[Samsung Galaxy Watch 4] horsecharles:
ADDING EDITS & FIXES IN ALL CAPS!

(Why conflate Activation & Pay? Maybe you want both Google & Samsung Pay...without paying an arm and a leg, to boot for deficient product / be force-tied to Samsung phone or two phones... And 2022 horrible for all things Samsung & Android 12. No Samsung 2022 phone or watch(yes, Watch 4) is worth the money- S22 / Flip / Fold / Watch 4- (notice how all being practically given away)- hardware & software shortcomings galore...then apart from those. no Sam non-flagship has more than 128gb storage.)

You will still need a phone(or tablet), but it can be any brand. (Sadly, Samsung removed iPhone Watch Mgr support for Wach 4, in the process killing my ambition to manage all three Pays- Samsung / Apple / Google from just one phone + watch)

Have successfully tested on two different tablets from LG & Samsung, two different OnePlus models, a ZTE, and Samsung Galaxy A13 5G North American version that doesn't support Samsung Pay- only its International versions do- although the new & superceding Samsung Wallet does (it arrived after I was done).

RETESTED AND CLEANED UP INSTRUCTS, EVERYTHING WILL NOW WORK PERFECTLY.

We will need a carrier that activates eSim(this watch doesn't accept physical sim). And likely an MVNO- to pay $2/5/7 esp...no need to pay $10/15 or more to the major carriers. Plus, even when major carrier allows Watch on as free or cheap addon to your existing phone service- it's usually on an expensive phone plan. In this example we use Red Pocket $5 Plan ($2.50 Plan available only with physical sim), although you need to pay $60 for the year.(Initially you will receive 7 days free to sample before paying anything!)

For any Carrier, don't worry if they state they don't offer service to smartwatch- or only to Apple. Just insert your watch imei into their online checker. If it fails, google imei generator apple watch to pass initial check. Then activate real imei online. Carrier should provide both QR code and manual code- more on that later.

We will be using ApkMirror a lot because Google & Samsung Stores don't always present the necessary apks. Alongside, you should preinstall on your phone an app such as CPU-Z and write down your DPI + system & processor versions. Just in case they've since created system specific versions.

Apps needed on phone: Galaxy Wearable(Samsung Gear) Galaxy Watch4 Plugin Samsung Pay(Watch Plugin)

For Samsung phones without Samsung Pay & non-Sam phones- ONLY available on ApkMirror:

Samsung Pay Framework

Samsung Pay Mini (for non-Samsung phones AND Samsung phones that did NOT permit installation of regular Samsung Pay or the new Samsung Wallet)

Samsung Pay (IF newer Samsung Wallet didn't install, and I suspect Galaxy Store won't present it to your phone unless it sees earlier Pay installed).

Samsung Wallet

Optional:

Samsung Pass

Samsung Blockchain Wallet

More than likely Pay won't work on your phone- leave it- still needed / future Update will likely work / your bonus will be you now got Pay working on your Sam phone too.

Easiest way is to run both Google & Samsung Stores, and whatever apps aren't presented, you get them from ApkMirror...the newest version when it's Universal.

Then each / all apps- enable all regular & Advanced Permissions!!! And check your Galaxy Store for updates / Google Store for Wallet update.

You need a Samsung Account- (create one on the web if on non-Sam phone) logged in on the phone / Wear mgr app- have login info ready + also for Google Account. Too cumbersome / next to impossible to enter all that manually in Watch: keyboard only T9 + every time Watch times out you have to start over. Note- if you ever connect Watch to another phone(most, but not everything can be done standalone on Watch) all data gets deleted save for carrier's. You do get a chance to save to Cloud and Restore if new phone on same Samsung account.

KEEP THIS IN MIND BEFORE SETTING UP PHONE / ACTIVATING:

You're going to need a LOT of time & patience. And Watch constantly times out, often not restarting where you left off, in spite setting Display to always on. The next UI upgrade promises to fix a lot of issues. May not be worth it.

Let's start from scratch, skip to your pertinent step:

Browse to redpocket.com and click $10 plan offer banner (free week trial over but don't worry) / Buy Plan / enter your Watch IMEI, it should approve it (** if on another Carrier & it doesn't accept imei, google imei generator apple watch to pass initial check. Then activate real imei online). Carrier should provide both QR code and manual code- more on that later...stop there for now.

Start Galaxy Wear app on your phone & pair / set up your Watch (we'll gloss over most those details) SKIPPING setting up phone plan(because app only wants to search at its own carrier & for specifically a Watch plan only).

VERY IMPORTANT- on phone app main screen / left upper corner, click the three slashes / about Galaxy Wearable / click 5 times very quickly the title Galaxy Wearable (NOT the underlined Galaxy Watch Manager beneath it) / this opens a hidden settings menu / scroll down past esim test & near the bottom click something called experimental or beta eSim activation (my memory hazy / this setting disappears after being enabled) / close app and reopen it.

