Turn on NFC on an iPhone or Android phone

If a phone doesn’t react when you tap your NFC card, NFC may need switching on, or the phone may need a different way of reading the card. These steps are for the phone doing the reading, which is usually the other person’s.

Menus differ between phone makers and software versions, so the names below may be slightly different on your phone.

iPhone XS and newer

There’s nothing to turn on. These iPhones read NFC cards automatically whenever the screen is on.

If a tap doesn’t work:

1. Make sure the screen is on.
2. Close the Camera and Wallet apps, and make sure Apple Pay isn’t open.
3. Hold the card near the top edge of the back of the phone for a second or two.

iPhone 7, 8 and X

These iPhones need the NFC Tag Reader, which is available on iOS 14 or later.

1. Open Control Centre by swiping down from the top-right corner, or up from the bottom on iPhones with a Home button.
2. Tap the NFC Tag Reader icon. If you don’t see it, add it in Settings > Control Centre.
3. Hold the card near the top edge of the back of the phone.

Android

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Search for NFC using the search bar at the top of Settings.
3. Switch NFC on.

Where to find it without searching:

• Samsung: Settings > Connections > NFC and contactless payments.
• Google Pixel: Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > NFC.

On many Android phones you can also turn NFC on from the quick settings panel by swiping down from the top of the screen.

Then unlock the phone and hold the card against the middle of the back.

If the phone doesn’t have NFC

If you can’t find an NFC setting, the phone probably doesn’t support NFC. Share your card with your QR code or link instead. See Ways to share your card.

If it still doesn’t work on a phone that does have NFC, contact support.