How To Use NFC Tags With Your iPhone

You can buy cheap NFC tags and use them to trigger Shortcuts and other actins on your iPhone. You can set up a Personal Automation that automatically runs when triggered by touching your iPhone to a tag. You can also write information to tags that can bring up web pages and request other actions from any iPhone or Android user with a recent device.

Comments: 17 Responses to “How To Use NFC Tags With Your iPhone”

    Robert
    4 years ago

    I guess the keyring/key fob works the same way as the stickers.

    John Carter
    4 years ago

    Once again, more stuff to tinker with. That is SO neat! But the one thing I won't do is put a tag outside my front door to give anyone access to my Wi-Fi network. Hello! Here's a neat way to break into my Wi-Fi network. No password needed! Or, hey, put one by the door lock to unlock the door. Now, can you program the chip to request a password? That would help.

    4 years ago

    John: Oh no, you would put the tag inside your house, by the door, so when people come to visit they can use it.

    Phyllis Steele
    4 years ago

    I'm interested in trying these NFC tags. On Amazon, I wasn't sure which ones would be OK. Some info specifically stated they might not work with iPhones. I have an iPhone 11Pro. I'm guessing the warning was for earlier models of iPhones. I'm ignorant about things like, "compatible with Amiibo and TagMo." If it's OK, let me know which ones you purchased. Thanks, as always, for your help. My Patreon money is so well spent!

    4 years ago

    Phyllis: Yes, a lot of them say they don't work with iPhones in their descriptions, but that is old info. I got the NXP NTAG 215 NFC Tags. But I think any should work with the iPhone 11. I think those other things often mentioned are either apps or small devices.

    Phyllis Steele
    4 years ago

    Thanks, Gary. That's a big help.

    Robert Primmer
    4 years ago

    Nice video! I tried creating Wifi NFC tag. The write tool works but it iOS 13 doesn't seem to react to tag.

    reddit thread claims it's not supported yet on iPhone (https://www.reddit.com/r/shortcuts/comments/daugzx/did_anyone_share_guest_wifi)

    ---------------
    level 1
    delusionald0ctor
    1 point
    ·
    3 months ago
    iOS doesn’t react to Wifi or Bluetooth NFC tags unfortunately, apps can read and write to them but if you try to scan a Wifi tag or pair with Bluetooth over NFC nothing happens.

    4 years ago

    Robert: Except it does. I'm doing it. I show it in the video. So clearly there is some other issue at play there in that case.

    Robert Primmer
    4 years ago

    Okay -- I must be doing something wrong then. I can get other actions to work with NFC tag and can connect to WiFi via QR code, but haven't been able to figure out how to do the same via the NFS tag.

    Harvey Specter
    4 years ago

    Gary Rosenzweig: Except you didn't show WiFi/Bluetooth tags working in the video, which actually would've been nice. You merely stated that you "plan" on making use of this feature. This part was what had me most excited, so as soon as I get my hands on a tag, I'll try it out. Not being very optimistic though, as I've read more than once that this isn't working on iPhone yet.

    4 years ago

    Harvey: I works, I've tried it. A lot of people with old posts from older iPhone and before iOS 13 wrote that "it doesn't work" but it definitely does with the iPhone 11 series at least.

    Harvey Specter
    4 years ago

    Gary: I tested it just now. Works with Android, doesn't work with my iPhone (XS Max running the latest iOS), all other background NFC tasks work though, so this definitely isn't a hardware limitation. I also checked with Apple's documentation on NFC, and it doesn't list WiFi networks as a compatible data type. I'll believe it when I see it.

    Bill Williford
    4 years ago

    Gary what app did you use to write your NFC tag to make the WiFi configuration work? I have an 11 Pro Max and am using NFC Tools and it will not read the tag after it writes it. I'd love to get that working.

    4 years ago

    Bill: That's the one I have too. Keep experimenting.

    Bill Willo
    4 years ago

    Hmmmm well the option is there for writing a WiFi tag and that’s what I picked not sure what else I can do differently. Oh well.

    Bill Williford
    4 years ago

    Gary, what kind of NFC tag are you using? Maybe that's the issue some how? Grasping at straws here.

    Bill Williford
    4 years ago

    Nevermind I see above where you said 215's. That is what I am using as well. Guess I'm just stuck.

Comments Closed.