# Smart NFC — Advanced NFC Reader and Writer > Advanced NFC reader and writer for compatible iPhones. (iPhone/iPad app by Alec O'Connor.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-nfc/id1470146079 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Alec O'Connor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1071776026) - Category: Developer Tools, Utilities - Price: $1.99 - Rating: 4.50/5 from 92 App Store ratings · 21 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 14.0 · 2 MB - Languages: American English, European Spanish - Released: 2019-09-19 - Data updated: 2026-08-26 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-nfc/id1470146079/reviews.md ## What is Smart NFC? NFC is supported on iPhone 7 or newer only; iPad and iPod Touch do not have the hardware to interact with NFC tags. ----- Read, write, interact, and hack your NFC tags on your supporting iPhone! Smart NFC is one of the first apps to support native NFC writing directly from your device. With numerous custom records to get you started, you'll be writing to most NDEF-formatted NFC tags in no time. Don't have any NDEF-formatted tags? Format them in the Advanced section. Tag-specific features are being added that allow you to edit a tag's memory directly, which opens the doors to all kinds of new features! Tag not scanning? NDEF format new tags from the Advanced section to get them working right! An NFC tag is written with a single "Message" which contains any number of "Records." These records define text, links, and data to be stored on the tag. Most tags can be scanned by holding the top of your iPhone within a few centimeters. A chip is only limited only by its size. As long as the chip is NDEF-formatted (most are, and other formats will be supported in a later version) and it has enough space, the limits are endless! Features: - Read, write, duplicate, erase, and permanently lock NDEF-formatted tags - Monitor a tag's max capacity (usually somewhere between 256-1024 Bytes) - Read, write, and interact with links (https://, sms://, facetime://, mailto:, etc.) - Write a variety of pre-defined Social Media and website records - Read and write text records with multiple language localizations - Use Background Tag Reading to interact with NFC tags without an app. Write a link to a tag and then tap it to your phone. Voila! (Supported on iPhone XS and newer) - Review and rewrite previous messages from your History to another tag - Format factory-programmed tags as NDEF tags in-app (Supports most common tags such as Type 2 and Type 5 NFC tags) - Read and write directly to a tag's memory - Send custom commands directly to a tag - And of course, target your users better by using a tag's unique identifier Extras: - Dark Mode - Privacy: we collect nothing as you use the app. Supported Devices: - NFC scanning is available on iPhone 7 and newer. iPad and iPod Touch do not have the required hardware. - Background Tag Reading is available on iPhone XS and newer. iOS will present a notification for the first valid link stored on a tag. Supported Tags: - Any NDEF-formatted tags - MIFARE Ultralight - NTAG 213/215/216 - NXP ICODE® Tags, ISO 15693 Tags, and Type 5 Tags Future support for: - MIFARE DESFire Limitations: - MIFARE Classic tags are not currently supported by iOS Future features: - Include a tag's ID and/or its read count in a record - Password-protect an NFC chip - Connect to a Bluetooth device Feel free to Tweet feature requests to me at @0xA1EC ## Key features - Read, write, duplicate, erase, and lock NDEF tags - Format tags as NDEF - Interact with links and social media records - Background tag reading - Direct tag memory access - Send custom commands to tags ## Chart rankings - #55 in Top Paid · Developer Tools (US App Store) ## Recent user reviews (10 of 21) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-nfc/id1470146079/reviews.md ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2024-04-27* Every card I try to write doesn’t scan. I’ve used the same card with a different app and it works perfectly. **Developer response:** What contents are on your card, and is it NDEF encoded? Do you know what type of card it is? I'd love to help you resolve your issue. ### 5/5 — Deep linking feature is amazing *2023-01-28* The ability to create smartnfc:// links with pre-populated data is a game changer for situations where you have to write many tags. It’s the only NFC app I know that has this feature. Bravo! ### 1/5 — Meh, lackluster. *2023-01-26* One star for pestering users for reviews. **Developer response:** Hi _milksteak_, It's unfortunate you feel this way, but reviews are an important part of any app's success. Smart NFC is careful about how it requests reviews, and should only do so after a user has had a chance to *really* try out the app. Happy tagging, Alec ### 4/5 — Solid, but missing function to add contact *2022-12-15* Please add function so I can add contact…. ### 2/5 — app can’t scan the tags half the time *2021-07-07, version 1.4.1* doesn’t scan the tags all the time ### 1/5 — Disappointed *2021-06-10, version 1.4.1* Really not happy, paid for this and it does t work at all. Have an IPhone 8 and can’t scan anything. Stay away and do t get this rip off app. ### 1/5 — Does not work *2021-06-08* I tried scanning a tag and was impressed with the reviews and purchased the app but it doesn’t work. I’m using an iPhone 12 pro ### 5/5 — Amazing *2021-05-28, version 1.4.1* Overall, a great app, really simple to use, but I have a question, I have 9 tags that have a password, but I don’t know what the password is, is there a way I can figure this out? ### 3/5 — It crashes when I try to change protocols *2021-04-06* I’m having trouble writing to Type 5 tags because the app crashes when I use the advanced mode and change protocols. **Developer response:** I'd love to resolve this issue. Would you reach out to me on Twitter at @0xA1EC? ### 5/5 — Full Featured NFC App *2021-03-22* This