Last year, I tried to pay for a cup of coffee using my phone’s NFC.
And nothing was out of the ordinary…
Not until my payment couldn’t go through after 3 consecutive tries.
I still remember how nervous I was.
But fortunately, I fixed my Samsung’s NFC on the spot.
Wanna know how?
Continue reading to find out:
- 9 quick solutions to get your NFC working again.
- What phone casing materials block the signals of your NFC chip.
- The different reasons why the NFC on your Samsung phone stops working.
- And a lot more…
Why is my Samsung NFC not working?
Your Samsung NFC isn’t working because you’re using the wrong payment method. Sometimes, it’s because your phone’s case is blocking the signal. And in other cases, your phone’s battery-saving mode prevents your NFC from working.
NFC not working Samsung: 9 fixes
#1: Check if your device is supported
If this is your 1st time trying to use NFC on your Samsung device…
Double-check that your phone is compatible with this feature.
These are some of the Samsung phone models that support NFC:
- Samsung J series (2017 and newer).
- Samsung A series (2016 and newer).
- Samsung Note Series (Note and newer).
- Samsung S series (S3 models and newer).
Can’t find your device here?
Check Samsung’s website for the complete list.
And if your phone is listed as a compatible device…
Then that means you can use NFC.
With that, you can proceed to the next fix.
You might also want to know: What Is the Difference Between a Smartphone and an Android?
#2: Make sure that NFC is turned ON
Sometimes the reason why your NFC isn’t working…
Isn’t even because of a problem.
You see, it’s easy to forget that you have to toggle ON NFC like any other connection.
So what you’re going to do now is…
Turn ON your NFC:
- Turn your mobile device ON.
- Go to its Settings.
- From the list, click Connections.
- Select NFC and contactless payments.
- Toggle it ON.
And while you’re there…
#3: Check your payment method
There are currently several NFC payment apps available to be installed on your phone.
So it’s not uncommon to decide to use another app….
Instead of your device’s default NFC payment method: Samsung Pay.
But your phone won’t know which app you prefer unless you state it.
So now, you need to…
Check your preferred mobile payment service:
- Ensure that you’re on the NFC and contactless payments page.
- Click the Contactless payments option at the bottom.
- You’ll see the list of all your NFC payment apps.
- Highlight the 1 you want to use as default.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the setup.
#4: Restart your device
Sometimes all your phone needs is a little refresh to get your NFC working again.
And you can easily give this boost to your device by restarting it.
You’re probably already familiar with how to do this.
But if not, here’s how you can restart your Samsung mobile device:
- Press the power button and the volume down button simultaneously.
- Hold it for at least 7 seconds.
- Wait for your phone to turn OFF and turn ON again.
After the restart, check if your NFC is now working.
Still no luck in making your payment go through?
Try to…
#5: Remove your phone’s case
Sometimes, your NFC stops working not because of software issues.
But simply because your phone’s case is too thick for the connection to go through.
It’s also possible that you’re using a case with signal-blocking materials.
Which aims to protect you from accidentally paying from your phone’s NFC.
So what you need to do is temporarily take off your phone’s case…
And try to pay using your device again.
If it works without the case, consider getting a new 1 that’s compatible with NFC.
“How do I know that?”
All cases are compatible with NFC as long as they don’t have these materials:
- Metal.
- Carbon fiber.
Because these 2 block the NFC connection from your phone.
Fun fact: Contrary to popular belief, leather cases don’t affect NFC.
You might also want to know: 7 Easy Ways To Connect Phone To TV Without WiFi
#6: Clear NFC Service’s cache
If your NFC still isn’t working…
Consider clearing its cache and data.
This will remove the temporary files on your NFC…
Along with any glitches attached to it that may be preventing it from working.
Don’t worry. This is an easy fix.
To clear your NFC’s cache:
- On your mobile device, go to Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Click the 3 lines on the left side of the title “Your Apps.”
- Select Show System Apps > NFC Service > Storage.
- Now, tap the Clear cache & Clear data option.
- Wait for the process to finish.
- Restart your phone.
