NFC has been around since the mid-2000s.
Yet it seems people are just starting to come around to this technology.
From contactless payments to process automation…
There are many things you can do now with NFC.
And if you’d like to test it on your device…
I’d be happy to guide you.
Continue reading to learn:
- The best use cases for NFC.
- How to quickly check if your device is NFC-enabled.
- 3 easy ways to find out if NFC is working on your device.
- And a lot more…
How do I know if NFC is working?
You’ll know if NFC is working by using it to make a payment. First, verify if your device has NFC. If it has, turn it on. Then set up a wallet app like Google Pay. You may then try to buy from a store that accepts contactless payment. And if your payment goes through, it means your NFC’s working.
3 easy ways to test if NFC is working
Before you can even test if NFC’s working on your smartphone or smartwatch…
You have to check first if your device actually has NFC.
An easy way to do that is by searching on Google.
You may search for something like “Does [your device’s name] have NFC?”
In addition, you may also visit your manufacturer’s official website.
From there, you can check the complete specification of your device.
But NFC’s been around since the mid-2000s. So if your device isn’t that old, chances are, it has NFC.
For instance, all iPhones starting from the iPhone 6 have a built-in NFC chip.
Samsung smartphones, on the other hand, have had NFC since 2011. Beginning with the Galaxy SII.
And most smartwatches have also had NFC since 2015.
Once you’ve verified that your device has NFC, make sure that you also switch it on.
To do that, simply find the NFC settings in your device’s settings menu.
Here I’ll be providing steps for both iOS and Android devices.
How to turn on NFC on an iPhone
- From your iPhone’s home screen tap Settings.
- Select General.
- Select NFC.
- Click the toggle button to switch it on.
How to turn on NFC on an Android device
- Tap the Settings icon.
- Tap Connected devices.
- Select the Connection preferences option.
- Select NFC.
- Switch on the Use NFC option.
Note: The steps may vary slightly depending on your Android version.
Alright. Now that you’ve turned on your device’s NFC, it’s time to test if it’s working.
You might also want to know: (9 Fixes) NFC Not Working Samsung
#1: Try to make a payment using a wallet app
People most commonly use NFC when making payments.
This is because it’s much safer than swiping your card on a payment terminal.
“How exactly is it safer?”
Well, when you swipe your card on a terminal…
The merchant or store will record the entire transaction. Including your credit or debit card number.
Wallet apps like Apple Pay and Google Pay, on the other hand, encrypt your information.
This means the stores where you use them won’t be able to see your card number at all.
So your card would be much safer from theft.
That’s why paying via a wallet app is the best way to test your device’s NFC.
And setting up a wallet app’s really easy.
I’ll guide you through the steps on how to use the following wallet apps:
- Apple Pay.
- Google Pay.
- Samsung Pay.
How to set up Apple Pay
- Launch the Wallet app from your Apple device.
- Click the Add button on the screen’s upper right.
- You may select either Credit Card or Debit Card.
- Select Continue.
- Enter your card details.
Now you’ll just have to wait for your bank to verify your card. This should only take a few minutes. You’ll then receive a notification after the verification process.
Note: You should contact your bank if the verification takes longer than an hour.
Would you like to see how Apple Pay works? Then watch this video below:
How to set up Google Pay
- Launch the Google Play Store app.
- Download the Google Pay app.
- Open the Google Pay app and swipe up.
- Select Add a card.
- Select Debit or credit card.
- Enter your card info. You may also use your phone’s camera.
- Verify your info via email or phone.
- Enter the verification code.
Note: Google Pay will only work on Android Lollipop 5.0 or later.
How to set up Samsung Pay
- Open the Google Play Store app.
- Download the Samsung Pay app.
- Launch Samsung Pay, and tap Get Started.
- Create a PIN and re-enter it.
- Tap the Menu icon.
- Select Cards.
- Select Add cards.
- Select Add debit/credit card.
- Enter your card info.
Once you’ve set up your wallet app, you’re now ready to try it out.
Look for a store that accepts contactless payment.
Most stores usually put up a sign indicating that they’re accepting payment via wallet apps.
When you find one, buy something and then pay via your wallet app and your device’s NFC.
All you have to do is open your wallet app on your device.
And then move your device to within 10 centimeters of the payment terminal. You don’t even need to tap your device against the terminal.
If your NFC’s working, the payment should automatically go through.
Now if the NFC isn’t working on your iPhone or Android phone, you may simply restart your device. And try again.
#2: Find NFC tags to scan
Another way to test your device’s NFC is by looking for NFC tags.
So what exactly are they?
And where can you find them?
NFC tags are stickers with microchips that can store information.
And many companies have taken advantage of these tags to promote their products.
Here’s an example:
A few years ago, Kentucky Fried Chicken released posters with NFC tags in the United Kingdom.
Anyone who scanned the tag will receive info on the closest KFC outlet to the poster’s location.
Other companies that have released print ads with NFC tags include:
In addition, some establishments like hotels and restaurants have begun using NFC tags.
For hotels, the tags will direct customers to their website. Where they can view the complete amenities.
For restaurants, scanning the NFC tag will open up their full menu.
Moreover, some individuals use NFC tags as their virtual business cards.
So just look for NFC tags. Then try to scan them.
It’s a fast and easy way to test if your NFC’s working.
#3: Buy NFC tags and download a 3rd party NFC app
Now if you can’t find NFC tags to scan, just buy one.
NFC tags are cheap. In fact, you can buy a set of 50 NFC tags for only about $15.
Once you have your NFC tags, you may try to program them.
And don’t worry. It’s much easier than you think.
But first, you’ll only need to download a 3rd party NFC app.
The most popular one is NFC Tools.
It’s available on Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. So just download and install that app.
After installing, you may begin programming the NFC tag.
For this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of writing a web address into an NFC tag.
The goal is for the website that you encode to automatically open on the device of whoever will scan the tag.
You may follow the steps below:
- Launch the NFC Tools app on your phone.
- Tap Write.
- Tap Add a record.
- Select Custom URL/URI.
- Type in the web address of any website that you like.
- Click OK.
- Click the Write button.
- You’ll see a window indicating that your phone’s ready to scan.
- Grab your NFC tag and place it near your phone.
Within a second, your phone should encode the URL into your NFC tag. You’ll see a checkmark on the NFC Tools app indicating that the encoding was successful.
Now you may go ahead and check.
Just scan the NFC tag using your phone. The website you encoded should automatically open.
Amazing, right?
But that’s not all.
Here are just a few of the other things you can do with an NFC tag:
- Set an alarm.
- Create secret messages.
- Share pictures and videos.
- Instantly pair Bluetooth devices.
- Auto-dial certain phone numbers.
You can easily encode any of these to an NFC tag using any 3rd party NFC app.