Some Google Pixel owners are reportedly dealing with an NFC bug that can stop contactless payments from working, with reports spanning several generations of the phone rather than just the latest Pixel 11.

Reports posted on Reddit over the past two weeks describe Pixel phones suddenly refusing to make tap-to-pay transactions through Google Wallet. The problem also appears to affect automatic transit terminals that don’t require the Wallet app to be open.

The reports cover a surprisingly broad range of devices, from the Pixel 8 through to the Pixel 11 Pro XL. That suggests this isn’t simply another Pixel 11 launch bug, despite the latest phone having its own collection of reported issues.

One possible workaround has already been suggested for Pixel 11 owners. The phone’s NFC antenna sits slightly higher than on previous models, so moving the phone around the payment terminal could potentially help it find the right position. However, that doesn’t explain reports from owners of older Pixel models experiencing the same problem.

There’s also an important distinction here: some users say NFC continues to work for other functions, but contactless payments specifically aren’t working. That makes a software problem involving Google Wallet or NFC payments a possibility, although an exact cause is yet to be established.

Google has yet to publicly respond to the reported issue, so there’s currently no official fix or confirmed explanation. It’s also unclear how widespread the problem is, as the reports come from individual users rather than an official Google incident report.

For anyone affected, the impact is fairly straightforward: if you normally use your Pixel instead of a physical card for everyday purchases or transit, the phone may no longer work when you tap it at a payment terminal.

For now, there’s no confirmed solution beyond trying the NFC antenna’s position, particularly on the Pixel 11. If the issue is software-related, affected users may have to wait for Google to acknowledge the problem and potentially roll out a fix.