Our NFC Technology
How To Use NFC On Phone
Can the iPhone scan NFC Tags ?
Yes. The iPhone 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max and 13 mini are the fourth generation of iPhones to support native NFC tag reading. The earlier generations, the XS/XR, 11 and 12 were the first iPhones to be able to read NFC tags and the iPhone 13 range continues this functionality. This means that the iPhone 13 does not need an additional NFC App to be installed or opened to read NFC tags. This has been called ‘background tag scanning’ and means that a simple tap/scan of an NFC tag will automatically trigger NFC tag reading. NFC cannot be turned off on the iPhone 13 – it’s always on.
The iPhone 13 has a relatively small and focused NFC antenna. As a result, many users have commented that scan performance with some of the smaller NFC tags is not great. Conversely, the use of very large tags (credit card size for example) can result in very poor or failed performance. Seritag recommend the use of standard 20-40mm tags for the most reliable and consistent performance. However, also bear in mind positioning of the tags. Avoid placing too much material and distance between the tag and the user. Try and ensure that the hotspot is clearly indicated so the user can position the iPhone 13 correctly to read the tag.
Where is the NFC antenna on the iPhone 12/13 ?
The NFC antenna on the iPhone 13 is located on the top edge.
How do I turn on NFC on the iPhone 12/13 ?
NFC is always enabled on the iPhone 13 and cannot be turned off. There isn’t an on/off setting.
If the button is not visible on your screen, you may need to add it to the Control Center. Proceed as follows:
- First open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Then select the option “Control Center”.
- Scroll down and tap the green plus button to the left of “NFC Tag Reader”.
- the iPhone XS (Max), iPhone XR, iPhone 11 as well as iPhone 11 Pro (Max) and iPhone SE (2nd gen.) models, on the other hand, feature the so-called “Background Tag Reading” function. NFC tags can thus be read automatically as soon as the iPhone screen is switched on without having to start the NFC Tag Reader first. The iPhone then looks for corresponding signals in the background. When a tag is detected, a notification appears on the display, prompting the user to open the item in the respective NFC app.
By the way: Since iOS 13 and from iPhone 7 on, it is no longer only possible to read NFC tags, but also to write them using an NFC app. Within such an app, tags can also be written by the user and linked to actions (more on this below).
