One of the downsides of Google Wallet is that it does not support the pkpass file format, a type of file that holds information about a digital pass. It is developed by Apple and supported by Apple Wallet. So, if you purchase a ticket from a website and the platform sends you an email containing the ticket in PDF as well as pkpass file formats, you can’t use the pkpass file to add the ticket to Google Wallet. You have to download third-party applications to add the pkpass file to Google’s digital wallet service. Well, not anymore.
In 2022, Google said that it was working on adding support for the pkpass file format to Google Wallet. After more than a year, the feature finally seems to be here. In a new post on X/Twitter, Mishaal Rahman, an Android expert, says that a person reached out to him on Telegram notifying him that the Google Wallet app for Android now supports the pkpass file format. They have also shared a screen recording of how the feature works.
Google Wallet now supports the pkpass file format
According to the video, when you download a pkpass file, you have to navigate to the file using a file manager and click on it. Once you do that, Android will show you the apps that can open the file. Google Wallet will also be one of them. Click on Google Wallet and the app will open that file in the ‘Add pass’ screen and show you a preview of the digital pass. Select ‘Continue,’ agree to the terms and conditions, and voila, the digital pass will be added to Google Wallet. You can then tap on the digital pass to see more details.
Mishaal says that the feature isn’t available for him yet. Google might be offering the new feature with an update to the app. So, make sure that you get the latest version of Google Wallet to get the new feature. With it, you will be able to add a digital pass in the pkpass file format in your Google Wallet without the need for third-party apps. On a related note, Google recently added the ability to archive a pass manually to Google Wallet.
