NFC tags
NFC tags are a faster alternative to QR codes — no camera, no aiming. Just tap your phone to the bin.
What you need
Section titled “What you need”- Any iPhone with NFC (iPhone 7 and newer)
- Blank NFC tags (NTAG213, NTAG215, or NTAG216 all work — a 100-pack is under $20 online)
- Stickers, zip-ties, or keychains to attach them
Writing a tag
Section titled “Writing a tag”- Open the bin in binthere
- Tap Settings → Write NFC tag
- Hold a blank NFC tag near the top of your iPhone
- Wait for the success haptic
The tag now contains a URL that opens this bin in binthere.
Scanning a tag
Section titled “Scanning a tag”Just tap. iOS detects NFC tags automatically when the screen is on — no need to open binthere first. A notification appears; tap it to jump straight to the bin.
When to use NFC vs QR
Section titled “When to use NFC vs QR”- NFC — great for bins you access often, when you don’t want to frame a camera shot
- QR — great for bins you access rarely, or when you want a visible label someone else can scan
- Both — you can put a QR label AND an NFC tag on the same bin. binthere handles both seamlessly.
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”- Nothing happens when I tap — make sure NFC is enabled on your phone (it is by default on all iPhones that support it) and the screen is on
- “Tag not formatted” — binthere only writes NDEF-formatted tags. Some cheap tags come pre-locked; return them and get NTAG-series ones
- Rewriting a tag — writing overwrites any previous content, so you can reuse tags from other apps