The NFC sensor/antenna in an iPhone is located on the back, top edge of the device, near the rear camera module. To use Apple Pay or read NFC tags, place the top-back portion of your iPhone within a few centimeters of the terminal or tag for optimal performance.
On iPhones (iOS/Apple) the NFC-antenna is on the back of iPhones at the top of the phone. To read the NFC tag with an iPhone, place the top edge of the back of the iPhone on the tag. On Android phones, the position of the NFC-antenna is dependent on the manufacturer of the Android device.
Reading NFC Tags with an iPhone
Reading is straightforward. For iPhone XS, XR, and newer models, simply hold the top of your iPhone near an NFC tag and your device will detect the tag. Native iOS apps like Safari, Mail, Messaging, and Maps automatically respond to properly formatted NFC tags.
The NFC antenna on Android phones can vary but is almost always in the middle or upper-middle on the back of the phone.
Apple call this 'background' tag scanning. This NFC tag scan support has been active since the Xr and XS series and all phones since - the iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 have this feature enabled.
Since NFC is always on on an iPhone, all you have to do is program the tags.
You can find NFC settings in your phone's Settings app, usually under Connections, Connected Devices, or Network & Internet, often by searching "NFC" and toggling the switch to On for features like contactless payments and file sharing. On iPhones, NFC is generally always on for background tasks, but you manage it for payments and automation within the Shortcuts app or Wallet settings.
The NFC smartphone antenna can be positioned either on the top, middle, or bottom of the back side of the phone, and it is rarely indicated on the phone case.
The iPhone 17 Pro can read all standard NFC chips including the popular NXP NTAG213 and other NTAG series tags such as the NFC authentication grade NTAG424.. As with Android, Seritag recommended avoiding the larger memory NTAG216 chips. The iPhone 17 Pro has a well defined and focused NFC antenna along the top edge.
Your NFC pass will be stored within your Apple Wallet if you use an iPhone or within your Google Pay app if you use an Android/Google phone. Click here for full NFC Tickets & Stadium access FAQs.
Apple Pay is simply Apple's own “version” of NFC. Google has their own version, too – it's called Google Wallet. But fundamentally, it's the same thing – both companies are using NFC to send short, secure communications between two devices.
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How do you scan an NFC tag with an Apple iPhone? The iPhone's NFC antenna is always at the top left hand corner when you're looking at the phone screen. And so you can pat and hold a scannable logo tap your left hand corner against that NFC tag and you will scan that tag consistently every time.
A phone's NFC antenna is typically located on the back of the phone, but its position can vary: it may be at the top, middle, or bottom. Locating your NFC “sweet spot” may require trial and error as the antenna's location is not always indicated. Usually, it is situated in the middle of the back or near the camera.
Bluetooth® is renowned for its longer-range communication capabilities and is used in a wide variety of devices, from mobile phones to fitness trackers. NFC, on the other hand, works in close proximity, and its main strength lies in enabling secure, contactless communication between devices at short distances.
The iPhone 13 has a well defined and focused NFC antenna along the top edge.
If no NFC option appears, your phone likely doesn't support it.
To turn on NFC, swipe down for Quick Settings on Android and tap the NFC icon, or go to Settings > Connections > NFC; on iPhone, NFC for payments is always on, but for tag reading, use the Shortcuts app to create a Personal Automation with the NFC trigger.