Imagine holding up a busy grocery line while tapping your phone against a checkout terminal, only to get an embarrassing red error screen over and over again. If your Google Pixel phone is suddenly ghosting contactless payment readers, you are definitely not imagining things. This isn’t the only issue Pixel owners have been facing recently with a key feature.
A widespread bug is causing NFC connectivity to drop out on Pixel phones, turning seamless Google Wallet checkouts into an unpredictable guessing game. Google recently rolled out support for adding physical transit cards and balances directly to Google Wallet so users could leave their plastic passes at home. However, given this sudden software glitch, you might want to hold onto your physical wallet for a little while longer.
Intermittent failures across multiple Pixel generations
According to user reports collected by Android Authority, a bug has been causing contactless payments and digital passes to act up intermittently on Google Pixel phones. Many owners started noticing that tap-to-pay features were dropping out last week, and the issue has grown into a recurring headache at register checkouts and subway turnstiles ever since.
The problem does not appear tied to an isolated batch of older hardware either. Complaints span across multiple Pixel lineups, including the Pixel 8, Pixel 9, Pixel 10, and flagship Pixel 11 series.
Specific reports highlight that affected devices run up-to-date system software. One Pixel 11 Pro XL owner confirmed running Android 17 under build number CD1A.260905.001.B1, paired with version 26.34.36 (260400-981326859) of Google Play Services. Other users confirmed having the latest security patches installed, proving that fully updated software is not protecting hardware from the glitch.
Restarting offers a temporary fix while awaiting word from Google
As of right now, there is no clear underlying cause for the NFC and contactless payment bug on Google Pixel devices. Based on user reports, the only way to temporarily restore tap-to-pay functionality is by restarting the phone. However, a system reboot only solves the problem for a short period before the NFC chip stops broadcasting again later in the day.
The post A Widespread NFC Bug on Google Pixel Phones Is Breaking Tap to Pay appeared first on Android Headlines.
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