How to Program NFC Chip | Beginner Guide |Tap Tag NFC

Step by Step Directions

Here is step-by-step guide on how to program your NFC tag or NFC business card. First off, the NFC tag has to be programmable and have a suitable memory limit. Tap Tag holds 144 Bytes of information and the info is stored using no power whatsoever, and can be constantly overwritten if the user wishes to change its contents.

First, choose something to add to your Tap Tag

A Custom Landing Page
This is best used to consoldate multiple links under one single link able to work with smartphones. Very personalizable, free to use, unlimited links. Here are two examples:
https://beacons.ai/taptag
https://linktr.ee/TapTag
Downloadable Contact VCard
This option opens up the native contact card within the phone ready to save. If you are on a phone now, click this to see:
https://vcard.link/card/DIGE.vcf
Learn how to make this special VCard link here: Make VCard
An Individual Link
You can add just your instagram, or just your Facebook, or Just your LinkedIn, or any website link.. You get the idea. Good news is Tap Tag is rewritable so you can reprogram a new link infinite times using the steps below.
Our Instagram Link

Tap Tag User Guide

Here's how to program Tap Tag in 7 easy steps, taking about 45 seconds total. NFC Tools is a free app on the Apple and Android App store available to all.

App Store Google Play Store

Our first step is to download free "NFC Tools" and open it. Easy peasy, next step.

After opening the app you will be greeted with this home page. Click "Write" to move on to the next step.

Here, you will see a page with three options. Click the first option "Add A Record" to move on to step four.

This step greets you with many options to code into your Tap Tag. The recommended option is "Custom URL/URI" as it is the only option that will work with ALL smartphones. Move on to next step.

NOTE** The Other options do not work on all phones, ONLY use "Custom URL" to ensure your Tap Tag will work everywhere. Do not use the Contact Option**
If you would like to make a contact card that works, follow These Steps first.

After clicking "Custom URL/URI" the app will bring you to this page. Just copy/paste your web link WITH the https:// . Click "OK" in top right corner when you are done. Be careful not to accidentally add a space before or after the link when copy/pasting as it will cause an error.

Side Note: On this page you can add any link, which is what the entire internet runs on. Here's some examples...

Any website, Instagram, Link Tree, SoundCloud, Youtube video/channel, Venmo, PayPal, Photo/album link, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, Pinterest, restaurant menu, the list goes on!

After clicking "OK" you will be brought back to this page, this time your Custom URL will be added. You will also notice the app tells you the amount of space your link takes up, in this case 16 Bytes. It must be under 256 bytes.

**NOTE: Smartphones only understand one single link, adding multiple items here will not work. To get the most out of your NFC Tag, you can make a free personal landing page containing infinite links or a contact card.

Click "Write" to be prompted with an NFC "Ready to Scan" message

Now your smartphone is looking for an NFC tag to encode. For iPhone, hold the top-center of your phone within 1 inch of Tap Tag while this message is up (as seen in picture).

For android, place backside-middle of phone onto Tap Tag. Your smartphone will make a sound and/or vibrate when your NFC tag is officially encoded, which takes less than one second. If you get a red exclamation, simply try again.

This check mark symbolizes that your NFC chip is programmed! That's it! You did it! You can test Tap Tag by holding your smartphone near it. Your phone should automatically receive the information you encoded via a drop down notification. You do not need an app to read Tap Tag, any compatible phone will read the tag within 3 inches as long as the screen is on. Smartphones often take 1-2 seconds to scan. Some android phones may need to have "NFC" turned on in settings.

If you choose to re-program another link into your tag simply repeat these steps to overwrite the previous link.

Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions if you encounter any issues along the way.

Where to place your sticky Tap Tag NFC chip?

Smartphones automatically read tags when the screen is switched on. Do not put your tag on your phone near the NFC-reading area, or else your phone will read the tag every time you open your phone.

For iPhones: It is best to stick your tag to the middle or bottom on the back of your phone. The NFC reader is located at the center-top-rear of your iPhone so it is ideal to keep your NFC tag away from there when sticking.

