How to write the table's NFC tag
It takes about two minutes per table and you don't need to be techy. There are two paths, and both end in the same place: the guest touches the phone and the menu opens. Made a mistake? The tag can be rewritten, just do it again.
Before you start, have these ready
The tags
Search for NTAG215 on Amazon, AliExpress or eBay. Go for the sticker format. In kits of 10 or more, each one runs about $1.
The table link
It's in the panel, on the Tables & NFC screen. Each table you created has its own link, and that's what goes inside the tag.
A phone
Almost any phone sold from 2018 on has NFC. Android writes straight from the panel; iPhone writes with a free app. Both paths are right below.
Path 1 · Android, straight from the panel
Android's Chrome writes the tag on its own. It's the shortest path.
- 1
Open the panel in your phone's Chrome
Sign in to the Tapendo panel from Chrome on an Android phone and go to the Tables & NFC screen. Every table you created shows up there with its buttons.
- 2
Tap “Write NFC” on the table
Pick the table that will get the tag and tap “Write NFC”. The writing screen for that table opens.
- 3
Tap “Write tag now” and hold the tag
Hold the tag to the back of the phone, roughly in the middle, and keep it still for a second or two until the confirmation appears.
- 4
Check it and move to the next table
The table shows as active in the panel. Write one tag at a time, always with the right table's tag in hand.
Path 2 · iPhone, with NFC Tools
The iPhone reads tags out of the box, but Apple won't let any browser write. The free NFC Tools app solves it, and your guest will never need it: it's just for you, at writing time.
- 1
Copy the table link in the panel
On the Tables & NFC screen, tap “Copy link” on the table that will get the tag. That link is what goes inside the tag.
- 2
Download the free NFC Tools app
It's on the App Store, search for NFC Tools. It's free and you only use it while writing; your guest never needs it.
- 3
Open the app on the “Write” tab
In NFC Tools, tap the “Write” tab (or “Escrever”, if the app is in Portuguese).
- 4
Tap “Add a record” and choose “URL/URI”
That's how you tell the app it will write a website address to the tag.
- 5
Paste the table link and confirm
Paste the link you copied in step 1 and tap OK. Check that the link ends with the right table's code.
- 6
Tap “Write” and hold the tag to the top of the iPhone
Bring the tag to the top back of the iPhone, near the camera, and hold until the app confirms the write.
- 7
Go back to the panel and mark the table active
Back in Tapendo, tap “I've written it, mark table active”. The table goes live instantly.
Where to stick the tag on the table
Avoid metal
Metal blocks the signal. On a wooden, plastic or stone table, stick it straight to the top. On a stainless steel table, stick the tag to an acrylic or wooden stand on top of the table.
Within reach
Stick it on a corner of the tabletop, where the guest can reach it without stretching. Use the same corner on every table: the server learns once and can guide any guest.
Easy to clean
The sticker tag handles a damp cloth and alcohol. If your cleaning is heavier, go for the stand: it protects the tag and shows where to touch.
Write, test, then stick
The adhesive grips hard on the first stick, so test the tag before fixing it:
- 1
Touch a phone to it
Any phone works, even yours. The menu notification should appear right away.
- 2
Check the table
Open the menu and look at the table name up top. It has to be exactly the table of the tag you wrote.
- 3
If you can, test on both
An Android and an iPhone. Passed on both, you can stick it on the table with confidence.
Something went wrong? It's almost always one of these
The tag won't read
Actually touch it: two centimeters is already too far. The antenna is at the top of the iPhone and in the middle of the Android's back. Slide the tag slowly across the back of the device until it buzzes.
Nothing happens on Android
Check that the phone's NFC is on: open Settings and search for NFC. Some models ship with it off.
Metal table or thick case
Metal between the phone and the tag blocks the signal. Don't stick the tag straight onto a stainless steel table: use an acrylic or wooden stand. And take off cases with cards or a magnetic ring while writing.
I wrote the wrong link
No drama: the NTAG215 can be rewritten. Repeat the process with the right link and the new write overwrites the old one.
The iPhone doesn't show the notification
The screen needs to be on: wake the phone and touch again. iPhones released from 2018 on (XR, XS and newer) read on their own; older models don't read in the background.
The tag is lost or stolen
Block the tag from the panel in one click: it becomes a dead link instantly. Then write a new tag pointing to the same table.
Haven't created your tables yet?
Build the menu for free, create the tables in the panel, and come back here when it's time to write. This page won't move.