How to Use NFC Tags

According to GSMA, the mobile industry will contribute $4.8 trillion to the world’s GDP by 2023. The growth is partly attributed to the seven billion smartphone subscriptions to be experienced by 2022, and one of the key enablers, is the use of NFC.

Don’t be left behind as others take their business to the next level with advanced technology. Read on to get a clear understanding of how to use an NFC tag reader.

Do you have NFC?

Currently, it is hard to find a phone without the NFC feature because this technology has become so popular. However, if you are still unsure whether your Android phone has this feature, so as to try out different NFC ideas, here is the way to go;

  1. Go to Settings on your phone

  2. Select Connected devices

  3. Tap on Connection preferences

  4. By now, you should see NFC options

  5. If the option is available, then your phone is NFC compatible.

Besides, you can find the feature in a different section depending on your device. To locate it, go to the settings menu and tap on the Search bar at the top. Then, type in NFC, and if the feature is available. If it is, it will be displayed as a result.

Pay with your Phone!

One of the things that have made NFC technology popular is the making of payments. When you land in a store to do your grocery shopping, you can quickly pay with your phone due to NFC communications.

The technology allows you to pay through mobile solutions like Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

But you could still be wondering how to use NFC to pay for your shopping. Here are the steps to follow;

  • First, sign up for one of the payment methods: Google Pay or Samsung Pay. Google Pay works on devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop and higher, while Samsung Pay is for Samsung devices.

  • Once you open up the app, you can start making payments to any store or shop with an NFC-enabled payment system.

What Tag Should I Get?

An NFC tag is a small microchip embedded in a business card, poster, hangtag, sticker, or wristband. Besides, it comes in different shapes, sizes, and memory.

The microchip carries small chunks of data that you can read with another NFC-enabled device. That is why you need an NFC tag reader and know how to use it to access the information in the tag.

Depending on your need, you can store different data in this tag, including;

  • Your website’s URL

  • Your business contact information

  • Commands and settings that the reading devices need to execute, such as switching off the WiFi connection

  • Sending an email or text message

Best uses for NFC Tags

Paying bills

This is one of the cool things to do with NFC tags because of convenience. You don’t need to carry cash in your purse, because with the NFC PayPass, it’s just tap and pay.

All you need to do is to have an NFC-enabled phone or credit card. And the good news is, your merchant cannot access your bank or credit card details.

Setting the cooking time

When making your favorite meals at home, setting the cooking time to have the best dish is crucial. The solution to having accurate cooking time is an NFC tag.

Get an NFC tag, place it next to the oven and then allow it to start the timer on your smartphone once you tap it. This is how to use NFC cards at home if you didn’t know.

Leaving a secret message

Do you have a lovely or congratulatory message for your partner, and you don’t want to make it public?

Encoding the message on an NFC tag is one of the creative ways to surprise your loved one.

Get software like NFC Writer and embed the secret message in an NFC tag. Then, send the tag to them or keep it in a private place.

Organizing chunks at home

Sometimes you may find that you have boxes with different things at home, and you want to know the contents of each. This can be challenging, especially when you want to relocate to a different space.

Yes, you can label each box of its contents, but you may not want others to know. In such a case, NFC tags have got you.

All you need to do is get NFC tags with information about the contents of each box and stick it on them. This is one of the cool uses for NFC tags at home.

The uses of NFC tags are countless from paying bills to sending special messages to your dear ones and more. Enlighten yourself with different ways to utilize these smart and innovative tech solutions!