Travel lighter: How to use your Google Pixel as your digital ID.
The “airport shuffle” is a familiar scene: juggling your carry-on and your boarding pass, and digging through your bag for your ID. But what if all you needed was the device that’s already in your hand?
Simplify your travel experience at select TSA checkpoints by securely creating a digital ID in Google Wallet. You can use your US passport, or your driver’s license or ID from a participating state. Even if you don’t have a physical REAL ID, a digital ID created from your passport is valid for TSA verification.
Creating a digital ID pass is a straightforward, one-time process. Open the Google Wallet app and make sure Bluetooth and NFC are turned on. If you’re using a US passport, simply scan the photo page and hold your phone against the document to read its embedded chip.
To add a driver’s license or state ID, just follow the instructions in the app to photograph the front and back of your card.
For both ID types, a quick video selfie will verify your identity. Once approved, your digital ID is securely stored in
How to create your ID pass in Google Wallet.
When you arrive at a participating TSA checkpoint in the US for a domestic flight, you can leave your passport or driver’s license in your bag. The process is quick and private, and your phone never leaves your hand.
To use your digital ID, hold your phone near the reader and provide explicit permission to share by verifying it’s you. Your ID is then sent securely and privately to the TSA officer’s screen, and you don’t need to hand over an unlocked phone. Nothing is shared without your approval, so you’re always in control.
Show your ID at airport security using Google Wallet.
You can travel with peace of mind because Pixel is built to protect your most valuable asset: your identity.
The foundation of this protection is
While digital ID changes the game for convenience, you need to turn your phone on to use it. Unlike some transit cards that might work on reserve power, the high-security features of a digital ID require the phone to be powered on.
As you pack your bags, always be sure to have your physical passport or driver’s license just in case. Not only will your digital ID not work without battery power, you may be required to show a physical ID.
Ready for a travel upgrade?