Does my phone have NFC?

NFC is at a stage where many new handsets have the necessary hardware built into them but the mobile networks are generally not ready to start marketing the technology hard.

This means that you won’t necessarily see NFC pushed as one of your handset’s key features on the display card in the phone shop, but it may still come equipped with the technology.

So, if you’re unsure if your handset is equipped for the NFC revolution, don’t worry โ€” help is at hand!

How to check if your phone has NFC

Here’s NFC World’s list of the top ways to tell if your phone has NFC:

  1. Got an iPhone earlier than the iPhone 6? You don’t have NFC.
  2. Check the NFC phones list. Look in our definitive list of NFC phones to see if your model is listed. However, this is not a guarantee that you have NFC because phone makers sometimes vary handset specifications for different countries and carriers. The Samsung Galaxy S II is an example of a device that comes with NFC in some territories but not in others.
  3. Check the manual. Look in your phone’s manual for references to NFC, near field communication or RFID.
  4. Look for a logo. Look on the device itself for any sort of mark indicating an NFC touchpoint. It will probably be on the back of the phone.
  5. Check your settings. Look in your phone’s settings menu for any mention of NFC. It may be listed in the part that deals with wireless or network set-up.
  6. Check your apps. Look in your list of apps for anything that mentions NFC.
  7. A typical NFC antenna
    GOT ONE OF THESE? NFC antennas are typically large and flat and attached to the battery or the battery cover. This one is from a Google Nexus S. Click to enlarge.
  8. Look for an antenna. Open the battery cover and check it for an NFC antenna โ€” they often look like credit card sized spirals of flat wire.
  9. Check the battery too. Look for signs of an NFC antenna or any text that mentions NFC on the battery itself.
  10. Try it out! Unlock your phone and wave a contactless payment card or an NFC tag over it to see if anything happens.
  11. Try a tester app. Apps are available that can test if your handset is NFC capable. NFC Check by Tapkey is one such app for Android devices.
  12. Got any add-ons? It’s also possible you may have an add-on NFC solution. The SIM+antenna is probably the most common way of adding NFC to an ordinary handset, and is easily recognisable because a thin plastic “flying antenna” is attached to the SIM card. Other solutions include NFC built into the SIM (this is not common), NFC in a microSD card, or NFC built into a phone case or sleeve, but in these circumstances you would probably know already that your phone has NFC.

Do you have any other ways of telling if a device has NFC? Let us know in the comments below…

Next: Visit the NFCW Expo to find new suppliers and solutions

12 comments on this article

      1. actually, i was scrolling down to see what else google play had and there are a couple of nfc testers out now. i tried out a couple of them just to be sure and both said that i dont have it (as to my phone). others in the feedback said that it works and the app preview photos shows what it will look like if it says the device does have nfc.

        1. Sorry to hear it’s not in your phone. Chances are good that your next one will have NFC, though ๐Ÿ™‚

          I’ve added your tip to the list – thanks for sharing!

          1. FYI I think NFC is a great tool however I’m having some real issues with someone abusing it by accessing the info on my phone such as emails, passwords , banking , an applying for credit cards. Can you please tell me if there’s any way I can block her from connecting to my phone? Please help !!! I’ve tried everything but it’s just getting worse an I’ve had to cancel so many things I’ve subscribed to or had any monetary transactions with. Waiting patiently …. Please an Thank you. ๐Ÿ˜ฒ

  1. I have timer 2 smart ring. jakcom smart ring app dose not work.
    your device isn’t compatible with this version. my phone is Oppo a33f
    ,android 5.1.1
    . please help me

  2. Hai,

    Actually my phone isnt compitable with NFC, however, is there any solution for it? I mean is there any application exist for externeraly i can use the facility of NFC non othere than the way of in built?

  3. Please I need your help with this.
    I brought a smart ring thinking it will work with my phone but I later found out that it’s only support NFC phones and I don’t know if mine as NFC or if there’s any app I have to download in order to make use of the smart ring…. If there is any app I can download to access NFC without having it on my device as built-in NFC please Indicate.
    Thanks.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.