How to Open Samsung Wallet Faster With the Side Button on a Galaxy Z Fold or Flip

Introduction

If you use Samsung Wallet regularly on a Galaxy Z Fold or Galaxy Z Flip, swiping up from the bottom of the screen every time you pay can start to feel like an unnecessary extra step.

One option is to turn the Side button into a shortcut. Depending on your Galaxy model and One UI version, you may be able to launch Samsung Wallet directly from the built-in Side button settings. If your phone doesn't offer the shortcut you want, Samsung's Good Lock customization tools, including RegiStar on supported configurations, can give you additional options.

The important part in 2026 is to check the built-in Side button settings first. Samsung has expanded Side button customization on newer software, including the ability to assign apps and certain app functions to button gestures on supported devices.

How to Open Samsung Wallet Faster With the Side Button on a Galaxy Z Fold or Flip

1. Set Your Default Samsung Wallet Card First

Before changing any buttons, there's another Samsung Wallet setting worth checking: your default payment card.

Opening Wallet faster doesn't save much time if you still have to swipe through several cards before every purchase. Samsung Wallet lets you designate a default payment card for Quick access. When enabled, that card appears first instead of simply relying on the last card you used.

On the current U.S. version of Samsung Wallet, Samsung documents the basic path as:

• Open Samsung Wallet.
• Go to the All tab.
• Tap More options and select Settings.
• Tap Quick access.
• Select Set default payment card.
• Turn the option on and choose your preferred payment card.

Samsung occasionally changes Wallet's interface, so the exact placement can vary with the app version. The important settings to look for are Quick access and Set default payment card.

This is particularly useful if you keep several credit cards, debit cards, membership cards, or other items in Samsung Wallet.

2. Check the Built-In Galaxy Side Button Settings

Before installing Good Lock specifically for this purpose, open the Galaxy phone's built-in Side button settings.

Go to:

Settings → Advanced features → Side button

The available choices depend on the Galaxy model and One UI version. Newer Samsung software provides more flexibility for assigning apps and specific functions to Side button gestures, including double-press and long-press actions on supported devices. Samsung specifically lists Samsung Wallet as one of the potential uses in its 2026 guidance.

If Samsung Wallet appears as an available option, using the built-in setting is generally the simplest approach. You won't need an additional Good Lock customization just to create the shortcut.

Older Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip models, or phones running an earlier version of One UI, may not show the same choices. That's where Good Lock and RegiStar can still be useful.

3. Use RegiStar When the Built-In Shortcut Isn't Enough

RegiStar is part of Samsung's Good Lock customization ecosystem. Among its capabilities on supported Galaxy devices are additional button actions and Back-Tap actions.

If the Side button behavior you want isn't available through the regular Galaxy settings, check RegiStar's Side-Key press and hold action options. Available actions can depend on your phone, software version, and RegiStar version.

The general idea is to assign the press-and-hold gesture to an app or action you use frequently, such as Samsung Wallet.

There is one important distinction, though: opening Samsung Wallet isn't the same thing as authorizing a payment.

Samsung Wallet requires verification before completing a payment. Depending on your setup, that can include your fingerprint or Samsung Wallet PIN. Samsung's U.S. payment instructions specifically require the user to authenticate before holding the phone near the contactless payment terminal.

So a Side button shortcut shouldn't be described as bypassing authentication or creating a true one-button payment system.

On Galaxy phones where the fingerprint sensor is integrated into the Side button, however, the physical interaction can feel very quick because your finger is already positioned near the sensor.

4. Back Tap Can Launch Other Frequently Used Apps

RegiStar also supports a useful customization called Back-Tap action on compatible devices.

It lets you assign actions to a double or triple tap on the back of the phone. Instead of using both Back Tap and the Side button for similar jobs, it makes more sense to give each gesture a different purpose.

For example:

• Double tap → Take a screenshot
• Triple tap → Open a frequently used app
• Double tap → Launch a browser
• Triple tap → Launch a messaging app

Back Tap can be especially convenient when you've already reserved your Side button for Samsung Wallet, the camera, Gemini, or another frequently used feature.

There's a tradeoff, however. Back-tap recognition can vary depending on how you hold the phone and the case you're using. Foldables add another variable because their shape and grip change depending on whether they're folded or unfolded.

If you get accidental triggers, adjust the available sensitivity settings rather than simply making the gesture as sensitive as possible.

5. Side Button or RegiStar: Which Should You Use?

For most Galaxy owners, the decision is fairly straightforward.

Use the built-in Side button settings when:

• Samsung Wallet or your preferred app already appears as an option.
• You want the simplest setup.
• You don't need additional gesture customization.

Try RegiStar when:

• Your built-in Side button options don't provide the action you want.
• You want to use Back Tap.
• You want additional Good Lock customization beyond Samsung Wallet.
• You frequently open certain apps or Settings pages and want to reduce repetitive taps.

There's little benefit in installing a customization tool just to reproduce something your version of One UI already does natively.

RegiStar makes more sense when you're actually going to use its additional controls.

Conclusion

If you want faster access to Samsung Wallet on a Galaxy Z Fold or Galaxy Z Flip, start with two settings: your default Quick access payment card and the built-in Side button options.

Samsung officially supports setting a default payment card in Wallet, which can eliminate unnecessary card selection. On newer Galaxy software, the Side button also offers more customization than it did on older versions.

If your Galaxy phone doesn't provide the shortcut you want, RegiStar is worth checking for additional Side button and Back Tap controls.

Just remember that launching Samsung Wallet faster doesn't remove its security step. You'll still need to authenticate a payment with an approved verification method such as your fingerprint or Samsung Wallet PIN.

That combination—a default payment card, a convenient Side button shortcut, and fingerprint authentication—can make Samsung Wallet noticeably quicker to use without sacrificing its normal payment security.