Technology

How To Add A Student ID Card To Samsung Wallet On Galaxy Phones

Student with Samsung phone Joel Carillet/Getty Images
By Daniel Trock/

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In an age where nearly every college student has a smartphone, there isn't really any reason for schools to still be wasting plastic on creating physical student ID cards. Losing a card is an annoyance, but if anyone loses their phone, then they've probably got bigger things to worry about than whether or not they can get into the computer lab. Through the power of digital wallets, students can keep their IDs on their person at all times with their phones, saving on both plastic and pocket space.

For those students who happen to own a Samsung Galaxy phone, the option is now available to add a digital copy of their student IDs to the Samsung Wallet app, allowing their phones to serve the same purposes as a physical card, whether it be as a pass for labs and classrooms or identification to borrow a library book. As long as you're a student in a school, you can add your student ID to the app.

How to add your student ID to Samsung Wallet

Samsung Galaxy phones Bloomberg/Getty Images

Before you can add a student ID to your Samsung Wallet, you'll need to make sure you've got a compatible device. Only Galaxy devices with Samsung's eSE security system can use this feature. Compatible devices include the Galaxy S20 or later, the Galaxy Note20, the Galaxy A53, the Galaxy Flip 5G, the Galaxy Fold 5G, the Galaxy Z Flip 2, and the Galaxy Fold 2 or later.

If you've got a compatible device, and your Samsung Wallet app is up to date, then let's get on with the process.

  1. On your Galaxy device, download the Transact eAccounts Mobile app from the Google Play Store.

  2. Open the Transact eAccounts app and go through the startup process.

  3. Tap Get Started.

  4. In the search box, search for the name of your school.

  5. Authenticate your student credentials.

  6. Tap the Add to Samsung Wallet button and accept the terms.

  7. You'll be redirected to the Samsung Wallet app.

  8. Click the Accept button to add your student ID to your Samsung Wallet.

Once your student ID has been saved to your Samsung Wallet, you can use it all the same ways you'd use a physical ID card, whether you're using card readers or just showing it to someone.

What can you do with a digital student ID?

ID card scanner Miodrag Ignjatovic/Getty Images

Thanks to Samsung's Galaxy framework, a digital ID in the Samsung Wallet app can be used in the same way as a physical ID. For instance, if your school uses card readers in labs or classrooms, you can just tap your phone against the reader, and it'll automatically read it as an ID card. Even if your phone battery dies, you can still perform up to 15 scans in a 24 hour period.

You can also show the details of your student ID with a few quick taps in the Samsung Wallet app.

  1. Open the Samsung Wallet app.

  2. Switch to the Quick Access tab.

  3. Tap on your Student ID.

  4. Authenticate your identity with your phone PIN or fingerprint.

Additionally, as long as your school has you on record as enrolled, you won't need to update your student ID between semesters. Of course, if you're away from campus for a while, your device may be automatically unregistered, but you can always put the ID back in your Samsung Wallet when you get back. You can also manually remove the ID from the Samsung Wallet app by pressing the Remove Card button on your ID's details.

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