Can RFID Cards Be Read Using a Phone? Detailed Instructions

In the digital age, RFID technology has become an indispensable part of warehouse management, access control, … Besides RFID readers, in some cases, people can apply RFID card reading by phone, convenient and fast. So in which application is RFID card reading by phone performed? How to do it? … The following article of IT Nam Viet will help readers explore the details, follow along!

RFID Solution Overview

RFID is a radio wave object identification technology that allows data to be transmitted and received between RFID tags and RFID readers via radio signals. You can access the article “What is RFID? System Structure and Operating Principle of RFID Chip” to learn more. Currently, RFID has been widely applied in many fields, typically including: warehouse management, access control, retail, asset management, contactless payment,…

Can Phones Read RFID Cards?

The answer is YES. However, smartphones can only read certain types of RFID tags, and they need to meet the following conditions:

• The phone must be a smartphone.
• The phone is equipped with NFC technology (most new phone models including iPhone and Android have this feature built-in, specifically: From iPhone 7 (2016) and Androids from 2015, the NFC chip has been integrated, allowing reading at a distance of a few centimeters.).
• Users need to install RFID apps to be able to interact, read and write data to the card.
• The phone can only read RFID cards with HF frequency of 13.56Mhz. Please refer to RFID frequency bands to understand more about this issue.

Thus, smartphones can only read high frequency HF RFID tags, while low frequency LF RFID tags or ultra high frequency UHF RFID tags require specialized RFID readers.

Detailed Instructions on How to Read RFID Cards Using a Phone

Below is detailed information on how to read RFID tags using a phone that your business can refer to:

How to read RFID tags with iPhone

Accordingly, NFC is integrated from iPhone 7 onwards, however, in iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 versions, this feature is mainly used for payment services such as Apple Pay, users cannot directly read regular NFC tags. From iPhone XS onwards, Apple has opened the NFC feature, allowing users to directly read NFC tags without the need for third-party applications.

The steps are as follows:

1. Download and install NFC apps: Search and download apps that support reading and writing NFC from the App Store.
2. Open the app and approach the NFC tag: After opening the app, the user needs to follow the instructions to bring the iPhone close to the NFC tag.
3. Read or write information: Read information on the tag or write new content to the tag according to the instructions on the app interface.

With this method, iPhone users can use NFC more flexibly to serve personal or work needs.

How to read RFID cards with Android phone

Compared to iOS, Android operating system phone NFC is more extensive, allowing users to read and write NFC tags through system settings or third-party applications.

1. Enable NFC: Look for “NFC” or “Wireless & Networks” in your phone’s settings and make sure NFC is turned on.
2. Download an NFC app (optional): While many Android phones have NFC built in, downloading a third-party app will give you more features and convenience.
3. Approach the NFC tag: Place the back of your phone near the NFC tag, and it will automatically recognize it and display relevant options.
4. Perform an action: Read the information on the tag or perform other actions as instructed on your phone.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Reading RFID Cards by Phone

Accordingly, using smartphones to read RFID cards will bring many benefits to users, however, it also comes with many significant limitations.

Advantages of using RFID card reader phone

Reading RFID cards with your phone will help you avoid the investment costs for specialized readers, which are inherently quite expensive for handheld or fixed RFID scanners. This helps businesses, individuals, organizations, etc. optimize their investment budget from the beginning in the most effective way.

In addition, using a smartphone as an RFID reader brings convenience and compactness to users. Instead of carrying a specialized device, you only need a smartphone to successfully scan the card.

In addition, the interface of card reading applications on the phone is also considered intuitive and friendly, so it is not difficult for you to read and write data on NFC cards with just a few touches. The extremely short reading distance of NFC is also a safety feature, limiting remote information theft, typical applications in contactless payments or opening anti-theft RFID locks.

Limitations of reading RFID cards with phones

Besides the advantages, reading RFID cards by phone also causes users to encounter many limitations, which can be mentioned as:

• The phone CANNOT READ all types of cards, it can only read HF RFID cards 13.56Mhz, and LF and UHF cards require a dedicated reader.
• Slow processing speed, can only read 1 card at a time.
• Short reading distance, cannot meet applications that require reading a large number of cards at a long distance.

Comparison of Reading RFID by Phone and Reading RFID by Dedicated Reader

To detail the differences, including the pros and cons of reading RFID tags with a dedicated reader and with a phone, see our comparison table below:

Using a phone to read RFID tags is a great solution for personal, small-scale, or applications that do not require high performance. Of course, phones CANNOT completely replace dedicated readers, especially in industrial applications where the fastest processing speed possible is needed.

Nam Viet IT – Unit Specializing in Providing Comprehensive RFID Solutions in Vietnam

Nam Viet IT has been affirming its position as a prestigious unit in the RFID field in Vietnam with more than 10 years of experience. We not only distribute a variety of RFID devices but also provide comprehensive RFID solutions for your business, meeting the needs of optimizing operations in many different fields.

At IT Nam Viet, customers can easily find RFID readers, RFID cards, RFID printers,… from many world-famous brands such as Chainway, TSL, Zebra,… In addition, we also accept RFID label processing with chip type, size,… according to requirements, ensuring fast and on-time delivery, absolutely satisfying users nationwide.

With a team of experienced experts, Nam Viet IT carries out a professional process from survey, consultation to product demo, project implementation,… We are committed to quoting the most optimal RFID cost on the market, ensuring optimal benefits for businesses. Therefore, if you need to provide RFID technology, don’t forget to contact Nam Viet IT team immediately via Hotline (+84) 962 888 179!

Frequently Asked Questions About Using Smartphones to Read RFID Tags

Which phone is used to read RFID tags?

NOT all smartphones can read all types of RFID tags. Accordingly, NFC-enabled phones (such as Samsung Galaxy, Xiaomi, Oppo, iPhone 7 and above) will be able to read HF (13.56MHz) RFID tags.

What applications support reading RFID tags using smartphones?

Accordingly, applications that allow you to read and interact with RFID tags include NFC Tools, NXP TagInfo, Simply,…

Can smartphones replace RFID readers?

NO. For small-scale, personal applications, you can use your phone to read RFID tags. However, for RFID applications in healthcare management, warehouse management, logistics, etc., you must use specialized RFID readers to ensure high reading speed and accuracy.

Is it safe to read RFID tags with your phone?

In general, reading RFID cards with phones is considered relatively safe, because NFC technology only works within a very short range (a few centimeters), data is only retrieved when you actively bring the card into the reading area. However, this does not mean there is no risk, criminals can use specialized equipment to attack RFID cards or copy RFID cards, create copies, and illegally infiltrate.

The above is detailed information to help answer the question of whether RFID cards can be read by phone or not, which customers should refer to. If you need advice on RFID technology, please contact us via Hotline (+84) 962 888 179 for support!

Lê Nam Việt

My name is Le Nam Viet, currently FOUNDER & CEO of Nam Viet IT Company, I graduated from Ho Chi Minh Polytechnic University. I have more than 3 years of experience providing RFID chip technology solutions, RFID scanners, barcode labels and barcode readers. It’s a pleasure to share my knowledge with readers.