In short
Almost every recent smartphone is NFC compatible: every iPhone since the iPhone XS and the vast majority of mid-range and high-end Android phones. To be sure, type “NFC” in the Settings search bar: if the setting exists, the phone is compatible.
Check in 30 seconds
Before sharing or receiving an NFC business card, one question often comes up: do I have an NFC compatible phone? The good news is that you can find out in a few seconds, without installing anything.
The most reliable method works whatever the brand or model: open your phone’s Settings and type “NFC” in the search bar. If an NFC setting appears, your phone is compatible; you just need to make sure it is switched on. If the search finds nothing, the phone most likely has no NFC chip.
Another clue: if you already pay contactless with your phone (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay or your bank’s app), it necessarily has NFC, because contactless payment relies on this technology.
iPhone: compatible since the iPhone XS
Every iPhone sold since 2018, starting with the iPhone XS and iPhone XR, reads NFC cards automatically, with no app and no setting: just wake the screen and hold the card near the top of the phone. The second and third generation iPhone SE work the same way.
The iPhone 7, 8 and X have an NFC chip, but reading goes through the “NFC Tag Reader” in Control Center. Older models (iPhone 6 and earlier) cannot read NFC cards. There is no NFC setting to look for on an iPhone: if it is recent, it is ready.
Android: most recent models
On Android, NFC is built into almost every mid-range and high-end model, and into a large share of entry-level phones. A few pointers by brand:
- Samsung: every Galaxy S, Note and Z, and the vast majority of recent Galaxy A models. The setting is called “NFC and contactless payments”.
- Google Pixel: every Pixel has NFC.
- Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco: most recent models, although some entry-level Redmi phones lack it depending on the country of sale.
- Huawei and Honor: almost all recent P, Mate and Honor series.
- Oppo, OnePlus and Realme: most recent models; check the cheapest ones.
For a specific model, the manufacturer’s spec sheet always states whether NFC is included, usually under “Connectivity”. You can also search online for the model name followed by “NFC”: the answer usually appears in the first results.
What about tablets?
iPads cannot read NFC cards. On the Android side, many tablets have no NFC chip; a few high-end models do. To read an NFC business card, a phone remains the safest choice.
My phone has no NFC: what now?
That is not a problem with an SVCard business card: every card also carries a printed QR code. The other person opens the camera, points it at the QR code and lands on exactly the same page as with NFC. The QR code works on every smartphone, even old ones, and on tablets.
You can also share your profile with a link (text message, email, signature) or from your card in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet: the physical card is only one of the ways to pass on your details.
Compatible, but the card will not read?
If the phone is compatible but nothing happens, check that NFC is switched on (on Android), that the screen is on and unlocked, and hold the card against the right spot: the top of the back on an iPhone, often the middle of the back on Android. A thick or metal case can also block reading. Our guide to turning on NFC covers each case, brand by brand.
