Many tech consumers use to think that because Samsung operating system natively default Samsung Wallet (Samsung Pay) as the primary payment method across its devices including the Galaxy Watches, other digital wallet like Google Wallet cannot be used for payment. Well, that's not entirely true because with cards saved on your Google Wallet, you can actually tap your Google Wallet on a Samsung Galaxy Watch to bypass pulling out your phone or physical wallet at the checkout counter.
But you have to do a little bit of initial setup to make Google Wallet your primary payment method, and that is exactly what I'm going to teach you in this article. At the end of this tutorial, you will know all the requirements and criteria you must meet for Google Wallet work on your Samsung Galaxy Watch, how to set the wallet up on the device once the criteria are met, and you will also know how to map the Google Wallet button for quick tap-to-pay capability.
Requirements and Criteria
It's important to note that Google Wallet and its tap-to-pay capability must be available in the country you reside. If they're not supported in your region, the feature will not work. You use the Google Wallet's help page to check if the service is available in your location or when it will be rolled out to your region.
Another important thing required to use Google Wallet on your Samsung Galaxy Watch is that the watch must have Near Field Communication (NFC) turned on and must be running Wear OS version 2.0 or newer, which puts Samsung's Tizen-powered Galaxy Watch 1, 2 and 3 models out of the running.
In other words, your watch must be a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, 5, 6, 7, Ultra, or newer. Older Tizen-based models (Galaxy Watch 3 and earlier) do not support Google Wallet. You can check if your device is compatible simply by swiping down on your smartwatch screen, go to the device'a Settings page and tap "About watch." From there, you can find its Wear OS version under "Software information."
Setting up the Google Wallet on your Galaxy Watch
Follow these steps to successfully setup the Google Wallet app on your Samsung Galaxy Watch:
- Download and Install the Wallet App on your Galaxy Watch: To install the Wallet app, swipe up on your watch screen to open the App Drawer, open the Play Store, search for "Google Wallet," and install it. Note that if you've not setup a lock screen for your watch, you will be required to set it up. Your can lock your screen using PIN or pattern.
- Change your Default Payment App: Go to the Settings page on the Watch and tap Connectivity then NFC. Ensure NFC is turned on, tap on Default payment app, and switch it from Samsung Wallet to Google Pay (or Google Wallet).
- Set up a Screen Lock: Like I explained earlier, you need to set up a PIN or pattern to protect your device on the home screen. Even if you don't want to do that, your watch will force you to set up a PIN or Pattern lock if you want to use Wallet app. Don't worry—you only have to enter this once when you put the watch on your wrist, not every single time you pay.
- Sync and Shortcut: Next, you watch will prompts you to sync with your phone. A screen prompting you to check your phone will pop up on your watch as the Wallet apps between devices sync. Meanwhile, ensure Google Wallet is installed on both devices, and select the "Unlock without tap after PIN entered" option on both your watch and Android phone so you don't have to manually press "OK" or a checkmark every time you enter your PIN.
Adding payment card to the Wallet
Open the Google Wallet app on your watch and tap the "+" tile. It will prompt you to continue on your paired Android phone. Follow the on-screen instructions to scan or manually add a new your credit/debit cards.
You can also choose one of the cards you've previously saved on Google Play for subscriptions or in-app purchases. If you're choosing this card, the Wallet app will ask for some of the card's details for verification, such as its CVV, expiration date, the cardholder name, or the card PIN.
However, you must understand that it is not all cards and banks support the tap-to-pay capabilities. Upon adding a card to the wallet, the system will confirm with your bank or card issuer whether you can use the card for the feature. In the process, a small, refundable tokens maybe charged on the card to complete the verification.
You can use this Google Wallet support page to check all supported banks and cards. On the support page, just select your country from the drop-down option and you will see the list of banks and cards that are supported by Google Wallet in your region. Once you linked a successful card to the Wallet app, you will receive a successful message that says your card is ready for use.
The card will begin to show on your Samsung Galaxy Watch under the Wallet app. The first card you added will be your default card for tap-to-pay payment. If you want to change the default card, simply tap the card you want to make default and select "Make default."
Unlike Samsung Wallet, which opens when you press and hold the Back button, Google Wallet requires you to open the app. To avoid digging through your apps at the cash register, just set up a shortcut button. To do that, go to the Settings page on your Watch and tap Advanced features, the. Customize buttons (or Buttons and gestures).
Under the Home button section, tap Double press, scroll through the app list and select Google Wallet. Now, a quick double-click of the top button will instantly pull up your payment cards.
How to pay at the Terminal
When you're ready to check out at a store that accepts contactless payments, simply double-press your shortcut button or you can open the Google Wallet app instead. Your default card will appear but i you want to use a different one, simply swipe left or right until you see the card you want.
Next, hold the face of your Galaxy Watch close to the contactless payment reader. The watch will vibrate, make a chime sound, and a blue checkmark will appear on the screen to confirm the transaction went through. You can only pay without having to unlock your smartwatch if you're using a Pixel Watch 2 or a newer version of the Watch.
You can also do the same for public transportation, but the reader at the entrance must support Tap to Pay. The NFC antenna on modern Galaxy Watches is located near the top/back of the watch body, behind the screen. Make sure you fully turn your wrist so the face of the watch is flat against or right next to the payment terminal.
Using Google Wallet in Japan
The usage of digital wallets in Japan is a different use case entirely because Japan relies heavily on a specialized contactless technology called FeliCa (which powers their transit IC cards like Suica and PASMO), how well this feature works for you depends entirely on where you bought your watch.
Sony's FeliCa contactless technology is the most used tap-to-pay payment supporter in the country. So, if you're using digital wallet—including Google Wallet—in Japan, you must choose a locally supported cards like Suica and PASMO prepaid IC cards.
However, Google Wallet supports both cards but another clause that matters is that you can only use those cards with smartwatches bought in Japan because devices purchased outside Japan will not support Sony's FeliCa contactless technology, which is the most essential digital tool that facilitates tap-to-pay payment in the country.
So, if you want to use Google Wallet on your Samsung Galaxy Watch in Japan, you must purchase the Samsung Galaxy Watch models that support FeliCa contactless technology in Japan. The models that support Felica are the Galaxy Watch 6, Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, Galaxy Watch 7, Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and Galaxy Watch Ultra.
It's the same way as explained in this article, that you can add either SUICA OR PASMO card to your Google Wallet. However, you can still use your standard home credit/debit cards linked to Google Wallet at stores that accept Visa Contactless, Mastercard Contactless, or American Express Contactless in Japan. You just simply have to look for the standard wave/contactless symbol at convenience stores (like 7-Eleven or Lawson) and major retailers.
You cannot tap your foreign watch at train station ticket gates or buses, nor can you use it at vending machines or smaller shops that only accept IC Cards (Suica/PASMO) or Japanese e-money (iD, QUICPay). The only workaround that you can use is to buy a physical transit card (like a Welcome Suica or Pasmo Passport) at the airport/station for trains and buses.
