An NFC card is a card with a small chip and antenna inside. When you hold your phone near it, the phone reads the link on the chip and opens the page by itself: a Google review screen, an Instagram profile, a WhatsApp chat or bank details. No app, no camera, nothing to type.
What does NFC stand for?
NFC means "Near Field Communication". It is the same technology your phone uses for contactless payments. It works over a few centimetres, so the card is only read when a phone is actually held over it.
Does the card have a battery?
No. The chip has no battery: it runs on the energy of the signal from the phone reading it. Nothing needs charging and nothing runs flat, so the card lasts for years.
How does it work?
- A link is written to the chip inside the card.
- A customer holds their phone over the card.
- A notification appears, or the page opens straight away.
On DOKUNNFC cards the chip holds a permanent address of ours, which forwards to the page you want. If your link changes, we update the forwarding; the card stays the same.
Which phones can read it?
- iPhone: iPhone XS and later read NFC cards by themselves while the screen is on. The reader is at the top of the phone.
- Android: Android phones with NFC read it. The reader is usually in the middle of the back, and NFC has to be switched on in settings.
For details, see Where is NFC on my phone?
What is it used for?
- Google review card: happy customers reach the review screen in one tap.
- Instagram, TikTok and Facebook cards: waiting customers follow you on the spot.
- WhatsApp card: customers message you without saving your number.
- IBAN card: your bank details open, and the IBAN copies in one tap.
- Digital business card: your details are saved to contacts with one button.
Where do you put it?
On the counter, on tables, in a waiting area or in the window. Stick it on with double-sided tape or set it in a stand. Keep it off metal surfaces: metal can stop the chip from being read.
