I started making custom passes in Google Wallet; now I use it for almost everything

Using Google Wallet has been straightforward. I add my cards, tickets, or boarding passes with an Add to Google Wallet button, and that's about it.

Then, I began creating my own passes. You can generate a Wallet pass using a photo or barcode, even if an official Wallet option isn't available.

At first, I wasn't sure what I'd use it for. A month later, I found myself opening Google Wallet for information I never would have thought to put there.

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Posts By  Anu Joy

Making your own Google Wallet pass takes just a few taps

Turn any photo into a pass

Creating a custom pass is easier than I expected. I open Google Wallet, tap Add to Wallet (plus icon), and select Everything else. I can take a picture of the card or document I want to save, or choose an existing image from my phone.

Wallet then analyzes the image and creates the pass. Before saving it, I check the information it picked up and make corrections. I also add a name and description so it's easier to recognize later.

I put my car details in Google Wallet

Now they're actually easy to find

My car has a handful of details I rarely need but don't necessarily have memorized, such as the VIN, registration information, and insurance details.

I used to keep some of this information as photos or documents on my phone, which meant searching through Google Photos or opening my insurance company's app whenever I needed it.

Creating a custom Google Wallet pass gave me a convenient place for it.

Google Wallet's image-based pass feature can recognize documents such as vehicle registration and car insurance, extract the relevant information, and turn it into a pass. I can review and edit what Wallet recognizes before saving it.

Now, if I'm filling out a form that asks for my VIN or need to check my insurance details while I'm away from home, I know where to look.

A photo-based Wallet pass isn't an official replacement for the original document.

For vehicle registration or insurance, you must keep the actual documents and follow whatever proof is required where you live.

The best part is that I can access Wallet quickly from a shortcut on the lock screen, the Quick Settings panel, or a double-press of the side/power key.

Google Wallet makes it easy to view my insurance card

It makes more sense there

I used to keep a digital copy of my insurance card somewhere on my phone, which meant remembering whether I had saved it in Photos, Gmail, or the insurance company's app.

Putting it in Google Wallet was a better idea. The app can also classify passes containing sensitive information as private passes, adding an extra layer of privacy.

Private passes require users to verify their identity with a fingerprint, PIN, or another supported method before accessing them, and they're handled differently from ordinary Wallet passes.

Private passes such as insurance cards aren't used for personalization or shared across Google services by default.

For me, the biggest advantage is not having to search for the card. If I need my policy information while I'm away from home, I know to check Wallet instead of searching through a pile of screenshots.

My travel reservations finally have one easy-to-find home

Wallet makes travel information much easier to access

Boarding passes from Gmail are automatically saved in Google Wallet. However, travel usually leaves me with other information that doesn't come with an Add to Google Wallet button.

Hotel confirmations, attraction tickets, tour reservations, and other booking details can end up as PDFs in Drive or buried in my email. That's where custom passes became useful.

If I have a reservation as a screenshot or image, I can add it to Wallet, review the information Wallet extracts, and save it as a pass.

A museum ticket, guided tour, attraction reservation, or other booking with a QR code doesn't need its own app.

It also means I can keep several pieces of a trip together without creating another folder.

I finally got rid of those random membership cards

I don't carry them in my wallet anymore

I have a few membership cards that end up being one more piece of plastic in my wallet, whether it's a library card, rewards program, or gym card.

If the card has a barcode or QR code, I can take a clear photo of it and add it to Wallet, even if the organization doesn't offer an official Add to Google Wallet button.

Instead of remembering which app belongs to that membership, or scrolling through my photos looking for a screenshot, I can open Wallet and pull up the barcode.

If I only visit a particular library or club occasionally, there's little reason for the physical card to take up space in my everyday wallet.

These passes offer an additional benefit. When I open a pass and tap the barcode or QR code, Google Wallet temporarily cranks up the screen brightness.

A brighter screen makes the code easier for a scanner to read, so I don't have to manually turn up the screen's brightness before presenting it.

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By  Hagop Kavafian

Google Wallet is handy for more than just cards

After months of using my own Google Wallet passes, I think I finally understand where they fit.

My custom passes store my car details, insurance information, travel bookings, and membership cards. I don't need to remember which app, photo gallery, or email contains them. Now I know exactly where to look.