Step-by-step instructions for the person receiving an electronic business card: how to tap or scan it on an iPhone or Android phone and save the details to your contacts.
EB Electronic Business Cards Editorial Team October 14, 2026To save an electronic business card, hold the top of the back of your phone against the card, or point your camera at its QR code. A web page opens with the owner's details. Press the button to save the contact, then confirm in your phone's contacts app. No app download or account is needed on iPhone or Android.
Key takeaways
- You can open an electronic business card in two ways: a tap (the card's NFC chip) or a scan (its printed QR code).
- Both open the same web page in your phone's browser; there is nothing to install.
- Saving usually means pressing a "Save contact" button, then confirming in your contacts app.
- If the tap does not respond, scan the QR code instead. It opens exactly the same profile.
This guide is written for the person on the receiving end. If you are the card owner and want to know how the card works in general, start with our guide to what an electronic business card is and how to choose one.
An electronic business card does not transfer a file straight into your phone. Instead, it opens a web address. The chip inside the card stores that address, and the QR code printed on the card contains the same address. When your phone reads either one, your browser opens the card owner's profile page.
The profile normally shows the person's name, job title, company, phone number, email address and links. Most profiles also have a clear button labelled something like "Save contact" or "Add to contacts". That button downloads a small contact file (a vCard, with the extension .vcf), which your phone recognises and offers to add to your address book.
Because it is just a web page, you stay in control. Nothing is saved until you choose to save it, and you can close the page at any point.
On iPhone XS, XR and newer models, the phone reads tags in the background, so you do not need to open anything first. On iPhone 7, 8 and X, add the NFC Tag Reader to Control Centre in Settings, open Control Centre and tap the reader before holding the phone to the card.
You can also use the Code Scanner in Control Centre if your Camera app does not show the link.
The new contact appears in the Contacts app and in the Phone app straight away.
Android phones are made by many manufacturers, so menu names vary slightly. The steps below describe the usual path.
Saving to your Google account means the contact also syncs to any other device signed in to the same account.
A tap can fail for a few ordinary reasons. Work through these before giving up:
In every one of these cases, the QR code is the simple fix. It opens exactly the same profile, so you lose nothing by scanning instead of tapping.
Saving the contact is usually the main goal, but a profile page can offer more. Depending on what the owner has set up, you may be able to tap straight through to their website, social profiles or a booking page, download a document such as a brochure, or send your own details back through a short form. Anything you send is shared only if you choose to submit it.
Once saved, the contact in your phone is a normal contact like any other. It does not update itself if the card owner later changes their details. However, the owner's profile does stay current, so if you suspect a number or email has changed, tap or scan their card again, or open the profile link if you kept it, and save the details again.
No. Modern iPhones and Android phones read the card's chip and its QR code with built-in features. The details open in your normal web browser, and the save button uses the contacts app already on your phone, so there is nothing to download and no account to create.
No. Modern iPhones and Android phones read the card's chip and its QR code with built-in features. The details open in your normal web browser, and the save button uses the contacts app already on your phone, so there is nothing to download and no account to create.
Tapping only opens a web address, the same as clicking a link. Your phone shows you the page before anything happens, and nothing is saved until you press the button and confirm. As with any link, you can check the address shown before you continue.
Tapping only opens a web address, the same as clicking a link. Your phone shows you the page before anything happens, and nothing is saved until you press the button and confirm. As with any link, you can check the address shown before you continue.
The usual reasons are a locked phone, NFC switched off, a thick case or the card being held away from the reader. Unlock the phone, check NFC is on and move the card slowly across the back. If it still does not respond, scan the QR code instead.
The usual reasons are a locked phone, NFC switched off, a thick case or the card being held away from the reader. Unlock the phone, check NFC is on and move the card slowly across the back. If it still does not respond, scan the QR code instead.
Usually, yes. On Android you are normally asked which account to save to. On iPhone, the contact is saved to your default account, which you can change in Settings under Contacts. You can also move a contact later in most contacts apps.
Usually, yes. On Android you are normally asked which account to save to. On iPhone, the contact is saved to your default account, which you can change in Settings under Contacts. You can also move a contact later in most contacts apps.
If you were impressed by how quickly someone's details landed in your phone, you can get the same thing. Read our guide on how to set up and share your electronic business card, or see our electronic business card with a tap-to-share chip and QR code.
#How-to #Electronicbusinesscards #NetworkingFrom £79, one-off, with free delivery.
See the electronic business cardAn electronic business card is a reusable card that opens your editable contact profile on any phone with a tap or a scan. This guide explains how it works and how to choose one.
How-toA step-by-step guide to setting up your electronic business card profile, testing it on different phones and sharing it smoothly in person and online.
GuidesDirect answers to the questions people ask before ordering an electronic business card from us, covering price, plans, materials, delivery, warranty, returns and compatibility.
ComparisonsSwitching from paper to an electronic business card changes how you share details, how you update them and what the other person can do next. Here is what actually changes.
A tap-to-share chip and printed QR code, unlimited profile edits and no subscription.
Order an electronic business card