is the best NFC app that I could find for iPhone when tinkering with some pesky NFC tags. Unfortunately my tags were password protected, and the only advanced option for my tag type was to remove the password. Overall, still a great app. **Developer response:** I love hearing that people are enjoying my app! Passwords are tricky, and commands can be combines with the password validation command, but 99% of the time it's easier to remove and re-add the password. Otherwise you'll have to send all the commands manually, and trust me, that's not pretty 😅 ## Frequently asked questions about Smart NFC ### What can this app do with NFC tags? This app allows you to read, write, duplicate, erase, and permanently lock NDEF-formatted NFC tags. You can also format tags as NDEF, interact with various record types like links and social media, and even read and write directly to a tag's memory. ### What devices are supported? NFC scanning is available on iPhone 7 and newer. Background Tag Reading, which allows interaction with NFC tags without the app being open, is available on iPhone XS and newer. iPads and iPod Touches do not have the necessary hardware for NFC interaction. ### How do I format an NFC tag? If your tag is not scanning or is not NDEF-formatted, you can format it using the 'Advanced' section within the app. This feature supports most common tags such as Type 2 and Type 5 NFC tags, making them ready for use with the app. ### Is this app free to use? Yes, the application is free to use. It does not have any in-app purchases or advertisements, and the developers state that no user data is collected. ### What types of NFC tags are supported? The app supports any NDEF-formatted tags, including MIFARE Ultralight, NTAG 213/215/216, NXP ICODE® Tags, ISO 15693 Tags, and Type 5 Tags. MIFARE Classic tags are not currently supported by iOS. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.5 — 2023-01-25 Smart NFC is back with a pretty great update! Let us know your thoughts, and don't forget to review us on the App Store. Major: - Media/Data Records: A highly requested feature: media records! Media records, or data records, essentially store files. Provide a MIME type, like application/json or test/plain, and enter your data in Base64 or Hexadecimal. - Dynamic Deep Links: Link directly to Smart NFC's Write page, AND pass along a default record to write. This will be great for automation! Feature request by: Twitter:@ARW. More details on the *how to* available in the "Learn More About Smart NFC" page. Minor: - Updated "More Info" screen with notes on Deep Linking. - Enable portrait mode only, to prevent unnecessary issues with NFC. - Re-enabled "Rate Us" pop up. If you love Smart NFC, make sure to let other people know! - Bug fixes and typos. ### 1.4.1 — 2020-07-24 A slightly refined user interface and better help screen! Find any bugs or have any requests? Tweet to me @0xA1EC ### 1.4 — 2019-12-04 What's the password? You've been asking for it, password protection is now available for supporting tags! • Password protect NXP MIFARE Ultralight and NTAG 213/215/216 tags from the Advanced section - Prevent writing without authentication - Optionally prevent reading without authentication (not for the light-hearted) - Check password status from the Advanced section Bug fixes: • Prevent rollover of Type 2 tag memory towards the end of a data dump ### 1.3 — 2019-11-26 I'm still hard at work bringing even better *native* support for NFC tags! • ISO 15693 (NFC Type 5 and NXP ICODE®) support -> Tag not scanning? NDEF format new tags from the Advanced section to get them working right! Version 1.3 adds support for formatting ISO 15693 tags too. -> Access detailed tag information including the tag's ID, real capacity, and manufacturer data. -> Dump a tag's memory and edit it on the spot • Better custom commands support -> New option for ISO 15693 tags. -> New example section to get you started with more advanced tag commands. • Minor bugs (and typos, thanks @k8n) ### 1.2 — 2019-10-19 WiFi: it's here! We've added support for reading and writing WiFi records, which means you can finally connect to an open or password-protected WiFi network just by scanning an NFC tag. We are also continuing to add support for other types of tags and more detailed tag data. Currently optimized for MIFARE Ultralight and NTAG 213/215/216 tags, but more are coming soon. Recently fixed: - "Recent Records" may crash when a previously scanned tag has a Data record - App may crash when "Format as NDEF" is tapped in the Advance section (currently crashing in production) - Other minor bugs ## Apps similar to Smart NFC | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Proxyman - Capture HTTPS](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proxyman-capture-https/id1551292695) | 4.8 (782) | Free | Developer Tools | | [San Fransymbols: SF Symbols](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/san-fransymbols-sf-symbols/id1504761986) | 4.8 (74) | $3.99 | Developer Tools | | [ScriptWidget](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scriptwidget/id1555600758) | 4.6 (93) | Free | Developer Tools | | [MMVPN - Easy VPN Proxy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mmvpn-easy-vpn-proxy/id1583608120) | 4.5 (108) | Free | Developer Tools | | [WebProxyTool - Inspect Network](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/webproxytool-inspect-network/id1578538118) | 4.4 (307) | Free | Developer Tools | | [BLE Hero](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ble-hero/id1013013325) | 4.9 (87) | Free | Developer Tools | ## More apps by Alec O'Connor - [Hungry Fish: Deep Sea](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hungry-fish-deep-sea/id1071776027) All apps by Alec O'Connor: https://appshunter.io/developer/1071776026 ## Related topics [smart alec](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/smart-alec) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*