What an NFC key tag is, and what it is not
Every Reuno tag has a QR code built into it. Add NFC for £2 per pack, once, and a small chip is sealed inside the tag as it is printed. The chip holds one thing: the link to your tag’s finder page. When someone holds their phone to the tag, that page opens and they can message you. No app, and no battery.
It helps to be clear about what it is not:
- Not a door-entry fob. It will not open your building, your office or your gym.
- Not a car key. Cars use their own systems.
- Not a blank tag to program. It comes ready, linked to your finder page.
- Not a tracker. It has no GPS and no Bluetooth, so it cannot track your keys.
QR code or NFC?
Both open the same finder page. The QR code works with any phone camera. NFC is quicker when there is little light or the code is scuffed. For a tag with the QR code only, see QR code key tags.
What is NFC?
NFC is the same thing that makes contactless payments work. A tiny chip sealed inside the tag holds your tag’s link. When someone touches their phone on the tag, your finder page opens. No app, no camera and no battery.
| QR code | NFC chip | |
|---|---|---|
| How a finder uses it | Opens their camera and points it at the code. | Touches their phone on the tag, like paying contactless. |
| Which phones | Any smartphone with a camera. | Most phones from the last few years: iPhone XS or newer, and most Android phones. |
| What it needs | Some light, and a clear view of the code. | The phone unlocked and within about 2 cm of the tag. |
| In the dark, or if the code is scratched | May not scan. | Still works. |
| Battery or charging | None. | None. The phone powers the chip for a moment. |
| Price | On every tag. | £2 per pack, once, however many tags have it. |
Every tag has the QR code, so every finder can reach you. NFC is a second, quicker way in.
Which phones can read it
- iPhone XS and newer read NFC tags on their own, as long as the phone is unlocked.
- iPhone 7 to iPhone X read tags with the NFC Tag Reader button in Control Centre.
- Most Android phones read tags when NFC is switched on in Settings. On many it is on already.
If a phone cannot read NFC, the QR code is always there. Every tag has one.
How to tap
- Unlock the phone.
- Hold the back of the phone flat against the tag for a second or two. On an iPhone the reader is near the top edge. On most Android phones it is near the middle of the back.
- If nothing happens, move the keys away from the tag and try again. Metal can weaken the signal.
- The finder page opens in the browser, ready for a message.
When NFC is worth the £2
The QR code works well on its own. NFC earns its keep when:
- Your keys tend to end up somewhere dark, such as a pub floor, a taxi or a car footwell.
- The tag shares a pocket with coins and other keys, where a code can get scuffed.
- The finder is more used to tapping a card to pay than scanning a code.
The fee is £2 per pack, once, however many of the pack’s tags have NFC. It suits bags as well as keys: see luggage tags with a QR code.
Privacy
The chip stores the link to your tag’s finder page and nothing else. Your name, number and address are not on it. Messages go through Reuno, and your number and address are never shown to the finder. If your keys are already gone, read what to do if you lose your keys.
Prices
Pay once for the tag. There is no subscription and no charge per scan.
- One tag: £9
- Two-pack: £15£7.50 per tag
- Three-pack: £19£6.33 per tag
- Five-pack: £28£5.60 per tag
UK delivery is free. EU delivery is £2 per order. NFC adds £2 per pack, once, however many of its tags have it.
Updated