How to Use NFC on iPhone

Near-field communication (NFC), the same technology found in VividQR tappables that enables your customers to tap to get to your website or contact defails, might already be embedded in your mobile device. Here's how to check whether your iPhone is NFC capable, and how to access the right setting to turn this feature on or off.

1. Most newer iPhones automatically read NFC tags. If you hold your phone close to an object with an NFC tag on it, a notification should pop up suggesting an action associated with the tag. Tap the notification to perform the action.
   • For example, tapping on the notification might open an app, take you to a website in your browser, or allow you to make a contactless payment.
   • For security reasons, the NFC reader is only active when your phone is in use (that is, the screen is lit up). It’s also deactivated when you’re using certain apps, like your camera or your Apple Pay Wallet.
   • You don’t need to touch the tag with your phone to read it. Just move it close to the tagged object and wait for the notification to appear.
2. Turn on your NFC reader manually on older phones:
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3. iPhones older than the XS don’t support background NFC reading. This means that your phone won’t automatically scan NFC tags when you get close to them. To activate the NFC reader on an older phone:

   • Swipe down from the top right side of the screen to open your Control Center, or swipe up from the bottom if you have an iPhone SE or an iPhone 8 or earlier.
   • Tap the NFC symbol (which looks like a series of curved lines, similar to a Wi-Fi symbol rotated horizontally) to open the NFC Tag Reader.
   • Move your phone close to the tag to read it.
   • If you don’t see the NFC button in your Control Center, you can add it by going into Settings, selecting Control Center, and selecting NFC Tag Reader from the More Controls list. However, this option isn’t available on the XS and later iPhones.