Google Wallet has increased its security measures. Starting recently, if you try to open the Google Wallet app more than three minutes after unlocking your phone, you must verify your identity first. This change means you cannot even see your cards or passes without unlocking the app.
Previously, Google Wallet only asked for verification when you made a payment if it had been more than three minutes since your last phone unlock. Now, the app forces you to authenticate—using a PIN, pattern, password, fingerprint, or face recognition—just to access the app’s home screen.
This update is rolling out with version 25.18 of Google Wallet and is seen on Pixel and Samsung phones. Sometimes the verification prompt appears as a full-screen lock, other times as a smaller notification at the top of the app.
Google says this extra step is for security because digital wallets now hold sensitive information beyond just payment cards—like IDs, passports, car keys, boarding passes, and medical info. The company believes this added security is worth the trade-off in convenience.
Some users find this reassuring, saying the extra protection is important. Others worry it could be inconvenient for quick access to things like loyalty cards or transit passes.
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