Can You Trigger Shortcuts with NFC on iOS 12?

You cannot trigger Apple Shortcuts natively using NFC tags on iOS 12. While Apple introduced the Shortcuts app with the release of iOS 12, the specific automation feature that allows an NFC tag to trigger an action automatically was not added to the operating system until iOS 13.

Why iOS 12 Does Not Support NFC Shortcut Automations

In iOS 12, the Shortcuts app allowed users to run complex workflows manually, via Siri voice commands, or through home screen widgets. However, the app lacked the "Personal Automations" framework required to link external real-world triggers—such as tapping an NFC tag—directly to shortcut actions without user intervention.

Additionally, iOS 12 did not support background NFC reading for system automations. While developers had limited access to NFC capabilities through Apple's Core NFC framework, the operating system did not have a built-in mechanism to listen for tags passively and execute system-level tasks.

Requirements for NFC-Triggered Shortcuts

To trigger shortcuts using NFC tags, two conditions must be met:

  1. Software: The device must be running iOS 13 or later. iOS 13 introduced the "Automations" tab within the Shortcuts app, which includes the native option to set an NFC tag as an event trigger.
  2. Hardware: The device must support Background Tag Reading. This feature allows an iPhone to scan an NFC tag automatically without opening a third-party scanning app first. Background NFC reading is only supported on the iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and newer models. Older devices, such as the iPhone 7, 8, and X, cannot run NFC automations passively even if updated to a newer version of iOS.

Solution

If you wish to use NFC tags to trigger shortcuts, you must update your device to iOS 13 or newer and ensure you are using a compatible iPhone model. If your hardware is restricted to iOS 12, you must trigger your shortcuts manually through Siri, the Shortcuts widget, or by tapping shortcut icons directly on your screen.