This Google Wallet update makes sharing with family so much easier

Thanks to digital payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay, pulling out your wallet to quickly pay for things like coffee is becoming a thing of the past. Now, with an update to Google Wallet, paying for things digitally is much more stress-free for parents and their kids.

Google has announced that Google Wallet is now available for kids in the US, UK, Australia, Spain, and Poland. This feature allows children to access digital payment methods on their Android devices with supervision from their parents or guardians. Parents have full control over which cards their kids can use and can easily manage and track all payments made through Google’s Family Link app.

“Safety and security are core to the Google Wallet experience and this update also gives parents tools to help manage the Wallet experience for their children,” Google stated in a blog post. “A child’s payment cards can only be added with parental consent, and parents will receive an email whenever their child makes a transaction.”

If you’ve never used Google Family Link before and want to set it up for your child to use Google Wallet securely, it’s quick and easy to do so.

Google Family Link

Google Family Link is a parental control app that helps parents manage their child’s Android device, including limiting screen time and access to Google Wallet.

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How to set up Google Family Link

You’ll need Family Link to use Google Wallet’s new feature

If you’re new to Android, or have never set up Google Family Link before, it’s very easy to do.

1. On your child’s Android device, go to Settings > Digital Wellbeing and parental controls > Parental controls.

2. Follow the on-screen instructions to link your Google account to your child’s account/device to allow Supervision.

3. Once linked, download the Family Link app on your phone.

4. You can now manage your child’s Android phone from your own device.

By linking your Google account to your child’s Google account, when you open the Family Link app, your child’s account and device settings should automatically pop up. You can manage things like what apps they can use, and track how long they’ve used their phone for if you’re trying to limit screen time. You can also lock their device from your phone.

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How to set up Google Wallet on your child’s Android device

Once Family Link is setup, the process is straightforward

Google / Pocket-lint

Now that you have Google Family link setup, adding your credit card to your child’s Google Wallet is simple. Here’s how.

1. Open up Google Wallet on your child’s device.

2. Tap Add to Wallet.

3. Select add a payment card.

4. Login to your Google account to verify your identity.

5. Select debit or credit, then enter in your card details.

6. You’re all set up. You can track your child’s use of the card from the Family Link app.

Digital payment methods are the future, and with Google Wallet’s latest feature, the days of kids asking for lunch money or borrowing money to go out seem to be nearing their end. Aside from credit and debit cards, you can add event tickets, library cards, and gift cards to your child’s Google Wallet as well. If you have an Apple device, there is a feature very similar to Google’s called Apple Cash Family.

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