The NFC setting on iPhone is usually in Settings > Control Center for older models, where you can add NFC Tag Reader if it isn’t already there. On iPhone 12 and newer, NFC is generally always on, so there may be no separate switch to find.

Where to look

  • Open Settings.
  • Tap Control Center.
  • Look for NFC Tag Reader under More Controls and add it with the plus icon if needed.
  • Then open Control Center and tap the NFC icon on supported older iPhones.

If you have a newer iPhone

For iPhone 12 and later, you usually just hold the top of the phone near the NFC tag or reader; there is no manual on/off setting in Control Center. Some guides mention using the Shortcuts app for NFC automations, which is where you set up tag-based actions rather than turning NFC itself on.

Quick note

If you tell me your iPhone model, I can give you the exact taps for that version.