How to programme an NFC card yourself

TapNation cards use standard NTAG215 chips — the same kind used in most tap-to-pay stickers and cards, so any NFC writer app can programme them. Here's the way we do it:

1. 1

   Get a free NFC writer app

   "NFC Tools" (iOS App Store or Google Play) is free and does everything you need. Any similar NFC writer app works the same way.

2. 2

   Start a new write

   Open the app, go to the "Write" tab, then "Add a record" and choose "URL / URI" as the record type.

3. 3

   Paste in the link

   Paste the full web address you want the card to open — the customer's Google review link, or whatever page they've asked for. Make sure it starts with https://.

4. 4

   Write it to the card

   Tap "Write", then hold your phone flat against the blank card for a couple of seconds until the app confirms it's done. The NFC antenna usually sits in the centre or top of the phone — if it doesn't work first time, try moving the card slightly.

5. 5

   Test it

   Lock your phone, then tap it against the card again like a customer would. It should open the link straight away. Worth testing with a second phone too, ideally one iPhone and one Android.

6. 6

   Optional: lock it against being overwritten

   Most writer apps have a "Make read-only" or "Lock tag" option. This stops the card from ever being reprogrammed again — handy once you're handing it to a shop, but irreversible, so only do this once you're sure the link is right.