Maryland was one of the first states to make state IDs available in Apple’s Wallet app for iPhones, and now Google is beta testing support for the “Digital Driver’s License” in the Wallet app on Android phones. The Apple Wallet integration may already be used to get through TSA at airports like the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport that allow the use of digital state IDs, which should be similar on Android.
Android 13 users who are in the Google Play Services beta program (specifically version 48.22) should now see a new option for “ID card (beta)” when they add a new card to the Google Wallet app. This appears on Pixel smartphones, but due to Google’s hardware requirements, it’s unclear if it will appear on other devices now. There have been Android devices with digital ID support, like Samsung’s Galaxy S20but hardware requirements to support the feature may vary based on whether a device launched with Android 13 or upgraded to it later.
The feature was announced during Google’s developer-focused I/O keynote in May, where a slide was shown showing Maryland as the first available identifier for the upcoming feature.
Android support for a digital status ID is part of it this month’s Google system updateswhich also includes other Play Services beta features for Wallet, such as Digital Car Key (for Xiaomi devices) and the ability to manage payment cards on Fitbit devices.
According to an To forget tipster, the process to add a maryland id goes like this: scan the front of the id > scan the back > take a short shot of your face > submit your application > and finally wait for maryland to accept the card . The process is very similar to that of add a card to Apple Wallet.
At the time of writing, the Play Services beta program is full, so it may be a while before you can try out the feature. Google has recommitted to its Wallet app initiative after a period where it was deprecated in favor of a targeted “Google Pay” offering. Now Wallet includes Google Pay, transit cards, loyalty rewards, gift cards, and ID cards, making it a much more complete app.
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