Still having trouble? Check if you need to…
#7: Disable the power-saving mode of your device
The power-saving mode helps extend your phone’s battery life.
But this benefit also has its drawbacks.
As it can prevent your NFC from working properly.
To preserve energy, this mode limits your phone’s background activities…
Which also includes the ones needed by Samsung Pay and other NFC payment apps.
So to check if this is the 1 causing the problem…
You need to disable the power saving mode:
- Turn your device ON.
- Go to Settings.
- From the choices, click Battery.
- Tap the Power Saving Mode.
- Toggle it OFF.
If this doesn’t help…
Try to enhance your phone’s performance:
- Go to Settings again.
- Tap Device Care > Battery.
- Click Power Mode.
- Change the mode to High Performance.
Check if your NFC is working again.
But if you’re using Samsung Pay and you’re still having trouble…
#8: Use Google Pay instead
Your phone’s NFC may be fine, but your Samsung Pay app isn’t.
And to verify if this is the case…
You need to use a different NFC app to test if your payment will go through.
“Does it have to be Google Pay?”
No, you can use other NFC payment apps like:
But as Google Pay is 1 of the easiest apps to set up…
And well, since it’s my personal favorite…
I strongly recommend it.
Note: Your device’s software needs to be Android v5.0 or higher to use this app.
Here are the steps to set up your Google Pay account
Step 1: Download the Google Pay app.
To do so:
- Turn ON your phone.
- Launch the Google Play Store.
- Tap the search bar.
- Type in “Google Pay.”
- Once you see the app, tap it.
- Click Install.
- Wait for the process to finish.
Once you’ve downloaded it…
Step 2: Open the app.
Step 3: Input your credentials to sign in or sign up for an account.
Step 4: Add a card for payment when you’re asked.
Google Pay is compatible with cards from these financial institutions:
Click here for the complete list of the app’s supported banks and payment methods.
Step 5: Set up a screen lock for your app.
You can use any of these options:
- PIN.
- Pattern.
- Password.
- Fingerprint.
- Retinae scanning.
But unfortunately, Google Pay doesn’t work with facial recognition yet.
So even if that’s the default lock of your phone now…
You need to use a separate 1 for the app.
Step 6: Set up Google Pay as your default NFC payment method.
- Head to Settings.
- Go to Connections.
- Click the NFC and contactless payments.
- At the bottom of your screen, tap Contactless payments.
- Select Google Pay from the list.
Try paying through NFC using the Google Pay app now.
If this also doesn’t work…
#9: Factory reset your phone
At this point, it’s safe to assume that…
Your phone is experiencing something more than just a simple glitch.
So what you need to do now is conduct a factory reset.
If you’re not familiar with this yet, that’s totally fine.
I know it sounds techy, but it’s easier than you think.
But before you go ahead and do this solution.
You need to know what this process does to your device.
A factory reset erases all the information and data from your phone.
And this includes your:
- Images and videos.
- Installed applications.
- NFC payment methods
- Saved accounts and credentials.
Since this reset will bring your phone to its initial settings…
It’s crucial to backup your information before you proceed.
And once you’re ready…
Here’s how you can factory reset your Samsung mobile device:
- Turn ON your mobile device.
- Go to Settings > General Management.
- Tap Reset > Factory data reset.
- Scroll down and tap Reset.
- Confirm that you understand that you’ll lose all your data.
- Click Delete All.
If you want a visual guide, you can also watch this video:
After the reset’s over…
Set up your NFC payment again and see if it works.
If it still doesn’t work…
Bonus: Contact Samsung Support
The best way to do this is by contacting them through the Samsung Pay app…
Because the representatives there are the most knowledgeable about NFC payments.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to talk with Samsung Pay support through call.
And you can only contact them through email or chat.
To contact Samsung Pay’s customer support:
- Go to your Samsung Pay app.
- Ensure you’re signed in.
- From your menu, select Help.
- Click Contact us and follow the on-screen instructions.
But if you wish to talk with a representative through call…
You can dial them at 1-800-726-7864.
They’re available from 8 am to 12 am EST, 7 days of the week.
Alternatively, you can also go to Samsung’s official support page.