For Android: Most androids have the NFC reader in the middle-back of phone. Stick your NFC tag to either the top or bottom. Some android phones vary so it is best to test this out before you peel off the adhesive of tag.

Troubleshooting

Here are common issues that may occur in order of process. Programming > Testing with phone > Where phone is directed to

Programming

Nothing happens when I hit "Write" on the last step

If the "approach NFC chip" dialogue does not appear at all when hitting "Write" simply close out the app, then close out of the app completely in the multitasker and try again. This is a known error within NFC Tools.

I receive a red exclamation point when I approach the chip

Simply try tapping "Write" again. If NFC Tools severed connection with the chip before successfully programming you will get this error. Try 3 times before you try other steps.
Make sure the number of "bytes' is under 256
Make sure you are only programming one item onto the NFC chip (one link). Each item will appear, if there are multiple hit "Edit" in top right and delete until there is only one.
Make sure you have used the "Custom URL/URI" Option, and not the other options. If you want to do a contact card or custom landing page then follow these steps to convert into a website link
https://taptag.shop/pages/making-a-contact-card
Close out of app completely and try again

The app does not pick up the chip on the "Approach NFC Tag" step, It just remains on the message and I do not receive a checkmark or exclamation.

Make sure you are tapping with the appropriate area of your phone. iPhones tap from the center top. Android's typically tap from the center backside of phone.
Try removing your case. If there is metal in your case it may interfere with connection to the chip
Test the chip - On the first page of NFC Tools there is a "Read" Option. Click that and tap the chip, if it reads then the issue lies within the app or phone. Simply restart your phone and try again. This is a known fix to this issue. If the chip does not read using this option, contact us
Make sure your smartphone is Compatible with NFC reading/writing

Testing with phone (After a successful checkmark when programming)

My phone does not pick up the NFC chip on its own

Make sure you are tapping the appropriate location on the smartphone. iPhones scans from the center top, androids typically scan from the center back of phone.
iPhones typically work best of the Lock Screen before opening to the Home Screen. Position the top center of iPhone on the chip and wake the screen.
Androids have the option to turn OFF nfc in settings. Please make sure NFC is ON. iPhones do not have this setting, NFC is always on.
Try removing your case. If your case has metal in it it may interfere with scanning.
Ensure the chip is actually programmed with info. Hit "Read" on the first page of NFC Tools, it will scan to a new page, at the bottom under "Record" you will see what is programmed on the chip. If there is no "record" box then the chip is blank. Follow the steps on this page to program the chip.
iPhone X, 8, 7, and 6 have one additional step to read NFC chips. Open control center (pull down from top right). In the icons on the bottom there is sideways wifi-symbol. Click that to read NFC
Make sure you have a Compatible smartphone that can read NFC
It may take up to 1 second to scan. Be sure to keep the chip in appropriate spot for 1 full second.
Known Issue: If you accidentally added a space before or after your link when pasting into the text box the chip will successfully program, but will not scan when testing on your phone. It is best to reprogram following the same steps and double check there are no spaces in your link
Make sure the link you programmed has https:// or http:// included. It is best to go to the actual website and copy the link straight from the browser.

My chip is programmed, and scans, but I don't like where it directs to

You may reprogram the chip to a new website following the same steps on this page. Re doing the process overwrites the previous contents.
If the chip still directs to the Tap Tag website, you may have not programmed successfully. Please follow the programming steps again and ensure you get a checkmark at the end of the process.

Not a text-kinda person? We got you covered with video

Here is a video we made of the process if you prefer to see some Tap Tag uses and how to program an NFC chip live. We talk you through each step while showing you the power of Tap Tag. Enjoy!

Here is another video on how to make a downloadable Contact Card

This video explains how to scan an NFC tag and have it pull up the contact card native to the phone. You can also add this feature to your existing digital business card as an option next to all of your other links. Either way, learning how to make a vcard or VCF file is always useful information.

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How to program an NFC Chip