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Beginner guide: scan your first tag ​

By the end of this page you will have scanned an NFC card or tag, saved it in your wallet with a name and type, and learned to read what NFC Wallet found on it, including whether it can be copied.

Before you start ​

  • NFC Wallet installed. See Install.
  • NFC turned on in Android settings.
  • A card or tag to scan: a transit card, an NFC sticker, a key fob, or your bank card (only to look at; it cannot be copied).

Find the NFC antenna ​

Every phone has its NFC antenna in a slightly different place, usually in the middle or the upper half of the back. If a scan does not start, move the card slowly around the back of the phone and hold it still once the phone reacts.

Scan a tag ​

  1. Open NFC Wallet. The empty Wallet says Your wallet is empty. Tap Scan a card (later, use Add).

  2. The Ready to scan sheet appears: Hold your phone against the card, tag or key fob.

  3. Hold the card flat against the back of the phone and keep it still until the sheet says Tag read.

If NFC is off, NFC Wallet shows NFC unavailable instead. Turn NFC on in Android settings and try again. If the read fails, tap Try again and hold the card still for longer.

Save it to your wallet ​

The Save card screen opens with a summary of the tag at the top. It tells you straight away whether the tag can be copied:

  • Has NDEF data — can be copied to a blank tag.
  • Stored for reference. Secure/encrypted tags can’t be copied.

  1. Type a Name, for example Gym key or Metro pass.

  2. Check the Type. NFC Wallet guesses one from the tag's technologies; change it if the guess is wrong.

  3. Pick a Colour, and add Notes (optional) if you like.

  4. To hide the card's details until you authenticate, turn on Protect this card. See Secure cards and lock the app.

  5. Tap Save to wallet.

The card appears in your wallet as a coloured card.

Look at what was read ​

Tap the card in your wallet to open it. You see:

  • Type and Technologies: the chip standards the tag uses, such as NFC-A, MIFARE Ultralight or NDEF.
  • Tag details: facts such as Serial (UID), ATQA, SAK, the NDEF state (Writable or Read-only), Capacity and the number of Records.
  • A line saying whether the tag can be cloned.
  • View raw data: everything the phone reported, which you can Copy.

What you learned ​

  • How to scan a tag and save it with a name, type and colour.
  • How NFC Wallet tells you whether a tag can be copied.
  • Where to find the serial number and other technical details.

Next steps ​