To use your TAP card on an Android phone, download the official TAP LA app, add your card to the app, and ensure NFC is enabled in your phone settings. Simply unlock your phone and hold it near the transit terminal (turnstile or bus validator) to pay, feeling for a vibration to confirm.
Unlock your phone and hold it near the reader:
Here's how you can start tapping and paying with your Android phone: Unlock your device with your passcode or face ID. Hold it near the contactless card reader. Tap and wait for a blue check mark to confirm the payment.
Quick Steps
You can check for NFC settings on your Samsung Android device by looking in the settings app > connections > tap NFC and contactless payments. If you see an option for NFC there, your device is enabled to make NFC payments.
On your Android device, open the Settings app. In the search bar, type “NFC.” Make sure that the NFC setting is toggled on.
A simple yet common reason for NFC not working on Android is that the feature isn't enabled on your device. NFC is not always turned on by default, and some NFC phones might have it disabled to conserve battery or avoid accidental use. To resolve this, you need to manually enable NFC in your settings.
What devices support the TAP app? The TAP app is supported on iPhone 8 and above, running iOS 13.6 and above, and Apple Watch series 3 and above, running watchOS 6.2. 8 and above. It is also supported on most Android phones with NFC capability, running software version 11 and above.
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Most modern smartphones, including iPhone (iPhone 6 and later) and many Android devices (Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, newer OnePlus, etc.), support tap-to-pay via NFC, using digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or Samsung Pay for contactless payments, with specific model compatibility depending on the app and carrier. The key is an NFC chip and a compatible digital wallet app for seamless, card-free transactions.
You can activate this feature through Samsung Wallet's settings. Open Samsung Wallet, then tap the All tab, and then tap More options (the three vertical dots). Tap Settings, then tap Verification method, and then tap the switch next to Fingerprint or Irises.
Download the TAP App. the "Cards" tab on the bottom and then the "Add Card" Icon on the upper left-hand corner. Select "Add a TAP Card to Apple Wallet" (or Google Wallet if you have an Android). Name the TAP card and continue.
Yes, tapping your card is generally considered safer than inserting it because it uses tokenization and encrypted one-time codes, preventing your actual card details from being exposed to the terminal and reducing the risk of skimming, keeping your card in your possession at all times, and often requiring biometric authentication with mobile wallets, though both methods are secure due to EMV technology. While both tap and insert (chip) use strong EMV security, tapping avoids physical contact with potentially compromised readers and keeps your data encrypted for each transaction, making it a superior choice for security and hygiene.
Hold your Android device near the card reader and wait for the checkmark. Pay with your default card or select another.
To pay with NFC on Android, enable NFC in Settings > Connected Devices. Unlock your phone, open your wallet app (e.g., Google Wallet), and tap it on a contactless terminal.
You should generally leave NFC on if you use contactless payments (Google Pay/Apple Pay), digital keys, or quick data sharing; otherwise, turn it off to prevent accidental transactions or unwanted reads, though battery drain and major security risks are minimal due to its short range (about 5cm). Most users benefit from keeping it on for convenience, but turning it off provides extra security and saves a tiny bit of power.
Hold your Android device near the card reader and wait for the tick. Pay with your default card or select another. Google Pay will handle the rest.
A digital wallet — is even more secure than a chip card because it doesn't use your actual card number for the transaction. As a security measure, your card information is only used in the initial setup of the wallet, helping increase mobile payment protection.
Some Android phones may not have this feature as part of the Quick Settings menu.