Open NFC Tools and go to Write
Open the app. Along the bottom (iPhone) or top (Android) you’ll see Read, Write, Other, and Tasks. Tap Write.
If this is your first time on iPhone, the app may ask for permission to use NFC. Allow it.
One tap. Your profile opens.
Your NFC tag holds a single link — your Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or any profile you like. Type your handle once into the free NFC Tools app, and from then on anyone with a modern phone can tap the tag and your profile opens on their screen. No app needed on their end.
This page walks you through writing the tag (about five minutes), shows where to tap on iPhone and Android, and covers the handful of things that go wrong.
Works with iPhone & Android
Holds one link
Rewritable up to 100,000 times
No battery ever
Before you start
Three things to have ready.
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A phone with NFC. Every iPhone since the iPhone 7 (iOS 13 or newer) and nearly every Android phone from the last several years. On Android, check that NFC is switched on in Settings — search for “NFC”.
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Your handle. For Instagram, TikTok and most other networks you only need your username — no
@, no full address. Double-check the spelling against your profile. (Sharing something that isn’t a social profile, like a website? Copy its fullhttps://link instead.) -
The NFC Tools app (free). This is the only app you need, and only for writing the tag — people tapping it later don’t need it.
Write your tag
Five steps in NFC Tools. The screens look nearly identical on iPhone and Android.
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Add a record and choose Social networks
Tap Add a record. A long list of record types appears — scroll to Social networks and tap it. You’ll see a list of apps: pick Instagram, TikTok, or whichever profile you want to share.
Sharing a website instead? Pick URL / URI from the same list and paste the fullhttps://address.
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Type your handle
Enter your username exactly as it appears on your profile — just the name, no
@and no web address — and tap OK. NFC Tools builds the full link for you. You’ll land back on the Write screen with your profile listed as a record.Check the spelling. One wrong letter sends people to someone else’s profile, or to nothing at all. Compare it against your profile page before you move on.
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Tap Write and hold the tag to your phone
Tap the Write button (it shows the size, e.g. “Write / 30 bytes”). The app asks you to approach an NFC tag. Hold the tag flat against the phone’s NFC area — top edge on iPhone, centre of the back on Android — and keep it still for a second or two.
You’ll see Write complete. That’s it — the link is on the tag.
If nothing happens, slide the tag slowly around that area. The sweet spot is small, and a thick case can get in the way.
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Test it
Close the app, go to your home screen, and tap the tag against your phone like a stranger would. A notification (iPhone) or the browser (Android) should open with your profile.
Want to see exactly what’s stored? In NFC Tools, go to Read and scan the tag — it lists the record on the tag.
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Optional: lock the tag with a password
Right now anyone with NFC Tools could overwrite your tag. If it’s going on a sign, a card you hand out, or anywhere out of your sight, add a password so only you can change it. Tapping and reading still works for everyone.
In NFC Tools go to Other → Set password, enter a password, and hold the tag to your phone as before. To change the link later, use Other → Remove password first, then write the new link.
Write the password down. There’s no reset. If you forget it, the tag keeps its current link forever.
How to tap
Nothing to install, nothing to open. The phone just has to be unlocked.
iPhone
- Wake the phone and unlock it (lock screen is fine on newer iPhones, but unlocked always works).
- Touch the top edge of the phone to the tag — the NFC antenna sits just behind the camera area.
- A banner slides down from the top. Tap it to open the link.
Android
- Make sure NFC is on and the screen is unlocked.
- Touch the middle of the back of the phone to the tag. Hold still for a moment.
- The link opens in the browser, or a pop-up asks which app to open it with.
Hand the phone over, or hold the tag out so they can bring their phone to it — either way, flat contact for a second is all it takes.
Troubleshooting
Nine times out of ten it’s one of the first three.
Nothing happens when I tap the tag
- Wrong spot. Slide the tag slowly over the phone — top edge on iPhone, centre-back on Android. The readable zone is about the size of a coin.
- Phone is locked or asleep. Wake it and unlock it, then try again.
- NFC is off (Android). Open Settings, search “NFC”, and switch it on. iPhones can’t turn it off.
- Thick or metal case. Metal and some wallet cases block NFC entirely. Try without the case.
- Tag is on metal. A tag stuck directly to a metal surface won’t read. Use a non-metal spot or an on-metal tag.
- Tag isn’t written yet. Scan it with NFC Tools → Read. If it says the tag is empty, go back to Write your tag.
It reads, but the link doesn’t open or opens an error page
Almost always a typo in the handle. In NFC Tools, use Read to see exactly what’s stored on the tag, compare it to your profile, and write it again with the correct username. If you used URL / URI instead, check for a stray space or a missing https://.
If the handle is right but you’ve since renamed your profile or set it to private, the tag is doing its job — write the new handle to it.
NFC Tools says “Write failed” or “Tag is read-only”
- Moved too soon. Hold the tag completely still until you see “Write complete”.
- Password-protected. If you set a password earlier, go to Other → Remove password first, then write.
- Locked permanently. If someone used “Lock tag” (not the same as a password), that tag can never be rewritten. Use a fresh tag.
How do I change the link later?
Just write the new one over the old — same steps as before, with the new handle or a different network. There’s no need to erase first; writing replaces what’s there. If you added a password, remove it first (Other → Remove password), write the new record, then set the password again.
Can I put more than one link on a tag?
Technically yes, but don’t. Phones only act on the first record, and some will ignore a tag with several. If you want to share multiple profiles, put them on one “link in bio” page (Linktree, Beacons, your own site, etc.) and write that page’s address to the tag using the URL / URI record type.
Does the other person need an app?
No. Reading a URL from a tag is built into iPhone (iOS 13+) and Android. NFC Tools is only for you, to write the tag.
Which phones work?
iPhone: iPhone 7 and newer on iOS 13 or later. iPhone XS and newer read tags in the background — just tap, no app. iPhone 7, 8 and X need the screen on, and open the link from the notification.
Android: almost any phone from the last several years running Android 5 or later. A few budget models skip NFC — search “NFC” in Settings; if nothing appears, that phone doesn’t have it.
Will the tag wear out or lose the link?
No. The tag has no battery, keeps its data for about 10 years, and can be rewritten roughly 100,000 times. Tapping to read doesn’t use up anything. Just keep it away from strong magnets and off bare metal.
Can I erase a tag completely?
Yes — in NFC Tools, go to Other → Erase tag and hold the tag to your phone. You rarely need to; writing a new link replaces the old one.
Tag specs
For the curious. A profile link uses about 30–60 bytes, so this chip has room to spare.
| Chip | NTAG215 |
|---|---|
| Usable memory | 504 bytes (540 total) |
| Frequency | 13.56 MHz |
| Standards | ISO/IEC 14443A, NFC Forum Type 2 |
| Write endurance | 100,000 cycles |
| Data retention | 10 years |
| Password protection | Yes (32-bit, set via NFC Tools) |
Keep tags off bare metal and away from strong magnets. Phone must be unlocked to read.