A few minutes of tidying makes phone payments much quicker

Tap to pay on an Android phone can slow down when Google Wallet is full of old cards and passes. A writer at Android Police says a few minutes of tidying fixed that. Removing clutter, putting the main card first and adding a shortcut made paying feel quick and smooth again.

What was slowing things down

Over time, the writer's wallet filled up with expired debit cards, a replaced credit card, loyalty cards, event tickets and old passes. None were useful. All of them forced extra scrolling at the payment terminal. Google Wallet also does not always put your most-used card at the front, so you may swipe more than you should before you tap to pay.

The fixes

The changes are small and each takes a minute or two. To remove a card or pass, open it, tap the three-dot menu in the corner and choose the remove option. To reorder cards, follow these steps:

• Open Google Wallet, swipe to the last card and tap the Edit card order icon.
• Or tap your profile icon, then Payment methods, then Edit card order.
• Press and hold a card, then drag it into place. Put your main card first and backups under it.

Passes can be moved the same way. Press and hold one, then drag it higher in the list.

Opening Wallet faster

The article also suggests a shortcut so you do not have to hunt for the app. On many Android phones, you can add a Wallet shortcut to the lock screen. On newer Pixel phones running Android 16, the power button can open it. Another option is the Quick Settings tile, which launches Wallet with one tap from the panel you pull down from the top of the screen.

Cutting the noise

Loyalty cards can also send a steady stream of alerts about offers and rewards. Rather than deleting those cards, the writer turned off notifications for the noisiest ones. Open the card, tap the three-dot menu and switch off the option to get notifications for that loyalty card.

Who it affects

This applies to anyone who pays with an Android phone, especially people who carry many cards, passes or tickets in Google Wallet. The advice comes from one writer's own experience, not a test, so results will vary. The steps cost nothing and can be undone by adding a card back.