Four years ago I asked whether "Google Pass" was a thing that I needed to give a shit about and consensus was, "no, nobody uses that." But I have heard anecdotally, recently, that this might no longer be true. Thoughts?
The goal here is, "reduce the amount of time it takes for someone standing in front of my nightclub to wave their QR code at the door staff."
Note: I don't use Android and know as little about its ecosystem as possible, so please use small words.
https://jwz.org/b/yk45
If those of you using Android could click on this link and tell me whether it does anything even remotely useful, and if so, some detail about how horrible/stupid the whole experience is, that would be helpful: https://www.jwz.org/images/2026/test.pkpass
And tell me what version you're using, obviously. Possibly this requires some "Play" [sic] stuff to work.
UPDATE: Thanks! You can stop now.
(Unless you have read the dozens of replies and have had a materially different experience than those.)
@jwz it showed it as a download then opened this flow, possibly a couple of other add/continue screens in between.
I didn't accept the long t&c page and it still seemed to work, though I may be blind now since it ramps the brightness to full on the ticket screen.
Will add version later if I remember but need to charge and walk the dog. Samsung Galaxy S8 though so prehistoric hardware.
@jwz nothing remotely useful - I get a dialog as for any unrecognized file for download.
Edit: Android13/lineageOS/google play from microg/fennec browser (firefox)
Ditto download and offer to open on an Android 16 Pixel. In all of Firefox, DDG, Firefox Focus browsers.
I didn't add the ticket to my wallet.
Notably, it was recognized as a ticket without having to put it in an email message attachment to trigger processing (the usual workaround).
Avoiding needing the attachment workaround is what I would consider a usable "add ticket to wallet" process.
So it's a little clunky with too many steps and has some room for human error or people to miss a prompt and have the file left in an oubliette containing all their randomly downloaded files. But it works.
I'm not sure whether or how the process would differ when using a Mastodon client, the Chrome for Android browser, another version of Android OS, etc.
@jwz It downloaded the file and showed the Downloads folder(?) where I could tap on it again. Not particularly helpful.
When tapping it, I could select Google Wallet, which wanted me to agree to something (abort abort abort). I also have PassAndroid installed for this specific purpose and that imported the pass with no problems.
Android 16 on Galaxy S22+, Chrome browser. I'm using Google Wallet for credit cards. Have installed PassAndroid for Pkpass files some years back.
A story in 4 pics. This was as far as I was willing to go without knowing exactly what that file does. (And I only downloaded it because you have earned that trust.)
To clarify, I don't think the file does anything harmful, but I don't know if I want whatever it actually does.
jwz
John William David Thomson
aidan
Kiric
Dane Deasy
Jesse Atkinson
Daniel Kochmański
T Alex Beamish
Mu
Ken
DamonHD
Graham
alsv_
Will Deakin
Richard Johnson
David Sullivan
tibi
Christopher Isene
Dave Wilburn 
Bill
Grant Gould
Henryk Plötz
Benjamin
Bruce Heerssen 
Ilja
Jasper
Arcanolothtest.pkpass, which is a misnamed (and thus exactly nothing happens with it unless I rename it) zip file containing some png’s and json’s. shrug
@jwz
Since I disabled to directly opening apps from links it went: Firefox - download - open - open in wallet - shows up with information about event, price, and a QR code.
All good.
This is how it always works for me.
This is on Pixel 9a with Android 16 and everything updated.
@jwz hah. So, after following the replies from others here I can also confirm: Hitting "not thanks" on the "please give AI permission for everything" screen lets the flow continue on to add the pass. Apparently now me and one other can go on April 26 at 3 am to your club and watch Powerman 5000! 🎉
This is all on a Pixel8, Android 16, Google Play System Update Nov 1, 2025, Android Security Update March 5, 2026
ailepet
computer maus
Christof Damian 💙💛
Rebeca