How to encode NFC tags with your phone

In this article we will talk about how to encode any NFC item you have; with your phone. It is actually very simple as long as you have the necessary tools.

These NFC items can be anything ranging from tags, labels, keyfobs to cards, etc.

NFC or "Near-field communication" as it's called, is a 13.56MHz communication protocol, very similar to other high frequency standards such as Mifare or iClass for example.

It follows the ISO 14443-A standard.

NFC has multiple different types with different sizes of available memory, such as:

NTAG213 = 144 bytes available (180 bytes storage)

NTAG215 = 504 bytes available (540 bytes storage)

NTAG216 = 888 bytes available (924 bytes storage)

You can read more about NTAG on the chip manufacturer's website: NXP Semiconductors

Items needed:

1. An NFC tag

2. A phone supporting NFC

3. An application for programming NFC on your phone (NFC Tools in this case)

Step-by-step guide:

1. Download NFC Tools from the app store/google play. Note that you can use another application too if you want to, but in this example we will use NFC Tools.

   1. App Store

   2. Google Play

2. Activate NFC on your phone. This differs from phone to phone, but usually you can swipe down the top menu and the option should be there, otherwise go to settings and turn on NFC there.

   

3. Open the app and go to WRITE

   1. Click Add a record
      

      

4. Here it depends a bit on what you want to put on the NFC tag, in our example we will do 3 different things on separate tags: Text, phone and a web address. This means one tag will open a text prompt. The second will open an URL, while the third will open a phone number.

   You can of course program it however you like, if you want to add your contact info for example you can do that as well, just keep in mind there's a size limit on the tag.

   

   
   

5. If you want a text popup, select "Text":

   

   1. Write whatever text you want in the window

   2. Click "OK"

      

6. If you would rather put in a phone number, it's easily done by selecting "Phone number":

   

   1. Enter the phone number. You should add the country code too just to be safe.

   2. Click "OK".

      

7. If you want to program in a website link so it opens up when you scan the NFC tag, select "URL/URI":

   

   1. Select if it's HTTPS or HTTP (you can see it when you open the website).

   2. Write in your domain name in the field marked with b.

   3. Click OK

   

8. Now that you've made a record you want to program onto your NFC tag, make sure that the records you have added are correct and put the tag close to your phone:

   

9. Click "Write" and your NFC tag is now programmed with the record(s) you made earlier.

   

10. It is recommended that you test your tag by scanning it on your phone to see that it works the way you want before putting it to use.