Google Wallet got a lot of new tricks in 2026 – these 5 are my favorites – ZDNET
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Google Wallet can do much more now than store cards.
- The app gained several major features in 2026.
- You can give your child their allowance, go through TSA, and more.
Most people know by now that Google Wallet can do things besides store your credit cards, but you might have missed that Google has added a lot to its digital wallet app in just the past few months.
In addition to a massive home screen and interface redesign, Google introduced several significant features in 2026 that make the app much more useful (it’s even reportedly coming to iOS soon, according to Android Authority).
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I’ve started using Google Wallet more and more recently, and I’m consistently surprised when I find new ways to avoid reaching for my real wallet. Here’s a look at my favorite additions this year.
1. Keep an eye out for orders
There’s no shortage of ways to easily track your incoming packages, but now there’s one more. In June, Google rolled out the ability to view your online orders and track your packages in Wallet.
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You will need to have package tracking enabled in Gmail, but once you have that on, you can see your detailed receipts, tracking numbers, and shipping status inside the Wallet app.
2. Breeze through airport security
In June of this year, Google announced a partnership with the Transportation Security Administration that made Wallet the first digital wallet compatible with the PreCheck Touchless ID program. This means that at 65 US airports, you can show your phone instead of your physical ID if you have TSA PreCheck.
Here’s how it works: When you look into the camera at the TSA checkpoint, the system compares the live image to your saved digital ID. You will need to set up your ID pass and save your boarding pass to Wallet, but once you have that ready to go, you’ll be through airport security more quickly than ever.
3. Give your children money securely
August 2026 saw the rollout of a new allowance feature for Google Wallet that lets you send money to a child’s account — either on a regular basis or whenever needed. Your child can then use their phone to tap to pay.
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This is a fantastic option if you don’t want your child to carry a physical card or cash that they might lose, and it has the security of not being able to be used online at all. I tried this with my son, and this method was by far his favorite over a card.
4. Add your driver’s license
This feature isn’t new, but more states have been added in 2026. Residents in 11 states can now add their official state driver’s license or ID card to Google Wallet: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Ohio.
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Several more states, including North Carolina, are adding the capability as early as spring 2027. Adding your ID to Google Wallet isn’t a complete replacement for your physical card, but you can use the digital version for age verification at participating retailers and within select apps.
5. Transfer your transit card through NFC
Users have been able to add transit cards to Google Wallet for some time now, but a September update to the app added the ability to transfer physical transit cards (and their balances) to your Wallet via NFC. Before, you had to manually type all the information to transfer a card.
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