Does Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Support NFC
Yes, the Galaxy Watch 4 has full NFC (Near Field Communication) support for contactless payments through Samsung Pay. Combined with MST technology (unique to the Watch 4 among recent Samsung watches), it offers the most versatile payment options of any Samsung smartwatch.
What NFC Enables
NFC powers contactless payments and other tap-based interactions on your watch.
-
Samsung Pay: Make contactless payments at any
NFC-enabled terminal by holding your watch near the payment reader. -
Transit Payments: Use your watch for public transportation in supported cities like New York, London, and Seoul.
-
Access Control: Some office buildings and hotels support
NFCfor door access and room keys.
Setting Up Samsung Pay
Configure Samsung Pay through the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone.
- Open
Galaxy Wearableon your Samsung phone - Navigate to Watch settings and tap
Samsung Pay - Install
Samsung Payon your watch if prompted - Add cards by scanning them with your phone camera or entering details manually
- Verify each card with your bank via SMS, email, or phone call
- Set up a PIN for watch payments
Supported Cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover (US only) from hundreds of banks worldwide including Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and Capital One.
Making Payments
Pay at any contactless terminal with a few quick steps.
- Double-press the Home button to launch
Samsung Pay - Swipe to select your payment card
- Enter your PIN to authenticate
- Hold the back of your watch near the
NFCreader - Wait for the confirmation vibration
Payments work even without your phone nearby and don't require an internet connection. The NFC radio has virtually no impact on battery life.
NFC Plus MST Advantage
The Galaxy Watch 4 uniquely combines NFC with MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission), giving it broader payment compatibility than any other smartwatch.
-
NFC Terminals: Tap at any contactless payment terminal displaying the contactless symbol.
-
MST Terminals: Pay at older magnetic stripe readers by holding your watch near the card swipe slot. MST generates a magnetic signal that the terminal reads as a card swipe.
-
Combined Coverage: This dual technology works at approximately 95% of payment terminals worldwide, including older systems where Apple Pay and Google Pay fail.
Note: Samsung discontinued MST after the Galaxy Watch 4, making it the last Samsung watch with this capability.
Security Features
Samsung Pay uses multiple layers of protection for your payment information.
-
Tokenization: Your actual card number is never transmitted. Each transaction uses a unique token that's useless if intercepted.
-
Samsung Knox: Hardware-based security platform with an isolated secure element for payment data.
-
Auto-Lock Protection: The watch locks automatically when removed from your wrist, preventing unauthorized payments.
-
Remote Wipe: If your watch is lost, use
SmartThings Findto locate it or remotely erase all data including payment cards.
Payment Tips
Position the back of your watch (where the NFC antenna is located) directly against the payment terminal and hold steady for 1-2 seconds. If NFC fails at an older terminal, try holding your watch near the magnetic stripe slot to use MST instead.
See Also: Does Galaxy Watch 4 Support MST|How to Use Samsung Pay