NFC.cool Blog
Guides, comparisons, and how-tos on NFC tags, QR codes, barcodes, and digital business cards on iPhone and Android. Written by the developer behind NFC.cool.
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Parse NFC Tap Counter Data With iOS Shortcuts
Drop-in iOS Shortcuts that parse the NFC Tap Counter's tag ID and scan count - a reusable parser, and a tag-alert demo that uses it.
Digital Business Cards by Profession
Paper business cards fail every profession, but they fail each one differently. A practical guide to digital business cards for real estate agents, healthcare professionals, and consultants - what to share, what to look for, and how to choose an app.
How to Count NFC Tag Scans Without a Server
Put the same URL on 50 NFC stickers and you can't tell which one was tapped - unless the tag counts itself. Here's how.
NFC Safe: Store Encrypted Secrets on Durable NFC Tags
256-bit AES on epoxy-coated NFC tags. Paper backups burn. Cloud backups go down. NFC tags don't.
NFC.cool Comes to Mac - Your Entire Scan Library, On Every Screen
The NFC.cool iOS and iPadOS app is now compatible with Mac. Browse your scanned NFC tags, QR codes, barcodes, documents, 3D models, and room scans - all synced via iCloud. Plus: use your Mac camera as a QR and barcode scanner.
How to Check and Reset Your Philips Sonicare Brush Head Counter with NFC
Your Sonicare toothbrush has an NFC chip inside every brush head that counts down until you buy a replacement. Here's what it actually tracks, and how to check your usage or reset the counter with NFC.cool Tools.
Why vCard NFC Tags Don't Work on iPhone (And What Actually Does)
Your vCard NFC business card works on Android but not iPhone? Here's why iOS ignores vCard data - and the simple fix that works on every phone.
Share Your Digital Business Card Without Making Anyone Download an App
Your digital business card should work instantly for the person receiving it, no downloads, no friction. Here's how App Clips and instant web profiles make that happen.
OpenPrintTag: How to Read & Write Smart 3D Printing Spools with Your Phone
OpenPrintTag is the open standard for smart filament spools. Learn how it works, what data it stores, and how to read and write OpenPrintTag NFC tags using just your phone.
How to Write NFC Tags with Your iPhone
Your iPhone can do more than read NFC tags - it can write them too. Here's a step-by-step guide to programming NFC tags with your iPhone, from choosing the right tags to writing URLs, Wi-Fi credentials, contact cards, and automations.
Why Privacy Matters for Your Digital Business Card
Your digital business card contains your name, email, phone number, and more - yet most people never think about where that data actually goes. Here's why privacy should be your #1 criterion.
How to Replace Paper Business Cards at Your Next Conference
Conferences are where paper business cards fail the hardest. Here's a step-by-step plan to go fully digital - before, during, and after your next event - so you never scramble for a card again.
NFC Tags Explained: A Complete Beginner's Guide
NFC tags are tiny, unpowered chips that can trigger actions on your phone with a single tap. Here's everything you need to know - what they are, how they work, which types to buy, and 15+ practical ways to use them.
NFC Business Card vs QR Code: Which Is Better for Networking?
NFC tap or QR code scan - which is the better way to share your contact info? I break down speed, compatibility, cost, and real-world use cases to help you decide.
EU Digital Product Passport: What You Need to Know in 2026
The EU Digital Product Passport is here - batteries are already covered, textiles and electronics are next. Here's what DPP means for businesses, consumers, and why NFC technology is at the center of it all.
Best Digital Business Card Apps in 2026: An Honest Comparison
I tested the top digital business card apps of 2026 - from Wave Connect to Blinq to NFC.cool - and compared pricing, privacy, NFC support, and features. Here's what I found.
Building a Great App Clip Experience: Lessons from NFC.cool Business Card
Recap of the mDevCamp 2025 talk in Prague about the architecture behind NFC.cool Business Card's App Clip flow.
Why can't my iPhone open my condo's RFID door? Understanding NFC vs RFID
The honest answer to one of the most common questions in our inbox: your iPhone's NFC can't talk to your condo's RFID card, and Apple's intentional about that.
Understanding the different types of NFC tags - and which work with iPhones
Type 1 through Type 5, who makes them, and why NTAG-series (Type 2) is the safest bet for iPhone projects.
I can't remember anyone I meet. So I built this into the business card app.
After enough conferences and networking events, I realised digital business cards solved the wrong problem. They saved trees but not the context. So I added a Smart Context layer to NFC.cool Business Card - where you met, what they're working on, what to follow up on.
NameDrop vs NFC Business Cards: Why Cross-Platform Still Wins
NameDrop is gorgeous - but it's iOS-only. Why NFC business cards remain the cross-platform winner for serious networking.
Setting up the NFC.cool digital business card
A walkthrough of setting up your NFC.cool digital business card: build the contact, pick what's public, write to an NFC tag, and share. Plus why a single editable URL beats a one-shot vCard QR for serious networking.
NFC.cool is now on the Play Store
NFC.cool Tools is live on Google Play. NFC scanning, tag writing, and the bundled NFC.cool Business Card - now on Android, with the same feature set as the iOS app for the parts that share Android-compatible hardware.
3D scanning on iPhone: what photogrammetry and LiDAR can do in your pocket
NFC.cool Tools turns your iPhone into a 3D scanner using Apple's Object Capture API. Photogrammetry plus LiDAR produces models you can export to .stl, .obj, .usdz - ready for 3D printing, AR, or any modelling pipeline.
Pocket-ready document scanning with NFC.cool Tools
A practical guide to NFC.cool's document scanner: how to capture sharp scans, why the post-processing step matters, and how OCR turns the scan into searchable text and PDFs.
Tap, scan, thrive: what QR codes can carry beyond a URL
QR codes aren't just for URLs. They can carry Wi-Fi credentials, calendar events, locations, vCards, plain text - anything you can encode. Here's the full menu of what NFC.cool's QR generator and scanner can do.
Designing QR codes with flair: customisation without breaking the scan
QR codes don't have to be ugly black squares. With NFC.cool's QR Studio you can colour them, add a logo, drop an emoji in the middle - as long as you respect one rule: contrast.
Tapping into NFC on iPhone: an insider's look
How NFC actually works on iPhone - from Apple Pay's secure element to Core NFC tag reading. A practical look at the protocol, the iOS history, and why the short range is a feature, not a limitation.