How to Program your NFC card

Programming NFC Tags

Programming NFC tags is simpler than you think. This page guides you on how to program basic data, such as a website, phone number, and more, using a mobile app. In this guide, we use an app called NFC Tools. Our test phone is a Samsung S20.


The First Steps

  • Your phone must have NFC to program NFC tags. It also needs to be turned on. The iPhone already has this feature turned on. Android phones must have NFC to turn it on. It's commonly found under 'Connections' in the settings menu.
  • Download and install the app called NFC Tools in Google Play or Apple's App store. After installing it, open the app.
  • Have your NFC tag ready. It must be unrecorded and not secured in any way.


Memory Capacity

Every NFC chip has a memory capacity. Some have more than others. Not all NFC chips are read by smartphones. We only offer NFC chips that are read by smartphones. See below the maximum usable user memory for the NTAG Series chip by NXP.

NTAG213

144 Bytes

NTAG215

504 Bytes

NTAG216

888 Bytes



Read Range & Target Area

Read range is the distance between the phone’s NFC reader and the NFC tag. The average range is between 0 and 20mm. Tags with a larger antenna may increase the range up to 40mm.

Plug-and-play devices, such as NFC readers connected to a desktop PC, have a much longer read range. These devices may reach a maximum read range of 100mm. This is the read limit for NFC tags.

Larger tags with big antennas have a larger target area, so the likelihood of a successful interaction increases. However, the time to read may take a little bit longer, such as a second on a phone's



Phone's Antenna Location

Lininphone's phone’s NFC reader is important for a successful NFC tag interaction. phones’ location is in the middle to lower back.

iPhone is located at the top.

Smaller tags with a small antenna need the phone to be directly on top, with no distance between them. The small size is convenient when space is limited, but the read range is reduced.



Getting It Right

A little planning goes a long way when programming. Try to keep the records appropriate for the particular tag. Most tags perform best when executing single tasks such as launching a website.

Some tags benefit from having multiple records. For example, our peTTag™ benefits from multi-record support because it needs to store more information on how to contact the pet’s owner and find the address of the lost pet. Business type tags may also need various touchpoints, such as a website address, a support phone number, or ways to contact them, so they need multiple records.




Single Webpage (URL)

This example instructs you how to program a webpage.

  1. OPEN NFC Tools
  2. SELECT WRITE tab (second tab on the top) > opens a new menu
  3. SELECT Add a record > opens a new menu
  4. SELECT URL/URI Add a URL record > opens a new window
  5. SELECT the correct protocol from the drop-down options (this is the prefix before the URL). The most common is https:// for secured websites
  6. SELECT & TYPE in the URL address field on the right (you must get this correct). Exclude the protocol
  7. SELECT OK > opens a new window (you will now see the record that will be programmed and the amount of memory it takes)
  8. SELECT Write >opens a pop-up window
  9. APPROACH the tag. You must be directly on top of it
  10. WAIT for visual and audible confirmation that the programming was a success > a new window pops out to tell you if it was a success
  11. SELECT OK
  12. EXIT the app
  13. APPROACH the NFC tag, making the smartphone’s antenna close to the tag
  14. WAIT briefly for the website to launch (you may have to select the default phone service that launches the website because several apps in your may be able to open a website, such as Google Chrome, Samsung Internet, Firefox or any other web browser)
  15. SUCCESS!

 

 

 

Google Review Webpage

This example instructs you how to program your Google Review stand, tag a card. It’s the same process as programming a URL.

You first need to create a Google account to receive reviews. Click on the button below for instructions.

If you already have an account, find your business on Google. Click on the button below for instructions.

When you find your Google review URL, have this handy. You will need to copy the link.

Now, proceed to programming the URL below.



  1. OPEN NFC Tools
  2. SELECT WRITE tab (second tab on the top) > opens a new menu
  3. SELECT Add a record > opens a new menu
  4. SELECT URL/URI Add a URL record > opens a new window
  5. SELECT the correct protocol from the drop-down options (this is the prefix before the URL). The most common is https:// for secured websites
  6. SELECT & TYPE in the URL address field on the right (you must get this correct). Exclude the protocol
  7. SELECT OK > opens a new window (you will now see the record that will be programmed and the amount of memory it takes)
  8. SELECT Write >opens a pop-up window
  9. APPROACH the tag. You must be directly on top of it
  10. WAIT for visual and audible confirmation that the programming was a success > a new window pops out to tell you if it was a success
  11. SELECT OK
  12. EXIT the app
  13. APPROACH the NFC tag, making the smartphone’s antenna close to the tag
  14. WAIT briefly for the website to launch (you may have to select the default phone service that launches the website because several apps in your may be able to open a website, such as Google Chrome, Samsung Internet, Firefox or any other web browser)
  15. SUCCESS!

This example instructs you how to program a phone number.

  1. OPEN NFC Tools
  2. SELECT WRITE tab (second tab on the top) > opens a new menu
  3. SELECT Add a record > opens a new menu
  4. SELECT Phone Number Add a phone number > opens new window
  5. SELECT & TYPE in the phone number OR SELECT the icon on the right and choose a contact in your phone
  6. SELECT OK > opens a new window (you will now see the record that will be programmed and the amount of memory it takes)
  7. SELECT Write >opens a pop-up window
  8. APPROACH the tag. You must be directly on top of it
  9. WAIT for visual and audible confirmation that the programming was a success > a new window pops out to tell you if it was a success
  10. SELECT OK
  11. EXIT the app
  12. APPROACH the NFC tag, making the smartphone’s antenna close to the tag
  13. WAIT briefly for the interaction > the number may be dialled automatically, OR you are shown available options in your screen (certain apps can call phone numbers and the reason why you are seeing different options) > SELECT the app you want to use
  14. SUCCESS!