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Shopping in person has become increasingly contactless. Ensuring your Android device can make contactless payments could open up new possibilities when it comes to commerce. According to a 2020 National Retail Federation and Forrester survey, 58% of retailers accept contactless payments and 94% of retailers expected to see an increase in contactless payment usage going forward. Contactless pay methods are a quick and secure way for customers to pay without ever reaching for their physical wallets.
Near-field communication (NFC), the same technology found in Square hardware that enables you to make these contactless payments, might already be embedded in your mobile device. Here is how to check whether your Android device is enabled for NFC payments, whether you need to change these settings to access the technology, and how you can manage different payment methods linked to it.
Does my Android phone have NFC?
Does my Google Android phone have NFC?
You can check whether your Google phone is enabled for NFC by opening your settings. In the search settings bar, type “NFC” and tap to turn it on. If you cannot find it following these steps, your phone cannot make contactless payments. If your phone does support contactless payments, you can also set a default payment app within your settings. Once you are in your phone’s settings app, you can manage the contactless payment apps accessible to you by checking under connected devices > connection preferences > NFC > contactless payments > payment defaults.
Does my Samsung Android phone have NFC?
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.
How to Enable NFC on an Android Phone
Some phones will be NFC-enabled but may not have the capability turned on. If you have a Samsung Android phone, check under settings > connections > tap NFC and contactless payments > tap the switch to turn NFC on. Once this is turned on for your device, you can adjust your settings for contactless payments and select your preferred mobile payment service, such as Google Pay or Samsung Pay.
NFC-Enabled Android Phones
There is a wide range of Android phones that are enabled for NFC. Commonly used phones that operate with Android software in the U.S. include Asus, Blackberry, Google, and Samsung.
Asus
- ZenFone 8, 9, 10, 11 Ultra
- ROG Phone series
- Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
Blackberry
- BlackBerry Key LE, BlackBerry Key, BlackBerry Key ONE
- BlackBerry Evolve
- BlackBerry Motion
- Google 8 Pro
- Google 8
- Google Pixel Pro
- Google Pixel 7
- Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Google Pixel 6
- Google Pixel 5a with 5G
- Google Pixel 4a
- Google Pixel 3a
- Google Pixel 3
Samsung
- Z series: Z Flip, Z Flip 5G, Fold2 5G, Fold 5G, Flip3 5G, Fold3 5G, Flip4, Fold4, Flip5, Fold5
- S series: S24 models (S24 Ultra, S24+, S24), S23 models (S23 Ultra, S23+, S23), S22 models (S22 Ultra, S22+, S22), S21 models (S21 Ultra 5G, S21+ 5G, S21 5G), S20 models (S20 Ultra, S20+, S20), S10 models (S10+, S10, S10e), S9 models (S9+, S9), S8 models (S8+, S8), S7 models (S7 Edge, S7), S6 models (S6 Edge+, S6 Edge, S6), S5 models (S5 Neo, S5), S4 models (S4, S4 Active, S4 Mini), S3 models (S3, S3 Mini)
- Note series: Note20 models (Note20 Ultra 5G, Note20 5G, Note20), Note10 models (Note10+ 5G, Note10+, Note10, Note10 Lite), Note9, Note8, Note5, Note4, Note3 models (Note3, Note3 Neo), Note II
- A series: A54 5G, A34 5G, A14 5G, A14 (2023), A53 5G, A33 5G, A13, A03, A03s (2022), A52s 5G, A52 5G, A22 5G, A72, A32 5G, A12, A02 (2021), A11 (2020), A21 (2020), A21S (2020), A31 (2020), A41 (2020), A42 5G (2020), A51, A51 5G (2020), A71, A71 5G (2020), A10, A10s (2019), A20, A20s (2019), A30, A30s (2019), A40, A40s (2019), A50, A50s (2019), A60 (2019), A70, A70s (2019), A80 (2019), A90 (2019), A6, A6+ (2018), A7 (2018), A8, A8, A8 Star (2018), A8 (2018), A3 (2017), A5 (2017), A7 (2017), A (2016)
- J series: J3 Pro (2016), J4+ (2018), J5 (2016 + 2017), J6+ (2018), J7 (2016, 2017, 2018), J7 Pro (2017)
Ready to get started?
Contactless payments are a secure and easy way to make payments with your Android phone. Visit Square to learn more about NFC and how it can transform your payment experience.