WATCH- disable screen lock / pin (BUT you WILL need to enable LATER for Pay to set up!). Settings / Display / enable Always On, and in Screen Timeout / select the max 1 Minute. (Navigation: Lock Screen swipe up from bottom / Back = bottom right button / Scroll = rotate watch face edge or swipe finger up/down) ALWAYS: Ensure BT turned on in Phone & Watch. Try to keep an eye that your phone hasn't turned on its Wi-Fi(even if not Conected to anything)- some operations can just fail because of this without throwing any error message.

Watch- enable wifi and connect to anything except your phone Tether, set wifi to Auto (NOT On or Always On!)

Back to first step, Buy the plan selecting e-Sim activation. The site will likely find your watch on the web and confirm it's compatible before processing purchase, then send you auto activation QR code and/or manual activation code w/ network url. You need the latter, QR fails on phone mgr app (FYI the code & url should be also in plain text in the QR, but it's not so clear).

APP- WATCH SETTINGS \ MOBILE PLANS \ 3 DOTS UPPER RIGHT CORNER \ ADD A MOBILE PLAN \ USE CODE \ QR CODE PROCESS MAY FAIL \ BUT AT BOTTOM THERE'S ALSO "ENTER AN ACTIVATION CODE INSTEAD" - this allows manual entry of both activation url & code.

FINALLY-about your mobile plan. For Red Pocket the budget plans only available on their eBay store + Rakuten offers Cash Back on eBay & $30 off first order (& when you refer anyone you both get $30 again). See where I'm going? You may be buying plan at your carrier instead,

enrolling in a different Cash Back site, applying to their financing / credit card for extra bonus OR using a Chase / Amex / Paypal cellular cash back offer...

So, in this order:

PS Activation process may be slow traversing internet, Watch will at first be identified in Settings as some AT&T phone + will be offered free AT&T Number Sync- ignore- not eligible & will just waste your time endlessly trying. You will have data access, but it may be hours before Watch correctly identified and Plan Details listed.

PS2 Some operations may seem not to work because they hang / fail w/o progress / error message- always ensure phone hasn't turned on its wifi...Samsung wants you try things in order & fail a few times before presenting / allowing you to try a preferred method first.

8. Samsung Pay should be seamless as long as during the process Network & Data enabled in Watch & Phone hasn't turned on Wifi & both devices already logged in to same Samsung account. I don't remember if Pay came preinstalled or had to be downloaded.

FINALLY-about your mobile plan. For Red Pocket the budget plans only available on their eBay store + Rakuten offers Cash Back on eBay & $30 off first order (& when you refer anyone you both get $30 again). See where I'm going? You may be buying plan at your carrier instead, enrolling in a different Cash Back site, applying to their financing / credit card for extra bonus OR using a Chase / Amex / Paypal cellular cash back offer... So, in this order:

Rakuten- sign up & then ALWAYS click e-Bay(or any other site) inside it. Easier in computer with their browser extension so that you're guaranteed to never fail to activate their CB anywhere.

At eBay sign up. BTW eBay also gives their own Cash Back. Double check you still activated thru Rakuten- click Rakuten extension or you could open another tab / go inside Rakuten to click eBay again (i can't confirm that if you get sent to ebay app you would still be active, so I stay on browser). In Ebay select the $60 Yearly = $5 monthly plan. Do NOT take $30 Yearly, it roams on a different carrier that doesn't accept eSim activation for this. You will select option for e-sim or topping up, this way you will soon receive activation code thru dropdown / email / app / receipt Notifications from eBay / Red Pocket. No having to wait for snail mail / physical sim.

FYI you will presently be on AutoPay $10 MONTHLY Plan which would bill your CC the morning of the day before your next month would start. The code of the just purchased eBay plan will expire worthless after 90 days if not used.

It will activate as a new plan with a different mobile number, not as topup. The plan Code needs to be entered in your logged-in Account at Red Pocket website on regular browser or in RP app- samsung phone app or watch, after initial activation, no longer present topup code option & add a mobile plan option fails.

At RP website: My Lines / click red-lettered VIEW DETAILS / PAY, then scroll almost all the way down to enter Pin Code. Notice just above ENTER NEW SIM NUMBER- you can easily transfer plan to another device. To get the most value for your first month, you should wait to enter code on 28th/29th day. Afterward check autopay / CC aren't there anymore.

Bonus for tweakers: enable Watch Developer Options- Watch / Settings / About Watch / Software / Software Version / click the version # just like on phone several times quickly. When you only see 1 line of text as version # Options are disabled, 2 lines means Enabled. for instance, i lowered all animation scales to minimum .5

Finally for those of you on the fence about getting watch- don't know that i would recommend. It's buggy and hot. It is offered very cheaply, I only got it for the Samsung Pay. Watch 5 & UI update coming soon. Don't expect to have LTE on + some preferred background app + Health apps while exercising + occasional call or text....It ain't happening. A minute or two in you'll have a burned wrist followed by self-turned off watch. Plus imho watch health & distance stats are a big con. Next time you're unwell and at doctor's or hospital, compare your watch readings: oxymeter, BP, etc. to their readings.