Free Online NFC Tag Writer and Reader
Program NFC tags, stickers and cards from your browser. Write a link, your digital card, a contact or plain text, then read the tag back to check it. No app to install.
Free, no account needed. Everything runs in your browser.
This browser cannot write NFC tags.
Writing NFC tags from a website works in Chrome on Android phones. Here are two ways to finish the job.
- Open this page on an Android phone. Scan the code with the phone camera, then use Chrome.
- Use a free NFC app. Follow our iPhone guide to write a tag with an app.
Writing a business card? See how NFC cards work with Zapped.
Your iPhone can still read tags. Hold the top of the phone near a tag and a banner opens the link.
Want to point this tag somewhere else later, or see every tap? Zapped NFC cards do that.
Erase or lock a tag
Erase
Removes everything from an unlocked tag so it can be written again.
Lock
Locking makes the tag you just wrote read only, forever. It can never be changed or erased again. Only the tag written on this page can be locked, and never a tag holding your Zapped card link, because you may want to move it to an NFC card link later.
Write a tag first. The lock only applies to that same tag.
How to use it
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Open this page in Chrome on Android
Turn on NFC in your phone settings. Writing tags from a website works in Chrome on Android phones.
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Choose what to write
Pick your digital card, a website link, a contact, a phone or email action, or plain text.
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Hold the tag to your phone
Tap Write, then hold the tag flat against the back of the phone until the page says it is done. The page reads it back to confirm.
Which phones can write and read NFC tags
Writing NFC tags from a web page uses Web NFC, which Chrome supports on Android phones. iPhones and desktop computers cannot write tags from a browser, so on those devices this page shows how to finish the job another way.
| Device | Write from this page | Read tags |
|---|---|---|
| Android phone, Chrome | Yes | Yes, here and from the home screen |
| Android phone, other browsers | No, open the page in Chrome | Yes, from the home screen |
| iPhone XS and newer | No, iPhone browsers cannot write tags | Yes, link tags open from the top of the phone |
| iPhone 7 to iPhone X | No | With an NFC app |
| Computer | No, use the QR code to open the page on a phone | No |
Link, contact or digital card: what to put on a tag
A link is the most reliable choice. Android phones open it in the browser, and iPhones from the XS on show a banner that opens it. It can point at a website, a booking page, a review page or your digital business card.
A contact written straight to the tag holds your details on the chip itself. Android phones can usually save it, but many iPhones will not open contact tags, and the details can only change by rewriting the tag. A link to a digital card avoids both problems, because the card holds the details and you can edit them anytime.
| Write | Example | Android | iPhone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website link | https://acmerealty.com | Opens the browser | Opens from a banner (XS and newer) |
| Your Zapped card | Your card address | Opens your card | Opens your card |
| Contact | Name, phone, email | Offers to save the contact | Usually does not open |
| WiFi network | Network name and password | Offers to join | Does not join, use a WiFi QR code |
| Call, text or email | tel:, sms: or mailto: link | Opens the matching app | Varies by iOS version |
| Map location | A maps link | Opens the map | Opens the map in the browser |
| Plain text | Any short note | Shown by an NFC app | Not shown |
How much fits on a tag
The size meter under the form estimates your content as you type. These are the common chips and what they hold:
| Chip | User memory | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| NTAG213 | 144 bytes | A link up to about 130 characters, a WiFi network, a short text |
| NTAG215 | 504 bytes | All of the above plus a typical contact card |
| NTAG216 | 888 bytes | A full contact card with address and links, or a long text |
A contact with name, phone and email is already about 150 bytes once it is written, so contact tags need an NTAG215 or larger. A link to a digital card fits on the smallest NTAG213 and holds far more.
WiFi tags, copies and batches
Choose WiFi to write a network tag that Android phones join with one tap. Choose Read a tag to see what any tag holds, then copy it onto another tag in two taps. After a write, Write the same to the next tag lets you program a whole box of cards or stickers in a row, with a running count.
Where NFC tags work well
- NFC business card. Write your digital card link so every tap opens your current details, on Android and iPhone.
- Restaurant tables. A sticker under each table number that opens the menu or the order page.
- Shop shelves and displays. A tag next to a product that opens a demo video or the product page.
- Office meeting rooms. A WiFi tag for Android guests next to a WiFi QR code for everyone else.
- Review stands. A tag at the counter that opens your Google review page, written in seconds with a website link.
Tags that work
Common NTAG213, NTAG215 and NTAG216 stickers, cards and key fobs all work. Metal surfaces block NFC, so use tags made for metal if you stick them on metal, and keep phone cases with metal plates or magnets in mind when testing.
Locking a tag makes it read only forever. Only lock a tag when you are sure the content is final, and never lock a tag that points at something you may want to change.
Troubleshooting
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| The page says this browser cannot write tags | Open the page in Chrome on an Android phone. Scan the QR code on the page to get there |
| Nothing happens when you hold the tag | Turn on NFC in your phone settings and hold the tag flat against the middle or top of the back of the phone |
| The tag moved away too soon | Hold the tag still until the page says it is done, which takes about a second |
| Writing failed | The content may be too big for the tag. Check the size meter and use an NTAG215 or NTAG216 |
| This tag is locked | Locked tags can never be changed. Use a new tag |
| An iPhone does not react to the tag | Unlock the iPhone, hold the tag near the top edge, and make sure the tag holds a link rather than a contact or WiFi record |
Frequently asked questions
Can I copy an NFC tag?
Yes, for links, text, contacts and WiFi tags. Read the tag, tap Copy this tag to another tag, then hold the new tag to your phone. Encrypted tags such as hotel keys and transit cards cannot be copied.
Can I write a WiFi network to an NFC tag?
Yes. Android phones join the network when they tap the tag. iPhones cannot join WiFi from a tag, so put a WiFi QR code next to it.
Do I need an app to write NFC tags?
Not on Android. Chrome on Android can write tags directly from this page. On iPhone you need an app such as NFC Tools, because iPhone browsers cannot write tags.
Why does the page say my browser is not supported?
Web NFC works in Chrome on Android. Safari, Firefox, iPhone browsers and desktop browsers do not support writing tags from a website.
Can I rewrite a tag later?
Yes, as long as the tag is not locked. Write new content over it the same way. A locked tag can never be changed.
Is anything I write sent to Zapped?
No. The page talks to the tag directly from your phone. Nothing you write is stored by Zapped.
What should I write to an NFC business card?
A link to your digital business card. It works on every phone, shows your photo and links, has a save contact button, and you can change it without touching the card again.
Learn more
Never reprint a card because a detail changed.
A Zapped digital card holds your contact details, your profiles and your links behind one QR code that you can update anytime. Create your account, then pick your plan.