NFC on Android: why and how you should use it

You may be unknowingly owning an NFC Android smartphone. What is this technology, what is it for, and how do I use NFC on Android? Explanations and answers to your questions in this special NFC Android guide.

NFC on Android

Quick access

What is NFC?

How do I know if my Android smartphone is NFC?

What is NFC for Android used for?

How to use NFC on Android?

How to send files via NFC on Android

NFC problems

What is NFC?

As I said in the introduction, the NFC is a line from the technical sheet of the phones that you can also find in your settings in the sub-menu of wireless networks and connections. NFC or Near Field Communication is actually a chip that allows the exchange of information between two equipped devices.

How do I know if my Android smartphone is NFC?

To find out if an Android smartphone is NFC, it's very simple, you can check in the settings that the NFC menu exists. An application can also be on the smartphone. In addition, most NFC Android smartphones now include functionality, but don't hesitate to check before buying your new smartphone.

What is NFC for Android used for?

One chip is said to be passive and receives information, the other is active and sends it. It takes a physical connection between these two chips for communication to take place. This is the gesture that you operate by sticking your bus card above the terminal and this is also how it should be done between two smartphones. In theory, it suffices to bring readers together so that they can communicate with each other physically in close proximity.

We can exchange data like files, identify devices, typically to pair a Bluetooth device, we use NFC. Another use of NFC on Android is tags. These are small objects that can take any form, the only condition being that they house an NFC chip capable of communicating with your Android smartphone.

You can assign an action to a tag, which will be triggered each time the smartphone, smartwatch or any device enters the communication field of the chip. For example, you can change your smartphone profile by placing an NFC terminal or tag next to the front door, at home and bringing the smartphone closer to it each time you enter.

How to use NFC on Android?

If on iOS NFC technology is only used for payments, in the form of Apple Pay. On Android, the possibilities are quite different.

Payment method: the NFC chip allows your Android smartphone to be transformed into a credit card. The telephone payment market is very promising: it is estimated that it will soon generate 50 billion euros worldwide by the end of the year. In Japan, it has become common to buy with your phone which is rather rare in France despite the availability of more and more services (Google Pay, Samsung Pay ....).

Pass, identification: in exactly the same way, the NFC can be used virtually anywhere, on the bus, to access a concert hall, etc. To identify you and let you pass. This is also the technology used by RATP and by almost all public transport companies for subscription cards.

Data transfer: NFC is no longer used for transferring files, links to applications, images, music, Google Maps location, etc. Unfortunately since Android 10, Android Beam data exchange technology is no longer available. Instead of NFC, the new software relies on Bluetooth and WiFi.

How to send files via NFC on Android

Google announced many cool new features to Android 10 at Google IO 2019, but there was also one that we didn't hear about: a replacement for Android Beam. Android Beam, the method of natively sharing files and images using NFC technology, is no longer part of the Google operating system. However, you can still use it on previous versions.

To use NFC on Android, first activate it in the settings.

The principle is then simple: you must go to the gallery, your file explorer, etc. Where the file to share is located, then paste the two smartphones back to back. It can sometimes take a few seconds to find the right angle. The chip is in principle always located under the logo.

Once the connection is established, the device receiving the data displays a notification. Just accept for the transfer to begin.

NFC on Android: the problems

All devices are in theory now NFC compatible (there are some exceptions, however)

Not all NFC chips are placed in the same place. You can also check where it is if you don't want to spend an hour rubbing the back of your devices by turning them to find the correct position of the two chips on smartphones.

Not all devices work with each other, especially for certain files. So some brands work more or less well between them.

Do you use NFC?