Pay contactless with your smartwatch

In certain countries or regions, you can use the Google Wallet app on your smartwatch to make contactless payments where Google Pay is accepted.

Important: If you have any issues with your Google Pixel Watch, please go to the Google Pixel Watch Help Centre.

To use Google Wallet on your watch, you must:

• Have a watch that runs Wear OS version 2.0 and up. Check your watch version.
• Have a watch with Near Field Communication (NFC).
• Be in a country or region where pay on Wear OS is supported.
• Ensure Google Play Services is updated on both watch and phone.
• Ensure that the Google Wallet app is installed on your watch with the latest version. If it's not, you can download it from the Play Store or update the apps on your watch.
• Use a supported card.

Add a card to your watch

Important:

• PayPal on Google Wallet isn't supported on watches.

If you add a card to your watch, you don't need your phone to pay.

1. Open the Google Wallet app on your smartwatch.
2. Tap Get started.
3. Set up screen lock if you haven't already.
4. On your phone, follow the instructions to add a credit or debit card.
   1. Tip: This only adds a card to the Google Wallet app on your watch, not your phone.
5. Your card now shows up on your watch.

Make a payment in a shop

Important: For QUICPay and iD, you don't need to open the Google Wallet app to pay. Just hold your watch to the reader.

1. Open the Google Wallet app .
2. Hold your watch over the contactless payment reader until you hear a sound or feel a vibration from your watch.
3. If asked, tap Credit regardless of your type of card.
4. For debit card transactions, you may have to enter a PIN. Use the PIN that you set up with your bank.

Manage your cards

Pay with a non-default card

The first card that you add to Google Wallet is the default. To use another card:

1. Open the Google Wallet app .
2. Swipe to the card that you want to use. When you find 'Hold to terminal', it's ready to use.
3. Hold your watch against the contactless payment terminal until you hear a sound or feel a vibration from your watch.
4. If you use a debit card:
   • Tap Credit.
   • If asked, enter the PIN that you set up with your bank.

Change the default card

The steps are different depending on your watch version. Learn how to check your watch version.

Wear version 3.0

1. Open the Google Wallet app .
2. Swipe to the card that you want to use as default.
3. Tap the card Make default for pay contactless.

Wear version 2.0

1. Open the Google Wallet app .
2. Swipe to the card that you want to use as default.
3. Tap the card.
4. From the bottom, swipe up on more .
5. Tap Set as default card.

Remove a card

1. Open the Google Wallet app .
2. Swipe to the card that you want to remove.
3. Tap it.
4. From the bottom, swipe up on more .
5. Tap remove .

Find past purchases

1. Open the Google Wallet app .
2. Tap a card.
3. Swipe up on the card to view your transactions.

Fix a problem

Can't add a card or it was removed

Can't add a card

If you can't use your card with Google Wallet, check the list of participating banks and supported cards.

If you have questions or feedback about your card, contact your bank.

Get a 'Network error' when you add a card

Make sure that your phone is nearby. Your phone and watch should have Bluetooth turned on and an Internet connection (either mobile or Wi-Fi).

Card was automatically removed

For your security, when you remove the screen lock on your watch, it deletes any cards that you have added to Google Wallet. To re-add a card:

1. On your watch, open Google Wallet .
2. Add a screen lock.
3. Add your card again.

Watch says 'Can't connect' or 'Can't check accounts' or to restart phone

Watch says 'Can't connect' and freezes when you add a card

Make sure that your phone's Bluetooth is on:

1. On your phone, open the Wear OS app .
2. At the top, make sure that it says 'Connected'.
   • If it says 'Disconnected', try these steps to connect your watch and phone.

3. On your watch, open the Google Wallet app and try to connect again.

Watch says 'Can't check accounts' when you open the app

To fix this error, update the Google Wallet app.

1. On your watch, open the Play Store app .
2. Swipe from the top and tap My apps.
3. Swipe and tap Google Wallet.
4. Tap Update.
5. Reopen the Google Wallet app .

App says to restart phone

1. Restart your phone (not your watch).
2. Wait 30–60 seconds. This makes sure that your phone has installed the updates needed to use your watch.
3. On your watch, open Google Wallet .
4. Tap retry .

Loading circle doesn't stop

Close the Google Wallet app on your watch and open it again. If that doesn't work, to restart the watch, hold down the Power button.

Trouble using Google Wallet on watch in shops

Step 1. Make sure that your watch is on tight and unlocked

Tap the screen to find if Google Wallet asked you to unlock your watch. If so, unlock it before you pay.

Step 2. Make sure that the Google Wallet app is open

Just before you pay, open Google Wallet on your watch. On the screen, make sure that you can find the card that you want to pay with.

Step 3. Hold your watch to the reader for longer

Hold the NFC on your watch over the reader until it beeps and your watch vibrates.

Tips:

• You can also hold your watch against the reader in a different position. This helps because your watch talks to the reader using NFC.
• On most watches, the NFC antenna is behind the screen but you can check your watch manual for the exact location.

Step 4. Make sure that the shop accepts contactless payments

Ask the cashier if the shop accepts contactless payments. If they don't, you must use a physical card.

Your watch doesn't meet security requirements

1. Check if your watch is Play Protect certified.
2. If you could previously make contactless payments with Google Wallet but no longer can, contact your device manufacturer. There might be a device software update that affects functionality.
3. If you have modified your watch, make sure that it meets security standards. Google Wallet might not work in shops with watches that:
   • Run developer versions of Wear OS.
   • Are rooted, run a custom ROM or have modified factory software or operating systems. Due to security risks, Google Wallet doesn't run on these watches.
   • Are untested and haven't been approved by Google.
   • Have an unlocked bootloader.

Tips:

• If your watch doesn't meet security requirements, you can't make pay contactless transactions.
• To meet Google's security requirements, you can reinstall your watch's original operating system.
• For more info, contact your device manufacturer.

Set Google Pay as your default for payments

After you have downloaded Google Wallet on a new device, you may need to set Google Pay as your default for payments.

1. On your watch, open Settings.
2. Go to the 'Connectivity' or 'Connections' section.
3. Tap NFC.
4. Make sure that Google Pay is selected as your payment provider.

Can't add American Express card

American Express allows you to add your card to up to 10 devices. If you get this message, you may be at the limit. Delete your card from old devices, then try to set up the card again. If your card isn't on multiple devices, contact American Express for more help.

 

Still need help?

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