Individuals and shop owners
NFC tag: what it is and how to use it on iPhone and Android
An NFC tag looks like a simple sticker. Inside, a chip and an antenna: hold a smartphone close and it opens a page, a profile or a link, with no app. Here is how it works and how to read it on iPhone and Android.
What is an NFC tag?
It is a small sticker holding an NFC (Near Field Communication) chip, the same technology as contactless payment. It has no battery: the phone powers it when it comes close, within a few centimetres. The tag then sends it a piece of information, usually a link, which opens in the browser.
What is it for?
- Sharing your contact profile: someone holds their phone close and your details appear.
- For a business: opening its Google review page or its Instagram account.
- Signing a customer up to a loyalty program, with no app.
How to read an NFC tag on iPhone?
On iPhone XS and later, reading is automatic: unlock the screen and hold the tag near the top of the phone. A notification appears, tap it to open the link.
On iPhone 7, 8 and X, add the “NFC Tag Reader” to Control Center (Settings, then Control Center), open it, then hold the tag close.
And on Android?
Check that NFC is turned on in the settings (often under “Connected devices” or “Connections”). Then hold the tag against the back of the phone, where the NFC antenna sits, usually in the middle.
The ORA Tag
The ORA Tag is a thin adhesive PVC sticker, 1 mm thick, with 3M adhesive. It sticks to the back of a phone or slips into a case. It is the entry point of the range: same chip and same ORA profile as the ring and the card, only the material changes.
Your profile can be changed at any time from your ORA space, while the tag stays the same.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need an app to read an NFC tag?
No, almost every recent smartphone reads it directly.
Does an NFC tag have a battery?
No, the chip is passive: it is powered by the phone's field when it is read.
Can you change what the tag opens?
With ORA, yes: the tag opens your profile, which you edit from your space.
Does the tag work inside a case?
Yes, it can slip into a case since it is read within a few centimetres. A metal case, however, blocks NFC.