Troubleshooting and FAQ
Answers to the questions people ask most about NFC Wallet.
It says NFC unavailable
NFC is turned off, or the phone has no NFC. Turn it on in Android Settings (search for NFC). Emulators have no NFC radio, so NFC Wallet cannot scan on them.
Holding a card to the phone does nothing
Move the card slowly around the back of the phone to find the NFC antenna, then hold it still. Remove thick or metal phone cases. Some cards are only detected if you hold them flat against the phone.
Couldn’t read the tag
The card moved away before the read finished, or the phone could not talk to it. Tap Try again and hold the card still until Tag read appears.
Why can I not clone my bank card?
Bank and payment cards protect their data with cryptographic keys that never leave the chip. No phone app can copy them. NFC Wallet stores them for reference only.
Why can I not clone my office or hotel key card?
Most access cards are encrypted (for example MIFARE DESFire) or are recognised by their serial number. NFC Wallet copies only NDEF data, so it cannot duplicate them. Ask whoever issued the card for a spare.
I cloned a tag but the door reader does not accept the copy
The copy has the same NDEF data but a different serial number (UID). Readers that check the serial number or use encryption will not accept it. NFC Wallet cannot change a tag's serial number.
Is it legal to clone NFC tags?
Copying your own tags (for example an NFC sticker you wrote) is fine. Copying a card or badge that belongs to someone else, or that an organisation issued to you on condition you do not copy it, may break the law or your agreement with them. Only copy what you own or have permission to copy.
The write failed with a capacity or read-only error
See If the write fails. Use an unlocked NDEF tag with enough space, such as an NTAG215 or NTAG216.
I forgot my app PIN
The PIN cannot be recovered. If you can still get into NFC Wallet (for example with your fingerprint or screen lock), open Settings and use Change PIN to set a new one, or Remove PIN.
Are my cards backed up?
NFC Wallet has no export or backup of its own, and uninstalling the app deletes your cards.
Does NFC Wallet send anything over the internet?
No. It has no internet permission, and every card is stored only on the device.
Where do I report a problem?
Open an issue on the NFC Wallet GitHub issues page. Include your phone model and the tag's technologies from the card's detail screen.