Digital wallets, also known as mobile wallets, have been around for quite some time. These wallets aren’t always easy to understand for most people, but they are easy to use.
When using a credit or debit card, you insert, swipe or tap the card into a terminal. The terminal decrypts the information stored on the card and uses it to complete the transaction.
Using a digital wallet on your phone works the same way. However, in this case, the information is stored on your smartphone as opposed to a credit or debit card.
Are Digital Wallets Safe?
Yes, digital wallets are secure. In fact, they are one of the most secure payment solutions. Digital wallets have pre-set safety features to stop anyone from accessing your account.
Digital wallets also offer additional safety measures to deter criminals from accessing your wallet. Some of these safety features include face or fingerprint scans and passwords. Some are wondering “does vpn change ip?”. It does, that is why most people opt to pay using a VPN.
Still, there has been a lot of concern regarding the security of mobile payments. So if you’re concerned about safety, you can deploy extra security measures. Perhaps the most reliable way is to hide your IP using a VPN Chrome extension. Reputable VPN services are available on phones in the form of apps. You can use VPN apps to boost the overall security of your digital wallet.
One benefit of digital wallets is that you don’t have to worry about leaving a credit or debit card on the counter. That said, let’s look at how to pay with your smartphone. We’ll do this by looking at the three main digital wallets available; Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
Apple Pay
If you have an iPhone, here is how to use Apple Pay, Apple’s very own digital wallet.
- Add your credit or debit card to Apple Pay. To do this, open the Apple Pay application on your iPhone and click on the plus (+) sign at the top and follow the prompts on your screen to add a new card to the service.
- Once you’ve added the card to Apple Pay, your bank will authenticate the card. From here, you can start using your verified card on Apple Pay.
- Now you need to verify you’re the one making the purchase. On iPhone X and higher double click the power button; and use Face ID or a password. If you have an iPhone 8 or lower, verification will be done via Touch ID, so rest your finger on the home button.
- Next, pick the card you want to use; you can also pick a default card during setup.
- Then hold your unlocked iPhone over the contactless card reader. If the payment is successful, an icon labeled ‘Done’ will appear on your screen.
Google Pay
If you have an Android smartphone, you can use Google Pay.
- So start by adding at least one card to the Google Pay application. To do this, take a photo of your card on the app or enter the details manually.
- Once you’ve added the card to Google Pay, your bank will verify the card, and you can start making payments with the service.
- Unlock your smartphone and hold it over the contactless card reader to make payments. A blue checkmark will appear on your screen if the payment is successful.
Google allows you to set up a default card to use when paying. If you’d like to use a different card, launch the Google Pay application and scroll through the cards you’ve set up until you come across the card you want to use.
Samsung Pay
If you own a Samsung smartphone, you can use Google Pay or Samsung Pay. But Samsung Pay is the best option for Samsung phones, and it comes pre-installed on most devices.
- So start by launching the app, click on ‘Get Started,’ and set up a unique PIN.
- Next, follow the prompts to add cards to the service. Once you’re done adding the cards, you can use Samsung Pay to make payments.
- To make payments, unlock your Samsung smartphone and launch the app.
- Next, verify your identity by entering the PIN you created or allowing your phone to scan your iris or fingerprint when you place your finger on the fingerprint reader.
- Now you can hold your phone over the card reader, and payment will be done automatically. If payment is successful, you’ll see a checkmark sign on your screen.
Samsung has embedded a Favorite Cards feature inside the app, allowing you to switch between cards prior to making a payment. To use this feature, swipe up from the bottom of your phone’s screen and pick the card you’d like to use for your next payment.
Final Thought
Understanding how to set up a card on your smartphone and use it as a digital wallet can make shopping convenient because you don’t have to touch the card reader. Simply look for your digital wallet’s logo on card readers and proceed to make payment.