How to Make Contactless Payments

Improved smartphones and adaptive technology have enhanced the lives of the blind and visually impaired. We often overlook the contactless payments feature. This feature lets you purchase items with your iPhone or Android without grabbing cash or a credit card.

These features are straightforward to set up and use. Two main contactless payment options currently exist on smartphones: Apple Pay for iPhones, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay for Android phones. Read on to learn more about which option might be best for you.

Apple Pay is a standard iPhone feature. Google Pay and Samsung Pay require you to download the respective app. Each contactless payment option needs to be set up before you use it. Here is how to do it for each option.

For Apple Pay

1. Select the settings app.

2. Scroll down to Wallet and Apple Pay

3. Follow the prompts to add a card to your wallet. (You can add a debit card or a credit card).

For Google Pay 

1. Download the Google Pay app from Google Play

2. Select the Google Pay app

3. Follow the prompts to add a card to your wallet 

For Samsung Pay

1. Download the Samsung Pay app from Google Play

2. Select the Samsung Pay app

3. Follow the prompts to add a card to your wallet

You can now make purchases at stores. These apps can be used at most retailers, including Walmart and Target, and drug stores like Walgreens and CVS.

How to make a contactless payment

1. Hold your phone over or near the machine used to process debit and credit card payments. These are often referred to as credit card readers.

2. Enter your passcode, and then hold your phone near the card reader. On some older machines, you may need to hit accept or select the debit or credit card option. However, many newer card readers do not have to press buttons or tap on a touchscreen. On some machines, you do not have to touch the card reader or enter your PIN. Everything is done on your phone, which is why these features are referred to as contactless payments.

Although these payment options are available at many retail locations, they are still not ubiquitous. Also, some stores may use Apple Pay but not Google Pay and vice versa. It is a good idea to ask before attempting a payment. It is still recommended that you carry other forms of payment, including cash and debit/credit cards. However, it is a good idea to enable these options on your smartphone so that you can start making use of them. Almost every retail location will support these contactless payment systems in the coming years. Increasingly, apps such as Uber and Lyft are adding support for these types of payments. 

Outlook Enrichment is here to help

Hopefully, this blog post will give you a helpful overview of contactless payment options. Using a smartphone to make payments will simplify daily activities. And making payments with your phone is just one of the many benefits of using a smartphone. If you have a vision condition and are interested in learning even more about adaptive technology, your next step is to check out the Adaptive Tech program at Outlook Enrichment. This program offers tech training for computers and mobile devices. It can be intimidating and overwhelming to learn new tech. An Adaptive Technology trainer can help guide you and provide further instruction.