The concept is simple: instead of a PDF attachment or a printed ticket, your event ticket lives inside Apple Wallet or Google Wallet on your phone. It sits alongside your contactless bank cards and loyalty cards, accessible with a double-click of the side button or a swipe from the lock screen. No app to download, no email to dig through, no printer required.
Mobile wallet tickets have been technically possible for years, but adoption at UK events has accelerated sharply. The combination of widespread smartphone ownership, familiarity with contactless payments, and the post-pandemic preference for touchless interactions has created the conditions for wallet tickets to move from novelty to norm.
How mobile wallet tickets work
When a ticket buyer completes their purchase, the ticketing platform generates a pass file. For Apple devices, this is a .pkpass file conforming to Apple's PassKit framework. For Android devices, it is a Google Wallet pass created through the Google Wallet API. Both formats contain the ticket details (event name, date, venue, seat or admission type) along with a barcode or QR code for scanning at entry.
The buyer adds the pass to their wallet with a single tap. Once added, the ticket appears as a card in the wallet app. It can display dynamic information, which means the organiser can push updates to the ticket after purchase. If the event time changes, for example, the wallet pass can be updated to reflect the new time without the buyer needing to do anything.
At the event, door staff scan the barcode or QR code displayed on the wallet pass. The scanning process is identical to scanning a code from an email or app. The wallet simply provides a more convenient and reliable way to present the code.
Why wallet tickets are better than email attachments
The traditional approach to mobile ticketing is to email a PDF or display a QR code within the ticketing platform's app. Both approaches have friction points that wallet tickets eliminate:
- Finding the ticket -- On event day, the buyer needs to locate the confirmation email among hundreds of other messages, or remember which app they bought the ticket through. With a wallet pass, the ticket is always in the same place and often appears automatically on the lock screen based on the event date or the buyer's proximity to the venue.
- Battery and brightness -- Wallet passes are designed to display barcodes at maximum screen brightness, which matters in the bright sunlight of outdoor festivals or the dim lighting of venue lobbies. PDF attachments viewed in an email client may not adjust brightness automatically.
- Offline access -- Wallet passes are stored locally on the device and do not require an internet connection to display. A PDF in an email app may need to re-download if the original was not cached, which is problematic in areas with poor signal.
- No app required -- The wallet app is pre-installed on every iPhone and available on all modern Android devices. The buyer does not need to download or create an account with any third-party app.
Benefits for event organisers
From the organiser's perspective, wallet tickets offer several advantages beyond simply improving the attendee experience.
Push notifications and updates
If you need to communicate a change to attendees, wallet passes can be updated remotely. The attendee receives a notification that their pass has been updated, and the new information is displayed automatically. This is far more reliable than sending another email and hoping it gets read. For last-minute gate changes, schedule updates, or weather advisories, this capability is genuinely useful.
Location-based reminders
Wallet passes can include GPS coordinates for the venue. When the attendee approaches the location, their phone can display the ticket on the lock screen automatically. This reduces the fumbling-at-the-door problem where people are searching through apps and emails while holding up the queue.
Reduced support requests
A significant portion of event-day customer service enquiries relate to people who cannot find their ticket. Wallet passes reduce these enquiries by making the ticket impossible to lose (short of losing the phone itself) and easy to access without any searching.
Branding opportunities
Both Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes support custom colours, logos, and imagery. The ticket sits in the buyer's wallet alongside their bank cards, which means your event branding gets repeated visibility every time they open the wallet app in the days and weeks leading up to the event. This is subtle but effective brand reinforcement.
Implementation considerations
If you are considering offering wallet tickets for your events, there are a few practical points to think through.
First, not every ticketing platform supports wallet passes natively. Some require third-party integrations or custom development. Before committing to a platform, check whether Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes are included as standard or available as an add-on.
Second, wallet tickets should be offered as an option alongside other formats, not as the only option. While smartphone penetration in the UK is high, some attendees prefer printed tickets or email confirmations. Accessibility considerations also apply: some attendees may use older devices that do not support wallet passes, or may have visual impairments that make small screens difficult to use.
Third, your door scanning equipment needs to be able to read the barcode formats used by wallet passes. Most modern QR scanning apps handle this without issue, but it is worth testing before event day. The last thing you want is a scanner that cannot read the codes your attendees are presenting.
The bigger picture
Mobile wallet tickets are part of a broader shift towards contactless, frictionless event experiences. Attendees increasingly expect the same convenience at events that they experience in retail and transport. Tap-to-pay, tap-to-ride, tap-to-enter: the principle is the same.
For organisers, the practical benefits are clear. Faster entry, fewer support requests, better communication tools, and a more professional attendee experience. The technology is accessible, the costs are minimal (wallet pass generation is typically included in the ticketing platform fee), and attendee expectations are moving firmly in this direction.
The transition does not need to happen overnight. Start by offering wallet passes as an option on your next event and track how many buyers use them versus traditional email tickets. The data will likely speak for itself, and you will find that direct-to-fan communication through wallet updates becomes one of your most valued tools.
