ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Some users are seeing issues with tap-to-pay on Pixel phones.
- The problem occurs with many users intermittently.
- Restarting your phone usually fixes things.
If you’ve been having trouble using Tap-to-Pay with your Pixel phone for the past few weeks, you’re not alone.
Since the middle of last month, users on Reddit and other support forums have been reporting problems with Tap-to-Pay. In some cases, the function fails intermittently; in others it is completely non-functional. The problem is, you don’t know it doesn’t work until you’re in a situation where you need it.
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The usefulness of Google Wallet has exploded in recent years, and it now holds everything from your driver’s license to transit passes to insurance cards and more. It’s incredibly convenient until times like this, when the feature not working can cause major problems for your day if you rely on it.
Here’s what’s happening and what you can do about it.
How to fix the Pixel tap-to-pay problem
The problem seems to be that some Pixel phones do not recognize that there is an NFC terminal nearby when users open Google Wallet, so the device does not transmit the necessary information to complete the transaction. The Pixel 11 has a repositioned NFC antenna (near the top of the phone instead of in the middle, as in previous generations), but the bug affects a number of devices, including almost every phone from the Pixel 9 series onwards. I saw it on my own Pixel 10 Pro.
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It is not clear if the problem is with Google Wallet or the device.
I reached out to Google, but the company hasn’t acknowledged the bug yet, so it’s not an official fix. Based on user reports, however, there are a few things you can try to get Tap-to-Pay working again.
- Restart your phone: Turning your phone off and on again is the standard first step to fixing a technical problem for some reason, and some users say a reboot will get Tap-to-Pay working again. This isn’t the most attractive option when you’re standing in line, but it looks like the most reliable fix for now.
- Back to the lock screen: If you don’t want to restart your entire phone, some users say that closing the wallet app, returning to the home screen, and reopening the wallet fixes the problem.
- Clear your wallet cache: Some users have reported that caching the wallet app permanently fixed the problem. To do this, go to your device settings, find your app list, open Google Wallet, tap Storage & Cache, and tap Clear Cache.
- Use your watch instead: If you have a smartwatch with the Google Wallet app, you should relax a bit. Users who have problems with their phone report that they try their watch instead and have no problems.