Those who have ever tried to make a purchase with the NFC of their Android mobile and have encountered an error, fear to repeat it. This situation leaves us in evidence before the person who is not attending the cashier, those who accompany us and all the people who are waiting. However, these problems that we have suffered will not be repeated if we follow these tips and keys.
Since it is a relatively new technology and in full expansion, some failures can be basic for the most experts in the field, but not so much for those who do not master the technology. Other times however, the situations get complicated and make us put all our ingenuity so that the mobile payment or the NFC reader flies to work in the system.
Basic NFC problems
We start with those failures of walking around the house that the Android mobile can suffer. A series of errors that we must consider before thinking about an error and that leads us to something as key as the configuration of mobile payments, the most used resource together with NFC technology.
Its on?
We all autonomously approach a dataphone and put the mobile directly without thinking that possibly our mobile does not have the NFC active. This obviously will not cause anything in the payment service. The same happens if we are trying to use another option linked to this contactless system, where our mobile will not be able to do anything at all.
Turning it on is very easy, we just have to slide the notification bar of the smartphone and touch the button to start it. If we do not have it visible, you only have to edit this panel and move the quick option. Since Android 12, this option is going to hide and to locate it we must access Settings> Connections> NFC, to deactivate and activate it, although nothing happens because it is always running, it does not pose a security risk.
Bank app or Google Pay?
For it to work, we only have to have previously configured the card with which we want to pay through the NFC. If you do not do this previous step, it will be impossible for it to work and therefore in Android we have two alternatives. We can choose to use our bank’s app, which many times is not the one we use to control accounts, but is called Wallet or Google Pay.
To use the Google option, the easiest and chosen by many requires that the card be supported. Banks in Spain are committed to this system and that is why the compatibility list that we show you is so wide: Abanca, Adyen, American Express Spain, Aplazame SL, Banca March, Banco Cooperativo Español SA, Banco Mediolanum, Banco Pichincha, Bankia, Bankinter, Bankinter Consumer Finance, BBVA, BitPanda, BNC10 – Prepaid Financial Services LTD, Bnext Electronic Issuer EDESL, Boon., Bunq, Caja de Ingenieros, Caja Rural, Cajasur, Carrefour Pass, Cecabank, Correos, Curve OS Limited, Easy Payment Services , Edenred, Evo Banco, iCard, Ibercaja, ING, Kutxabank, Liberbank, Monese, N26, Ontinyent, Openbank, PayrNet, Paysafe Financial Services Limited, Pecunpay, Pibank, Pleo Financial Services, Qonto SA, Rebellion, Revolut, Sodexo, UAB ZEN .com, Unicaja, Verse, Viva Wallet, Wise, WiZink and ZELF.
With our card in hand, we just have to enter Google Pay, click on Add a payment method and complete the information requested with complete peace of mind. In a few seconds the card will be verified by Google and our bank, to give permission and start using it through the NFC of the smartphone.
It’s not your mobile’s fault
Other times we blame it that the payment with NFC on Android does not work on the mobile itself, the system or even the bank and its card, but the truth is that we are making the mistake. Luckily, if this is one of the problems that affects us, we are in luck because the solution is so simple that it causes laughter.
Beware of covers
Carrying a thick cover on your mobile can affect the transmission of the NFC signal, preventing the dataphone or tag from being recognized. Other times the problem is due to the fact that the cover is metallic and therefore it is impossible to transmit the signal. Luckily, this advantage of Android smartphones does not only work through the back and we can turn it around, placing the screen close to the reader being careful not to hit it and it will work anyway.
Other cards next to the mobile
Carrying the bus card, metros or five a credit card inside the case can prevent us from using the payment system . This is something very repeated among young and not so young, because of how comfortable it is, although however it will make the card not work either since the NFC of the Android mobile will prevent reading. It will be better to take things separately and use what corresponds.
The correct position
Whether we are going to use the subway card or we are going to pay with the mobile, we have to look closely at the place where the icon that refers to the NFC is . It is in that place where we must bring the upper part of the mobile closer to another place, since if it is removed, it may not be recognized and it will not be the mobile’s fault but ours for the bad placement.
Configure your Android
And beyond the situations that we have suffered due to destination or initiation errors, there are other errors that can reach our Android mobile without us being aware of this possibility.
You need internet
The mobile needs to be connected to the network via WiFi or mobile data to be able to confirm the payment that we are going to make. Without a good signal it will be impossible to complete the payment and it will be rejected or even the dataphone will not be communicated. However, with the use of NFC for other cards that do not have to do with the bank, the connection is not essential and we can use them freely.
Don’t forget security
Although it depends on the app we use to pay or cards through NFC, we may be running into an error in Android that blocks the use , although it is really the user’s problem. Some wallet applications require that the mobile is unlocked to confirm that we are the ones who are using the mobile and thus apply an extra barrier of protection to the buyer that cannot be broken by anything other than our fingerprint, facial recognition or security pin .
To reset
If nothing you have tried so far works, you have no choice but to leave your smartphone as new if you want to pay with your Android again. From the Backup and Restore menu you will find the options to erase all the settings of the smartphone and return it to its original state (before making a backup copy).
when you start it again everything should work as before.
