Google Wallet’s digital IDs are expanding to more US states

Last year, Google gave its Wallet app a serious upgrade, turning it into more than just a place to stash your cards. One big move was adding work IDs, so users could easily get into the office without digging through their bags. On top of that, Google started rolling out support for digital driver’s licenses and other official IDs, making it way easier (and safer) to keep those must-have documents on hand. The feature kicked off in a few states, but Google has bigger plans to bring it to more places and tie it into more services soon.

Google announced today that it’s bringing digital ID support in Wallet to Arkansas, Montana, Puerto Rico, and West Virginia. That means residents in those areas can soon stash their US government-issued IDs right in the app. Meanwhile, residents in Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, and New Mexico will be able to use their phone-based IDs at the DMV, with no physical card required.

Additionally, residents in those states now have an easier way to fly domestically because Google Wallet’s digital ID pass, made from a US passport, can be shown at TSA checkpoints in select airports. It’s a handy option, especially for those without a driver’s license or state ID.

With the REAL ID deadline coming up on May 7, Google is making it clear: the passport-based ID pass is TSA-approved at certain airports for domestic travel, even if you don’t have a REAL ID. That said, it’s not a full replacement, so keep your physical ID on you, just in case.

Furthermore, digital IDs in Google Wallet are about to get way more useful. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to use them to recover your Amazon account, log in to CVS and MyChart for health stuff, and prove you’re really you on apps like Uber. These updates signal that digital wallets aren’t just for payments anymore.

Privacy-first age checks

Google is also gearing up to launch a privacy-first age check feature in Wallet. Since more sites and services are asking for age verification, the tech giant is building a way to confirm your age without oversharing your information. It’s powered by Zero Knowledge Proof, which lets you prove something (like your age) without actually revealing your personal data.

Google weaving ZKP right into its digital ID system makes fast, private age checks possible across tons of apps, sites, and devices using its Digital Credential API. But it doesn’t stop there—Google is also bringing ZKP to more of its own products and teaming up with apps like Bumble, which will use Wallet IDs for verifying who you are, and ZKP to quietly confirm your age without oversharing.

On top of all that, users in the UK will soon be able to create digital ID passes using their passports and save them right in Google Wallet, just like what’s already available in the US for domestic flights with passport-based IDs.