How to add a loyalty card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, on iPhone and Android

Which Wallet is on your phone?

"Wallet" is your phone's digital wallet, where payment cards, tickets and loyalty cards live. There isn't just one, but one per ecosystem:

Good to know: on an iPhone set to English, Apple Wallet simply appears as the Wallet app on your Home Screen. It's the same thing, and merchants usually label their buttons "Add to Apple Wallet". If your iPhone is set to another language, the app name may be translated (in French, for example, it's called Cartes).

Add a loyalty card on iPhone (Apple Wallet)

On iPhone, you don't add a loyalty card by typing a number into the Wallet app: the merchant provides the card, through a QR code, a link or their own app. Apple says so itself: if no option to add the card is offered, you need to contact the merchant. The only exception is manual card creation, introduced with iOS 27 (method 4).

Method 1: scan the merchant's QR code (the most common)

1. Open the Camera and point it at the QR code shown at the counter, in the store window or on your receipt. No scanner app needed.
2. Tap the link that appears at the top or bottom of the screen: the merchant's page opens in Safari.
3. Fill in the form. Depending on the merchant, a first name is enough, or you'll be asked for a phone number.
4. Tap "Add to Apple Wallet". A preview of the card appears: tap "Add" in the top right corner.

That's it: the card is stored in the Wallet app, next to your payment cards and tickets. To check, open Wallet and scroll.

Method 2: from a link received by text, email or on a website

Some merchants send the card by message. Open the link on your iPhone, preferably in Safari, follow the steps, then tap the add button. Apple also mentions adding cards from a website, an app or via AirDrop.

Method 3: from the store's own app

Large retailers with their own app often include an "Add to Apple Wallet" button, usually in the loyalty card or account section. Tap it, then "Add": the card stays linked to your account with that store.

Method 4 (iOS 27): create the card yourself, even without a button

New in iOS 27: the Wallet app lets you create your own cards from a physical card, a photo or a screenshot, especially for loyalty cards with a barcode or QR code.

• Manually: in the Wallet app, tap the button to add a card, choose to create a card, then create it manually and pick a template.
• From a photo or a screenshot: use the option to add it to Wallet. This option requires Apple Intelligence, so an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.

A card created this way is only a copy of the barcode: it doesn't update by itself and doesn't show your points. A card provided by the merchant moves forward with every visit.

Add a loyalty card to Google Wallet (Android)

On Android, three paths lead to Google Wallet. Unlike on iPhone, you can also start from the Google Wallet app itself.

Method 1: the merchant's QR code or link

1. Scan the QR code with the camera (or open the link you received).
2. Fill in the merchant's form.
3. Tap "Add to Google Wallet", then confirm. Google then offers to show the card in Wallet.

If the camera doesn't react to the QR code, which happens on some models, use Google Lens (the icon in the Google search bar) to read it.

Method 2: search for the store in Google Wallet

1. Open Google Wallet and tap the add button ("Add to Wallet", at the bottom of the screen).
2. Choose "Loyalty card" and search for the store's name.
3. Depending on the store: scan your existing card, create an account or sign in to yours.

If the store doesn't appear, Google says it plainly: the merchant isn't supported. Move on to method 3.

Method 3: from a photo of the barcode

For any card with a barcode or QR code, even without a Google partnership: tap "Add to Wallet", then "Photo", take a picture of the card, give it a name and description, then tap "Add". This is the solution for a plastic card from a store that offers nothing else.

What about Samsung?

You have a choice. Google Wallet works on Galaxy phones (install it from the Play Store if it isn't there): it's the app that opens when a merchant offers "Add to Google Wallet". Samsung Wallet also accepts loyalty cards: tap + in the top right corner, open the loyalty cards section, pick the store from the list or enter the card details yourself, scan the barcode, then save.

Our advice: pick one and stick with it. Having half your cards in each wallet is the best way to never find the right one at checkout.

Using the card at checkout

• iPhone: double-press the side button (or the Home button on an iPhone with Touch ID), scroll to the card, and show the code to the cashier. If the card pops up on its own on the Lock Screen, just tap the notification.
• Android: open Google Wallet, tap the card, and show the code.
• Apple Watch: the card is added there automatically. Double-press the side button on the watch and scroll.
• The scanner can't read your screen? Turn up the brightness, clean the screen, or ask the cashier to type in the number shown under the code.

Settings to change right after adding it

On iPhone, open the card in the Wallet app, tap the More button, then open the card's details. Three settings make a real difference day to day:

• Lock Screen suggestion: the card can show up at the right moment without opening the app.
• Automatic selection: with Apple Pay, it presents your loyalty card at the contactless terminal right before you pay, in a single gesture.
• Notifications: keep them on if you want to know when a stamp is added or a reward is waiting for you. That's the whole point of a digital card compared to a paper one.

The card won't add: 7 causes and fixes

1. No "Add to Wallet" button on the page. The merchant doesn't offer a Wallet card. On Android, use the photo method; on iPhone with iOS 27, create the card yourself; otherwise, ask the merchant.
2. The link opened inside Instagram, Facebook or another in-app browser. These browsers often block adding cards. Open the link in Safari (iPhone) or Chrome (Android).
3. You scanned with a third-party scanner app. Use the phone's camera, or Google Lens on Android.
4. Your system isn't up to date. Update iOS or Android, then try again.
5. You're on Android and the button mentions Apple Wallet (or the other way around). Most pages detect your phone, but not all. Look for the other button further down the page.
6. You can't find the store in Google Wallet. It isn't a Google partner: use the photo method or the merchant's link.
7. A card added from Gmail has disappeared from Google Wallet. That's normal if the original email was deleted: Google then removes the card. Add it again using another method.

Remove or archive a card

• iPhone: open Wallet, tap the card, tap the More button, then choose the option to remove it.
• Android: in Google Wallet, open the card, open its menu and tap "Remove". You can also "Archive" a card to take it off the list without losing it.

Removing the card from your phone doesn't necessarily delete your account with the merchant. For that, contact them directly.

Are you a business owner? Put your card in your customers' Wallet

Everything above assumes the merchant provides a real Wallet card. For a local business, it's simpler than it looks, but impossible to do alone: Apple requires cards signed with a developer account, Google requires an approved issuer status, and you need a server to update the card at every visit.

That's what nacard does: you create your card in 3 minutes, display a QR code at the counter, and your customers add it exactly as described above. One QR code for iPhone and Android, a stamp in one tap from your phone, and the card updates in their pocket.

• Platform details: Apple Wallet loyalty card and Google Wallet loyalty card.
• To compare paper, app and wallet: our digital loyalty card guide.
• For your industry: bakery, hair salon, restaurant, beauty salon.
• To try the customer experience yourself: the demo adds a real card to your phone in 30 seconds.

Sources: Apple Support (adding, using and sharing passes and cards in Apple Wallet, iOS 26 and iOS 27 guides), Google Wallet Help (loyalty cards, adding from a photo, managing passes), Samsung Support (loyalty cards in Samsung Wallet). Steps checked on September 28, 2026; on-screen labels may vary with your system version and language.