Tapkey now supports NFC on iPhone

Tapkey now supports NFC (Near-field communication) on iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later. This feature allows your iPhone to emulate a transponder and unlock Tapkey Smart Locks without needing to manually select a lock in the app.

NFC enables a fast, secure, and contactless way to use your phone as a key. Simply hold your device near the lock, and it will open. Ideal for situations where multiple locks are in close proximity. 

Note: This feature is currently available for users located in the European Economic Area (EEA).

Requirements:

• iOS 17.4.0 or later.
• Apple Store accounts must be in the European Economical Area.

More information about Apple's regional restrictions

When to use HCE

NFC is especially useful when:

• You don’t want to manually select a lock in the app.
• You’re using multiple Tapkey locks within close range.

With NFC, your iPhone will automatically activate the correct lock just by holding it close. It’s efficient, intuitive, and removes any guesswork.

How to use

In general, the behavior to open the lock is:

• Enter NFC Mode.  In this case, your phone is going to enter in a mode where it is reading Locks Nearby.
• Hold your iPhone near the lock. If you have a valid key, the lock will open automatically.

 Activate NFC-Unlock from the keyring screen when opening the Tapkey App. Activating the NFC-Unlock can be done in multiple ways:

1. From Tapkey Widget
2. From iPhone’s Lock Screen
3. From Tapkey App

1. From The Tapkey Widget

If you’re using the Tapkey Widget on your iPhone, you can customise it to include the “NFC Unlock” option for quicker access. Here's how:

• Touch and hold the widget to open the quick actions menu.
• Tap Edit Widget (or Edit Stack, if part of a Smart Stack).
• From the menu, add the “Show Nfc Shortcut” item to your widget.

More info about the Tapkey Widget.

2. From iPhone´s Lock Screen

To make unlocking even faster, you can add Tapkey as a Quick Action directly to your iPhone’s Lock Screen. Here’s how to set it up:

• Go to your Lock Screen.
• Tap and hold in the empty space in your lock screen until the customisation view appears.
• At the bottom, tap the minus (-) icon to remove an existing Quick Action, then tap the plus button (+) to open the gallery.
• Search for “Tapkey” in the list and select it to add it to your Lock Screen.

 More info here

Now you can unlock Tapkey devices from Lock Screen! 

3. From Tapkey App

The Tapkey Keyring app now includes a new “ACTIVATE NFC UNLOCK” button. When activated, your iPhone enters a mode that lets you unlock a Tapkey device by simply holding it near the lock.