Google Wallet is the pass and payment app built into Android devices. Formerly known as Google Pay, it stores payment cards, loyalty passes, boarding passes, and event tickets in a single app. If you have an Android phone and attend events regularly, adding your tickets to Google Wallet can save time at the door and keep everything organised in one place.
How Google Wallet passes work
Google Wallet uses its own pass format that ticketing platforms can integrate with through Google's Wallet API. When a platform supports Google Wallet, it can generate a digital pass containing your event details: the event name, date, venue, seating information, and a scannable barcode or QR code.
Like Apple's equivalent, Google Wallet passes can update dynamically. If an organiser changes the event time or venue, the pass can be updated automatically without you needing to re-download anything. The pass can also include helpful extras like a map link to the venue and a calendar reminder for the event date.
Google Wallet is available on Android phones running Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or later with Google Play Services installed. This covers the vast majority of Android devices currently in use. Some Wear OS smartwatches also support Google Wallet, allowing you to show your ticket from your wrist.
How to add a ticket to Google Wallet
From an email in Gmail
If you receive your ticket confirmation in Gmail, Google may automatically detect the event and offer a "Save to Google Wallet" option directly within the email. This feature works by reading structured data in the email and generating a wallet pass from it. Tap the button, confirm, and the ticket appears in your Wallet app.
From a ticketing platform
Many ticketing platforms display a "Save to Google Wallet" button on the order confirmation page, in confirmation emails, or within their apps. Tapping this button opens Google Wallet with a preview of the pass. Tap "Save" to add it to your collection.
From a website on your phone
When viewing your ticket on a mobile browser, look for the Google Wallet save button, which typically features the Google Wallet logo. Tapping it will open the Wallet app and present the pass for saving.
Finding your tickets in Google Wallet
Open the Google Wallet app and you will see your passes organised by category. Event tickets typically appear under "Passes" and are sorted by date, with upcoming events shown prominently. Tap on any ticket to see the full details, including the scannable code you will need at the venue.
Google Wallet can also surface tickets at relevant times. On the day of your event, you may see a notification or a card on your home screen reminding you about the event and giving you quick access to the ticket. This uses the event date and time stored in the pass rather than GPS location, so it works even if location services are turned off.
Managing multiple tickets
If you have bought tickets for several events or multiple tickets for a group, each one appears as a separate pass. Google Wallet groups passes from the same event together, which helps when you are managing tickets for a family or group.
Old passes from events you have already attended are archived automatically. You can find them by scrolling down in the Wallet app or searching for the event name. If you want to remove a pass entirely, tap on it, then tap the three-dot menu and select "Remove".
Troubleshooting common issues
No "Save to Wallet" option
Not every ticketing platform supports Google Wallet integration. If there is no save button, your ticket may be delivered as a PDF, a QR code in the platform's app, or a mobile web page. You will need to use whichever method the platform provides. You can still back up your ticket by taking a screenshot, though be aware that some platforms use rotating QR codes that a screenshot cannot capture.
Google Wallet app not installed
On some Android devices, Google Wallet may not be pre-installed. You can download it from the Google Play Store for free. Once installed, sign in with your Google account and you will be ready to save passes.
Pass shows wrong information
If your pass displays incorrect event details, try removing it and re-adding it from the original source. Check whether the ticketing platform has sent an updated confirmation email with a new "Save to Wallet" button. If the event has been rescheduled, the platform may have issued updated passes.
Barcode scanning problems
Turn your screen brightness to maximum when presenting your barcode for scanning. Avoid holding the phone too close to or too far from the scanner. If the barcode will not scan, venue staff can usually verify your entry using your booking reference or the name on the order.
Google Wallet vs the ticketing app
As with Apple Wallet, there are merits to both approaches. Google Wallet puts your ticket in a consistent, easy-to-find location and can surface it at the right time. The ticketing platform's own app might offer features like ticket transfers, resale options, and customer support access that Google Wallet does not replicate.
The practical recommendation is to use both. Save the ticket to Google Wallet for quick access at the venue, and keep the ticketing app installed as a fallback. Check that your ticket displays correctly in Google Wallet well before the event, ideally the day before, so you have time to troubleshoot if anything looks wrong.
Whether you use Google Wallet, a ticketing app, or a combination, the goal is the same: arriving at the venue with your ticket ready and accessible, so you spend your time enjoying the event rather than searching through apps and emails in the queue.
Google Wallet event ticket FAQs
Why is the Add to Google Wallet button missing?
Two common reasons. First, you are on iPhone — Google Wallet is Android-only. Second, the issuing platform does not support Google Wallet integration. Tickts shows an Add to Google Wallet button on every paid order on Android.
Can I have multiple event tickets in Google Wallet at the same time?
Yes, no limit. Each event ticket is a separate pass card and you can swipe between them in the Wallet app. They auto-sort by date so the next event is always at the top.
Do Google Wallet tickets update when event details change?
If the issuing platform supports push updates (Tickts uses the Google Wallet PATCH API for this), changes to time, venue, doors time, or status appear on the pass within minutes. You also get a notification on your phone.
Can I scan a Google Wallet ticket without internet?
Yes. The QR code is stored locally on the device. As long as you can open the Wallet app and bring up the pass, it scans at the door — no signal needed.
Do Google Wallet tickets work on Wear OS smartwatches?
Yes. Compatible event passes appear on your Pixel Watch or other Wear OS device automatically once added to the connected phone. This is genuinely useful at festivals where pulling out your phone is awkward.
What is the difference between Google Wallet and Google Pay?
Google folded Google Pay into Google Wallet in 2022 in most markets. The same app holds your payment cards, transit passes, loyalty cards, and event tickets. So if you have Google Pay set up already, you have Google Wallet ready to receive event passes.