If your tap-to-pay (Apple Pay, Google Wallet, etc.) is not working, first contact your bank or card issuer to ensure the card is not blocked. If the issue persists, contact the device manufacturer (Apple Support or Google Support) to check for hardware or software NFC issues. For merchant-specific issues, contact the payment service provider.
Fix problems with tap to pay transactions
Make sure your card is activated for contactless payments, check if it's damaged, and ensure you haven't exceeded the transaction limit. If all else fails, use chip and PIN instead. Why isn't my tap card working? Your tap card might not work if it's damaged, dirty, or has reached its contactless limit.
To prepare your Android device to use Tap to Pay:
A Tap to Pay on iPhone payment can be declined for various reasons, including insufficient amount in your customer's account, or technical issues in contacting their bank. If this happens, you can ask your customer to use a different payment method, such as a different card or a digital wallet.
It means they might process the payment in a way we don't allow. In such cases, you might need to use a different card. 🤖 Technical Glitch: Connectivity issues between us and the merchant may have caused the problem.
Set up tap to pay
On Android, the simplest failure is that NFC is off. Check the toggle first, as turning NFC on often resolves the issue immediately. Approximately 30% of NFC issues are caused by the feature being turned off on Android devices. Make this toggle the mandatory first step in any field checklist.
There may have been a software update that affects functionality. If you've modified your phone, make sure that it meets security standards. Google Wallet may not work in shops with phones that: Run developer versions of Android.
Tap to Pay not working usually stems from phone settings (NFC off, locked screen), physical obstructions (thick case), expired/invalid card, merchant issues, or app glitches, requiring you to unlock your phone, remove/re-add cards, check NFC settings, update the app, or restart your device to resolve.
An iPhone's touch screen stops working due to software glitches, dirt, physical damage, or accessory interference, often fixed by cleaning the screen, removing cases/protectors, disconnecting accessories, or performing a force restart (quick volume up, quick volume down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears). If these steps fail, it might signal deeper hardware issues requiring an Apple Store visit.
Tap Settings > Account. Select Tap to Pay on iPhone > toggle on Tap to Pay on iPhone. Verify the correct Apple ID is shown. If not, choose Use a Different Apple ID.
Your card didn't work, it may be because: There's a problem with the terminal. There's a problem with your card. You might have reached the contactless limit on your card and for security reasons you will need to insert your card and complete a chip and PIN transaction.
With Tap to Pay on iPhone, customers' payment data is protected by the same technology that makes Apple Pay private and secure. All transactions made using Tap to Pay on iPhone are encrypted and processed using the Secure Element and, as with Apple Pay, Apple doesn't know what's being purchased or who is buying it.
Fix issues with “Tap to pay” transactions done via cards
While iOS lacks native blocking, Android allows disabling NFC entirely. How to reset NFC on Samsung devices involves navigating to Settings > Connections > NFC and selecting “Reset NFC hardware.
You can check this by scanning the chip with another phone with NFC and see if a task is performed. Is this not the case? Then chances are the chip is empty.
Change your default card, address, and preferences for Apple Pay
The Wi-Fi-looking symbol on a debit or credit card is the EMVCo Contactless Indicator*. It indicates that your card can be used to tap to pay on a contactless-enabled payment terminal.