Can two phones share contacts by touching?

Not between iPhone and Android without an app. iPhones can swap contacts with NameDrop, and Android phones have their own sharing, but neither works across both. An NFC sticker or card works with any phone that reads NFC.

Do NFC business cards need a battery?

No. The chip is powered by the phone reading it, so it lasts for years.

What if my details change?

Nothing to rewrite. The tag holds your link, and the link always shows your current card.

NFC business cards: tap to share

An NFC business card has a tiny chip inside. When someone holds their phone near it, their phone opens your card, and one more tap saves your details. It feels like magic at a meeting, and the card never needs reprinting.

How NFC sharing works

NFC (near-field communication) works over a couple of centimeters. The chip in the card or sticker stores one thing: the link to your digital card. Phones read the link and offer to open it.

Because the chip only holds a link, you can change your details any time without touching the card. The link always shows your latest card.

Which phones can read it

iPhone XS and newer read NFC tags on their own: hold the top of the phone near the card and a notification appears. Most Android phones read them too, as long as NFC is switched on in settings.

Some older phones and phones with NFC switched off can't, which is why your QR code and short link should always be on hand as well.

Which cards and stickers to buy

Look for blank, writable NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 tags. NTAG213 holds more than enough for a card link. Stickers can go on the back of your phone case, a laptop or a counter; PVC or metal cards fit in a wallet.

Pre-programmed cards from other services point to their own websites; buy blank tags if you want them to open your Zap card.

Write your card to a tag with Zap

Open your card's settings in Chrome on an Android phone and choose to write it to an NFC tag, then hold the tag to the back of the phone. It takes a second. iPhone browsers can't write tags yet, but iPhones read tags written on Android, and free tag-writing apps can write your Zap link too.