment methods:”
   1. You may be using an older version of this feature that only allows you to set a single backup payment method per subscription. When you purchase a new subscription through Google Play, you’ll be asked whether you want to turn on the new backup payment methods feature which allows you to set multiple backup payment methods.

For some other Google products and services, you can add one backup payment method for a given subscription that’ll be charged if your primary payment method can’t be charged. To set up a backup payment method for these products and services, follow the steps below.

1. Sign in to your payments profile.
2. Click the Subscriptions & services tab.
3. Choose which subscription, service, or product you’d like to set a backup payment method for.
4. Click Manage.
5. Depending on the product you selected, you’ll find one of the following:
   1. If you find “Change payment method,” follow the steps below:
      1. Click Change payment method.
      2. Click Update backup payment method.
      3. Select the backup payment method you want to use.
   2. If you find “Manage payment method,” follow the steps below:
      1. Click Manage payment methods.
      2. Your available payment methods appear as cards.
      3. Decide which payment method you’d like to set as your backup, or add a new payment method to use as a backup.
      4. From the menu on your chosen payment method’s card, select Backup.
   3. If you don’t find the option to manage or change backup payment methods, then backup payments are not available for that subscription or pre-order.