Samsung Wallet stores payment cards and other digital items on Galaxy phones, including loyalty cards, tickets, boarding passes, IDs in supported regions, and some digital car keys. It replaced the older Samsung Pay app in many places.
These steps apply to Samsung Galaxy phones with One UI. Tap-to-pay requires NFC and regional bank support.
Does This Affect You?
Use this if Samsung Wallet is already on your phone but not set up, or if you want to add your first card and pay in stores from a Galaxy phone.
Add a Payment Card
- Open Samsung Wallet from the app drawer. Search for Wallet if you do not see it.
- Sign in with your Samsung account if prompted.
- Accept the terms.
- Tap the plus button and choose Payment cards.
- Scan the card with the camera or enter the card details manually.
- Complete the bank verification step, usually by text message, banking app, email, or phone call.
- Wait for the verified card to appear in Wallet.
Pay in a Store
- Wake and unlock the phone with PIN, pattern, password, fingerprint, or face unlock.
- Swipe up from the bottom edge of the lock screen or open Samsung Wallet directly.
- Choose the card you want to use.
- Hold the back of the phone near the contactless payment reader.
- Wait for the phone and terminal confirmation before moving the phone away.
Manage Wallet Items
- Use the plus button to add boarding passes, event tickets, loyalty cards, membership cards, and supported IDs or keys.
- To remove a payment card, open the card, tap the menu, and choose Delete card. This does not cancel the real bank card.
- If a card fails verification, contact the bank or try adding it through the bank app if supported.
Security and Default Wallet Notes
Your Real Card Number Is Not Shared
Samsung Wallet uses tokenization. Stores receive a digital token for the transaction instead of the actual card number printed on your card.
Samsung Wallet vs Google Wallet
Both can handle tap-to-pay on many Galaxy phones. Samsung Wallet adds Samsung-specific features like some car keys and device integrations, while Google Wallet ties more closely into Google services. You can keep both installed and choose defaults in Android app settings.
Availability Depends on Region
Banks, IDs, transit passes, and car keys are not available everywhere. If an option is missing, it may not be supported by your country, bank, carrier, or phone model.
Sources
- Samsung Support: Get started with Samsung Wallet
- Samsung Support: Add and manage cards in Samsung Wallet
- Samsung Newsroom: Samsung Wallet overview and features