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How to make an NFC business card, step by step
To make an NFC business card you need a blank NFC card, a phone with NFC, a writing app and the address the card should open. This guide covers the materials, writing the address, whether to lock the tag, how phones read it and troubleshooting.
Contents
Plans: the NFC tag code and NFC address are included in Starter and higher.
To make an NFC business card you need four things: a blank NFC card, a phone with NFC, an app that writes to tags, and the address the card should open. You write the address to the card with the phone; when a phone is held near the card, that address opens. In DigiCardSystem the address is a short, permanent one built from your card's NFC tag code, so you never rewrite the tag when your details change, and you can even move the tag to another card.
This guide takes you from a blank card to a working NFC business card. How NFC works and how it compares with QR codes is covered in how NFC business cards work.
What you need
| Item | Purpose | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Blank NFC card | Carries the address | Cards with NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 chips are common; the smallest is enough for a short address. |
| Phone with NFC | Writes the address | On Android, NFC must be on in Settings. Writing apps exist for iPhone too. |
| NFC writing app | Saves the address to the tag | Search the app store for "NFC write"; most are free. |
| The card's NFC address | Takes the phone to your card page | Generated in the panel, in the card editor's Publish and summary step. |
According to the manufacturer's datasheet, user memory is 144 bytes on NTAG213, 504 on NTAG215 and 888 on NTAG216 (NXP datasheet). A short web address needs a few dozen bytes, so larger memory only matters if you store more than an address.
Step by step: from blank card to business card
- Create the NFC code: open the card for editing and go to Publish and summary. Type a code in NFC tag code or press Generate. Codes are unique across the platform; Generate gives a random one such as "nfc-k7m2q9xa". If you type your own, start with your company name, e.g. "nfc-companyname-ayse"; short codes like "nfc-001" may already be taken by another company. Save the card.
- Copy the NFC address: once saved, the NFC address appears below the field. Press Copy and send it to the phone you will write with, for example in a message to yourself.
- Create a URL record: in the writing app, add a record, choose "URL" or "web address" and paste the address. Write only this one record; do not add a phone number or contact record as well, because Android looks at the first record when it opens a tag (Android).
- Write the card: start writing and hold the card against the phone's NFC area, usually the upper or middle back. Keep it still until writing finishes.
- Test: scan the card with a few phones; each should open your card page. Testing with at least one Android phone and one iPhone avoids surprises in the field.
- Decide on locking: once tests pass, decide whether to lock the tag, as explained below.
Should you lock the tag?
Anyone with an NFC phone can overwrite an unlocked tag with another address, without you noticing. Locking makes the tag read-only, and according to the datasheet it is irreversible: a locked tag can never be written again.
This is where writing the NFC address, rather than the card page address, pays off. The NFC address never changes; which card it opens is set in the panel. So after testing you can lock the tag with confidence. When your title, phone number or company details change, update them in the panel and the locked tag shows the new information.
Why the NFC address and not the card address?
- The tag can move to another card: an NFC code can be removed from one card and added to another. When someone leaves, their physical card can be linked to their successor's card. One code cannot be on two cards at once, so remove it from the old card first.
- Tag and card close together: if the card is deactivated or the plan does not include NFC, the NFC address does not open the card. A lost physical card is shut off by removing or changing its NFC code; your digital card and QR code stay live.
- A clean register: keep a table of which physical tag has which code and you can track every card in the team.
For handing cards to new starters and over from leavers, see a new hire's business card on day one.
How phones read it
| Phone | Reading |
|---|---|
| iPhone XS and later | No app needed; with the screen on, the phone reads the tag in the background and shows a notification. |
| iPhone 7, 8 and X | Read with the NFC Tag Reader in Control Center (Apple). |
| Android | With NFC on in Settings and the screen unlocked, the phone looks for tags automatically. |
Apple notes that background reading is off while the camera or Apple Pay is in use and in Airplane Mode (Apple). On Android, the reading distance is typically 4 cm or less (Android), so bringing the card almost into contact with the phone is the safest move. Telling people "hold the back of your phone near the card" gets most first attempts right.
What to print on the card
- An NFC symbol and a short prompt such as "Hold your phone here".
- A QR code on the back, for phones without NFC or with NFC switched off. Print rules are in QR code business card best practices.
- Name and title, so the card is recognisable without a phone.
The chip is embedded inside the card, so printing does not affect it. Metal does weaken NFC: a metal card holder or phone case can make reading harder. Where to place a tag is covered in how NFC business cards work.
Card, sticker or key fob
The same steps work for a sticker on a trade fair stand or reception desk (choose an on-metal tag for metal surfaces) and for a key fob for field teams. All of them can carry the same NFC address, so a person's card, desk sticker and fob all open the same card.
Troubleshooting
- The app says writing failed: hold the card closer and longer, and remove a thick or metal phone case.
- The app says the tag is read-only: it is locked; since locking cannot be undone, you need a new card.
- The tag reads but the card page does not open: check the written address in the app's read screen. If it is right, check in the panel that the card is active and still holds the NFC code; if the code moved to another card, the tag opens that one.
- Some phones read it and others do not: NFC may be off on the phone that fails, or its NFC area is elsewhere; move the card around the back of the phone.
A routine for teams
- Give codes with Generate, or use a pattern that starts with your company name, such as "nfc-companyname-firstname-lastname".
- Keep a table: serial number on the card, NFC code, card owner, write and lock dates.
- Test each card right after writing it and record the result.
- Lock last, after all tests pass.
Common mistakes
- Locking before testing: a wrongly written address, once locked, means a new card.
- Two records on the tag: if the address is not the first record, some phones will not open the card.
- Moving the card while writing: an interrupted write leaves an unreadable tag; write it again.
- A code on an inactive card: while the card is inactive the NFC address does not open it; when a card passes to a new employee, move the code to the new card.
Frequently asked questions
Can I write the card with my own phone?
Yes. A phone with NFC and a writing app is all you need. On Android, make sure NFC is switched on.
Can I update my card after locking the tag?
Yes. The tag carries the NFC address and your details live in the panel; change them there and the locked tag opens the updated card.
How many tags can one card have?
Each card has one NFC code and one NFC address, but you can write that address to several physical tags: the wallet card, a desk sticker and a key fob all open the same card. If one is lost, changing the code shuts them all off, and the others then need rewriting with the new address.
Does the other person need an app?
No. Recent iPhones and Android phones with NFC on read the tag without an app and open the card page in the browser.
Which plan includes NFC?
NFC tag codes are in Starter and higher. See the NFC business card page and pricing.
