How to Set Up and Use Samsung Pay

The way you pay for items with your phone varies based on the phone. Apple iPhone owners have Apple Pay; Android phone owners can use Google Pay. But Samsung phone owners have another option—Samsung Pay.

With Samsung Pay, you can add credit or debit cards to pay for items at supported stores, use gift cards, take advantage of membership cards and cash back rewards, and even include your COVID-19 vaccine card to carry with you.

To use Samsung Pay, you’ll need a compatible Samsung phone with NFC or MST communications technology for contactless payments. You’ll also need a credit, debit, or gift card from a supported bank or other financial institution. To authenticate payments on your phone, you’ll have to set up a PIN, fingerprint scan, or facial scan. Further, you’ll need a Samsung account. Samsung Pay also works on Samsung smartwatches, but here we’ll focus on the steps for using it on a phone.

First, you should already have a Samsung account that you created and signed into when you initially set up your phone. If not, browse to the Samsung account page and click the button for Create account. When prompted by Samsung, sign in on your phone with that account.

Set Up Samsung Pay App

Next, Samsung Pay should come preloaded on your Samsung phone. If not, download and install it from Google Play. Open the app, and your Samsung account name should appear on the first screen. Tap Get started. Type and then confirm a four-digit PIN to authenticate your payments through Samsung Pay.

Add Payment Methods

You’re then taken to the main screen. Your first task is to add a credit or debit card to use for payments. Tap the button for Credit/debit at the top of the screen. At the next screen, choose the option for Add credit/debit card. If you want to scan your card rather than enter the details manually, grant Samsung Pay the ability to take pictures and record video, either While using the app or Only this time, and then allow it to access photos and media on your device.

Line up your phone so that the side of the card with the number and other details appears in the frame. The number and expiration date should be captured by the app. To manually add a credit or debit card instead, tap the link for Enter card manually at the Add card screen. Type the card number followed by the expiration date. At the next screen, enter your name, confirm the expiration date, type the security code, and enter your ZIP code. Tap Next. Review the Terms of Service screen and tap Agree to all.

The next screen asks you to verify your card. Choose to verify by SMS message, by email, or by calling your bank. Enter the activation code. You’re then asked if you want to set Samsung Pay as your default payment app. Tap the link for Set as default. Samsung Pay offers to replace Google Pay as the default. Tap No to keep Google Pay as the default payment app. Tap Replace to make Samsung Pay the new default.

Beyond adding a credit or debit card, you can set up payment with Samsung Pay Cash, Samsung Money by SoFi, or PayPal.

Samsung Pay Cash lets you send or receive money through Samsung Pay. To set this up, tap the Pay icon at the bottom, swipe through the different options, and tap the Get It Now button for Samsung Pay Cash. Read the text on the next screen to see how this works. Tap the Get card button, review the fees at the next screen, and then tap the button for I've reviewed the fees. Follow the steps to complete the process.

Samsung Money by SoFi provides you with electronic and physical debit cards that you can link with Samsung Pay. To set this up, tap the Pay icon at the bottom, swipe through the different options, and tap the Open account button for Samsung Money by SoFi. At the next screen, tap the Claim now button, fill out your personal details, and then follow the steps to receive the card.

If you choose PayPal, you’re asked to sign into your PayPal account. Verify the account, which should then appear.

Add a Membership Card

Next, you may want to add a membership card for a particular store or retailer. At the main screen, tap the button for Membership. Browse through the different retailers listed or search for a specific retailer and choose the card you wish to add. Depending on the card, you may see an option to scan its barcode. If there is no barcode or you can’t scan it for other reasons, you’ll have to manually enter the number and other details. You should also be able to scan the back of the card. When finished, tap Save. You can then present the electronic version of the membership card the next time you shop at the associated retailer.

Add a Gift Card

To add a gift card, tap the Gift button at the main screen. Choose the option to load gift cards or buy gift cards. If you opt to buy a gift card, you’re taken to a Samsung Pay website where you can browse the available cards or search for a specific one. Choose the card you want, fill out the details, and then add it to the cart to pay for it via Samsung Pay.

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To add an existing gift card, tap the option for Load gift cards. Choose the vendor for the gift card, enter the card number and PIN, and then tap Confirm. The card is now ready to be used the next time you purchase an item from that vendor.

Add a COVID-19 Vaccination Card

Next, you can add your COVID-19 vaccination card to your phone via the Samsung Pay app. To do this, you first must add your card through CommonHealth or through IBM Digital Health Pass Wallet. Support for CommonHealth varies by state and other factors, so you’ll need to check the website to see if you would qualify.

If so, you would then need to get a vaccine card with a QR code. You would also need to download and install the CommonHealth Android app on your phone. IBM Digital Health Pass works with supported pharmacies and labs and also requires that you download the associated wallet app on your phone.

At the home screen, tap the button for COVID-19 Vaccine record. Let’s try CommonHealth, so choose that option. You’re then directed to the CommonHealth app where you enter your PIN or other means of authentication. Tap the button for Add SMART Health Card. Tap the option for Scan QR Code. After the card is recorded in the app, open the card. Swipe to the bottom and tap the button for Add to Samsung Pay. You can then present the electronic card anytime you’re required to show proof of vaccination.

Use Samsung Pay

Finally, it’s time to use Samsung Pay to buy things. You can use Samsung Pay in person with any retailer that supports this payment method. To try this, move your phone to the appropriate spot near the reader or scanner. Samsung Pay should automatically appear. Choose the card that you want to use to pay and authenticate the payment.

Paying for an item online with Samsung Pay is much more challenging as most websites don’t yet support this payment method. Your best bet is to select one of the vendors that offers cash back awards as seen on the home screen or purchase a gift card for a specific vendor and pay for it through Samsung Pay.