Samsung Pay problems and how to fix them

If you have a Samsung smartphone, you’ve probably used Samsung Pay to make payments. It’s a quick and convenient way to make a purchase from your phone or smartwatch, even if you’ve left your wallet behind. However, like any app, Samsung Pay is not immune to the occasional glitch or error and won’t work as expected. Here’s a look at some Samsung Pay issues and how to fix them.

Read more: How to set up and use Samsung Pay

There are many reasons why Samsung Pay might not work on your device. The first thing you need to check is device compatibility. Although the mobile payment app is available on all Samsung flagships, it has recently been launched with some of Samsung’s mid-range and entry-level phones. These are the devices that support Samsung Pay:

• Galaxy S: All devices revert to the Galaxy S6 series
• galaxy note: All devices roll back to Galaxy Note 8
• All Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip smartphones
• Galaxy A: Galaxy A53, A52, A51, A50, A42, A32, A71, A70, A13
• Smart watches: All smartwatches go back to the Samsung Gear S2 series

MST does not work

MST (Magnetic Secure Transfer) is a function that allows you to make payments on a non-NFC card reader. It duplicates the effect of swiping your card on the machine and makes it possible to use Samsung Pay anywhere. If you are used to paying with MST, you may be surprised that this feature no longer works. Samsung is slowly phasing it out in select markets, and newer Samsung smartphones (from the Galaxy S21 series) do not support MST. You can still use it on older devices for now.

Here’s what to try if Samsung Pay is crashing or not responding.

• Restart your phone: Simply restarting your phone may be enough to fix the app crash issue. Check out our guide to restarting your Samsung phone if it’s stuck or unresponsive.
• Remove and re-add a card: If Samsung Pay doesn’t work when you try to make a purchase, there may be a problem with a particular card. Remove the card and add it again. Reauthorizing the card should resolve the issue.
• Clear the cache or reset the app: Make sure you’re using the latest version of the Samsung Pay app. If you experience issues with the app not responding, you may need to reset it. Go to Settings > Apps (or Application Manager) > Samsung Pay > Storage and press on Clear cache. If that doesn’t fix the problem, go back to the same menu and press Clean storage. Remember that clearing your storage will completely reset the app, so you’ll need to log in to your account and add the cards again. You will also lose your transaction history.

Different types of error messages appear on Samsung Pay.

• Payment error: You will see a payment error message when a transaction fails. This is probably a problem with the payment terminal. Wait for the error message timer to expire and try the payment again. The app will submit the data that will be more compatible in case the card reader or terminal has not been updated.
• Payment not recognized error: If you see the payment not recognized error message, check that NFC is enabled on your phone. Open the Notifications drop-down menu and browse the Quick Settings options. Tap the NFC icon if it is disabled. Make sure you also wait for the “swipe/tap to pay” message on the payment terminal before attempting to purchase. Finally, make sure you hold your phone correctly. The location of the NFC chip can be in different places on some card readers.
• Samsung Pay connection error: The app requires a stable internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data) to add or delete cards. But you should be able to pay for something without data. However, Samsung Pay limits the number of offline transactions that are possible. If you’ve passed the threshold, you’ll see a connection error when you try to make a payment.
• Transaction error: You will get transaction errors if your card does not have enough funds, the payment terminal does not support NFC or MST (with older Samsung smartphones), or the phone case blocks the NFC chip. You also won’t be able to make a payment if you’ve forgotten your Samsung Pay PIN or if your phone’s fingerprint or face unlock authentication isn’t working.

You must contact your bank or card provider if you see the error “the card cannot be registered”. The card is probably incompatible with Samsung Pay. This happens with some debit cards that are intended for offline use only, especially those that are not Visa Debit or Mastercard Debit. You can find the complete list of supported banks and cards here.

There may also be a problem with the banking network that interrupts the authentication process. If so, try adding the card later.

Samsung Pay allows a maximum of ten debit or credit cards. You will not be able to add new cards beyond the limit. Remove cards you don’t use to make room for new ones you want to add. You can add unlimited gift cards to Samsung Pay.

Samsung Pay does not come pre-installed on newer Galaxy smartphones. You can download Samsung Pay from the Google Play Store or Galaxy Store on your phone.

In some markets, Samsung is replacing Samsung Pay with Samsung Wallet. The Wallet app has the same features as Samsung Pay, but adds extras like health information, boarding passes and digital keys. Your Samsung Pay app may have automatically updated to Samsung Wallet.

What do I do if I lose my phone?

If you’ve lost your phone, you can remotely wipe your phone to erase all data, including your Samsung Pay information. First you have to make sure Find my mobile is enabled on your device. You cannot remotely erase your phone if this feature is not enabled when you lose it. To do so, go to Settings > Biometrics and security > Find my mobile and activate it.

If the feature is enabled, go to the Find My Mobile page to locate your phone and tap Erase to dry it completely.

Contact your bank or card provider immediately to cancel it if the physical card is lost or stolen. When the card is cancelled, Samsung Pay will also automatically block the card for mobile payments.

Read more: How to use Samsung Pay on your Galaxy smartwatch