Create the Destination
Create the Google Doc, webpage, digital contact card, menu, social profile, photo album or other online destination you want the tag to open.
TAP • PROGRAM • TEST • UPDATE
Set Up Your NFC Tag
One tap. One link.
Information you can update anytime.
Etchline NYC NFC products arrive NFC-ready. Follow this guide to connect your tag to a Google Doc, website or another link you choose.
We recommend the free NFC Tools app by Wakdev and the URL / URI setup method shown below.
Choose Your Link
Use a Google Doc, website, profile, menu, album or other webpage.
Write It to the Tag
Add the link through NFC Tools using the URL / URI record type.
Tap to Open
A compatible smartphone reads the tag and opens your chosen link.
Update It Later
Edit the same destination page without reprinting your Etchline product.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
The NFC Tag Stores the Link.
The tag does not need to hold your entire document. It stores the web link that tells a smartphone where to go.
Keep the Same Link
When you edit the information at that same link, the tag will open the updated version. You normally do not need to rewrite the tag.
A Google Doc is especially useful for information that may change.
Update the same document whenever a phone number, medication, instruction or other detail changes. As long as the Google Doc link remains the same, the NFC tag can continue opening it.
SHORT WALKTHROUGH
Prefer to Watch First?
Watch the setup video, then keep this page open while you follow the five written steps below.
NFC TOOLS + URL / URI
Set Up Your Tag in Five Steps.
Complete the steps in order. Do not permanently lock the tag until you have written, tested and confirmed the correct link.
Download NFC Tools by Wakdev
Install the free NFC Tools app on the smartphone you will use to program the tag. This guide is based on NFC Tools.
You may use another NFC-writing app, but its screens and settings may differ from the instructions on this page.
Create the Page You Want the Tag to Open
Create your destination before writing the tag. For information that may need regular updates, we recommend creating a Google Doc.
Add only the information you want someone to see after tapping the tag. A copyable medical-information template is included farther down this guide.
You can also use a website, portfolio, booking page, social profile, review page, menu, photo album, payment link or another webpage with a working URL.
Make Your Google Doc Viewable
If you are using a Google Doc, select Share. Under General access, choose:
Anyone with the link → Viewer
Then select Copy link. Viewer access allows people with the link to read the document, but it does not allow them to edit it.
Test the copied link before continuing.
Open it in a private or incognito browser window where you are
not signed into your Google account. This confirms that another
person can view it.
Add the Link in NFC Tools
Open NFC Tools and follow this path:
- Select Write.
- Select Add a record.
- Select URL / URI.
- Paste your complete link.
- Confirm the record and return to the Write screen.
URL / URI simply means the web address you want the tag to open.
Write the Link to Your Etchline NFC Tag
On the NFC Tools Write screen, select Write. When prompted, bring the NFC-reading area of your smartphone close to the NFC area of the Etchline product.
Keep the phone and tag still until the app confirms that the write was successful. The NFC-reading area varies by phone, so move the phone slowly around the tag if it is not detected right away.
After writing, close NFC Tools and complete the testing checklist below before depending on the tag or protecting it from changes.
IMPORTANT SETUP CHOICE
Use URL / URI—Not Text.
Etchline NYC recommends the URL / URI record type because that is the link-based setup used and tested with our NFC products.
NFC Tools includes other record types and advanced options, but we may not be able to provide instructions or troubleshooting for setups that differ from the method shown here.
PHONE POSITIONING
Where Should You Hold the Phone?
NFC antenna placement varies by model. Hold the phone close to the tag and move it slowly rather than repeatedly tapping quickly.
iPhone
Begin with the upper portion of the iPhone near the tag. Keep the screen awake and wait briefly for the notification.
Android
Begin with the center or upper back of the phone near the tag. Confirm that NFC is enabled in the phone settings.
If It Does Not Read
Move the phone slowly over the NFC area. A very thick, metal or magnetic case may need to be removed during setup or testing.
OPTIONAL PROTECTION
Test Before You Protect or Lock the Tag.
NFC Tools may offer options to protect the written record from unwanted changes. These options are not the same.
Password Protection
On supported NFC chips, a password may be required before the tag can be rewritten. Keep the password somewhere secure. Losing it may prevent future changes.
Permanent Lock / Read-Only
This can permanently prevent the NFC tag from being rewritten. A permanent lock cannot be undone, even if the destination link later changes or stops working.
Do not permanently lock the tag during initial setup.
First test it on more than one compatible smartphone and confirm that the correct destination opens. Choose permanent read-only protection only after you understand that the decision cannot be reversed.
COPYABLE STARTING POINT
Medical Information Template
Copy this template into your Google Doc, remove fields you do not need and fill in only the information you choose to share.
MEDICAL INFORMATION
Name:
Date of Birth / Age:
Emergency Contact 1 / Relationship:
Emergency Contact 1 Phone:
Emergency Contact 2 / Relationship:
Emergency Contact 2 Phone:
Preferred Hospital:
Primary Care Provider Name:
Primary Care Provider Phone:
Diabetic: Y / N
Seizure Disorder: Y / N
Heart Condition: Y / N
Cancer Patient: Y / N
Blood Thinner: Y / N
Allergies:
Medications:
Medical Conditions:
Pacemaker / Implanted Device:
Mobility Needs:
Communication Needs:
Other Important Information:
Share Carefully
Anyone who receives the public link may be able to view the information. Do not include Social Security numbers, passwords, financial or payment information, door codes, alarm codes or other information that could create a security risk.
BEFORE USING THE TAG
Test the Finished Setup
- Close the NFC Tools app.
- Return the smartphone to its Home Screen.
- Hold the NFC-reading area close to the tag.
- Wait for the NFC notification.
- Open the notification.
- Confirm that the correct page opens.
- Test the tag with another compatible phone when possible.
WHEN INFORMATION CHANGES
Update the Destination
If the tag opens a Google Doc or another editable page, update the information at that same destination.
You do not need to rewrite the NFC tag when the link itself remains unchanged.
Rewrite the tag only when you want it to open an entirely different URL—or when the original destination link has changed.
QUICK TROUBLESHOOTING
If Your Phone Does Not Read the Tag
Try these checks before rewriting the record or assuming the tag is not working.
Wake and Unlock the Phone
Return to the Home Screen and keep the display awake while testing.
Check Android NFC Settings
On supported Android phones, confirm that NFC is turned on in Settings.
Change the Phone Position
Move the phone slowly across the marked NFC area and pause briefly.
Remove a Difficult Case
Thick, metal or magnetic phone cases can interfere with NFC reading.
Check the Destination Link
Open the link directly and verify that it works without requiring access permission or a private account.
Try Another Compatible Phone
A second device can help determine whether the issue is the tag, phone position or device settings.
NFC-READY • YOU CHOOSE THE LINK
Ready to Put NFC to Work?
Explore colorful NFC-ready products for sharing links, or learn how Etchline SAFE Tags can support emergency, medical, allergy, caregiver, student, travel and family information.
Need help with an Etchline NFC product? hello@etchlinenyc.com