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How to use NFC on iPhone and list of supported devices

ZONAUTARA.comNear Field Communication or NFC is a popular technology that has been available for more than a few years. Technology it has been implemented across a wide range of devices, from portable speakers to payment systems.

With NFC you can do a variety of things, from transferring contacts or files to connecting your smartphone to the system in your car. The use of NFC in the Android system has been very widespread, and many have asked whether the NFC feature is also available on Android iPhone?.

How to enable NFC on iPhone

You can’t enable or disable NFC on iPhone! Why is that? The answer is simple: function NFC iPhone is activated or deactivated by apps that require it. So, it’s not like Android NFCwhere it is quite easy to turn it on or off directly from the operating system, in iOS, there is no main button for NFC.

NFC on iPhone is implemented differently compared to Android

What iPhones support NFC?

All iPhone released in recent years have NFC. In fact, every iPhone since the iPhone 6, which came out in 2014, has a built-in NFC chip.

Here’s a list of NFC-enabled iPhones:

  • iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE (Gen ke-2)
  • iPhone XS dan iPhone XS Max
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone X
  • iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus
  • iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus
  • iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone SE
iPhone 13 has NFC built in
iPhone 13 has NFC built in

The first generation of iPhones with NFC – the iPhone 6 model – restricted this functionality to payments via Apple Pay only. However, the iPhone 7 and later models allow the use of NFC to read NFC tags as well, using third-party apps.

Furthermore, starting with iOS 13 and the release of the iPhone XS and XR, iPhones can also encode blank NFC tags using third-party NFC apps such as NFC for iPhone or NFC TagWriter oleh NXP .

And finally, starting with the iPhone XS and continuing on to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, these smartphones can also read tags NFC. In other words, you no longer need to install third-party apps and read NFC tags manually: just tap your iPhone to the NFC tag, and the NFC tag will identify it automatically.

To make it easier for you to check if your iPhone has NFC and learn how to use it, we created the following table:

iPhone NFC compatibility and features
iPhone NFC compatibility and features

All iPhones that have NFC and are using iOS 14 or later can automatically read all types of NFC tags without the need for third-party applications, including but not limited to web addresses (URLs), emails, phone numbers, and SMS messages.

How to use NFC on iPhone

You now know if your iPhone has NFC or not. But how to use NFC on iPhone? The answer is quite simple: all you have to do is tap your iPhone to another NFC-enabled device. Or simply hold the top back of the iPhone close to the NFC tag. Then, iPhone reads the NFC tag and displays a notification on its screen.

How to use NFC on iPhone: NFC notifications
How to use NFC on iPhone

Read what the NFC notification on your iPhone says and if it responds, just tap it to take the action. For example, if you tap your iPhone against an NFC-enabled portable speaker, you’ll get a notification to pair the two devices. If you do, you will be able to send sound from your iPhone to the speakers.

The entire pairing is faster via NFC than by manually searching for available Bluetooth devices and connecting to the speaker.

How to use iPhone NFC for payments

The best example I can give is Apple Pay because it’s available on all NFC-enabled iPhones starting from the iPhone 6, and also because it works the same on all of them.

When going to a store, restaurant, taxi, or any other place where you can pay with iPhone, all you have to do is place your finger on Touch ID and hold the top of the iPhone near the contactless reader. Or, if you have an iPhone 12 or later model, double-tap on the side button, hold iPhone on the payment terminal for a moment, then look at iPhone to approve the transaction via Face ID.

What happens when you do all that? When holding iPhone near the payment terminal, NFC automatically turns on and, once you authenticate via Touch ID or Face ID, iPhone allows Apple Pay to make payments.

Start payments on iPhone with NFC
Start payments on iPhone with NFC

Here are two videos that show the whole process of using NFC on iPhone for payments:

NOTES: If you’re wondering where the iPhone’s NFC antenna is, it’s located on the top of the iPhone’s back, on the top bezel. That’s why we told to “hold the top of the iPhone near the contactless reader” in the previous paragraph.

Are you using your iPhone’s NFC chip?

Near Field Communication (NFC) is a technology that is getting more and more popular these days. Different types of devices use it for a variety of purposes, from simple Bluetooth association or showing a business card to making payments in stores and other places.

Do you use iPhone’s NFC feature for anything other than payments? We want to know, so feel free to let us know in the comments section below.

======================= The data visualization below is an automatic presentation from the collaboration between Zonautara.com and Katadata.co.id

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