Learn

Master your keychain

Guides, use cases, and troubleshooting for Printed Bytes NFC keychains

Tap

Phone connects

Open

Link loads

Information arrives

Done

No apps needed

A tap is all it takes. Hold your phone near a Printed Bytes keychain and something happens. No apps. No scanning. No waiting. The link opens. The information arrives. It's that direct.

See how it works in real time. Watch someone tap a keychain for the first time. Notice how fast it is. Notice how natural it feels. This is the experience we built.

The keychain doesn't think. It doesn't process. It simply hands off what it carries to the nearest phone. The phone does the rest. That separation of concerns makes everything clean and reliable.

You'll recognize the moment when you see it. The tap. The response. The connection made. It's the same motion you've done a thousand times with other objects. Except this time, something digital happens. That's the magic of keeping it simple.

Unlock

If you intend to use this component with Finsweet's Table of Contents attributes follow these steps:

These keychains work best when you know what they can do.
To add interactions which automatically expand and collapse sections in the table of contents select the content27_h-trigger element, add an element trigger and select Mouse click (tap)
Start with a clear purpose before you tap.
Keep your interactions simple and direct on mobile devices.

What's inside

The basics

A Printed Bytes NFC keychain is simple hardware with a single job. It holds a link. When someone taps it with their phone, that link opens. That's the foundation. Everything else builds from there.

Your keychain comes programmed and ready. You configure it through our web interface. You choose what link it shares. You can change that link anytime. The keychain itself never changes. It's the data that moves.

Real uses

People use these keychains in ways that matter. A musician hands one to a fan. One tap opens their latest album. A business owner keeps one on their desk. Visitors tap it and add their contact to their phone. A parent gives one to their child with emergency information encoded inside.

The power is in the simplicity. No app required. No scanning a QR code and hoping it works. Just tap. The phone does the rest.

Consider what you want to share. A vCard with your contact details. A link to your portfolio. A custom URL that tracks who's interested. Your social media profiles bundled together. A WiFi password for guests. The keychain doesn't care what the link contains. It just delivers it.

Making it work

Start by thinking about your audience. Who will tap this keychain? What device will they use? What do you want them to do after they tap it?

Then choose your link carefully. Test it on your own phone first. Make sure it opens what you expect. Make sure it looks good on mobile. Most taps happen on phones. Design for that reality.

Update your link when you need to. The keychain stays the same. The destination can change. This matters. You might want to point to a different page next month. You might want to track different metrics. You can do all of that without touching the physical keychain.

Going further

Some people use multiple keychains. One for business. One for personal use. One for a specific project. Each one has its own link. Each one serves a different purpose.

You can also embed more than just a link. A vCard contains your name, phone number, email, and address. Someone taps your keychain and your contact information goes straight into their phone. No typing required. No mistakes.

Think about the context where your keychain lives. On a desk, it's a conversation starter. In a bag, it's a backup way to share information. At an event, it's a faster alternative to handing out cards. The keychain works in all these places because it's always there.

The details

NFC technology has limits and strengths. It works best at close range. A few inches is ideal. It works through most materials. It doesn't work through metal. Keep that in mind if you're designing a holder or case.

Android phones have had NFC for years. iPhones got it more recently, but now they support it fully. Your keychain works with both. The experience is nearly identical.

Battery life isn't a concern. NFC keychains are passive. They don't have batteries. They draw power from the phone's NFC antenna when you tap. They work forever. They don't need charging. They don't need maintenance.

The link you choose matters more than the keychain itself. A good link is short and memorable. It's mobile-friendly. It loads fast. It does one thing well. Your keychain is just the delivery method. The destination is where the real value lives.

Think of your keychain as a bridge. On one side is the person holding it. On the other side is the information or experience you want to share. Make that bridge count. Make the destination worth the tap.

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