Scanning and Logging NFC Tags on the Go with Flipper Zero

Flipper makes it easy to systematically catalog NFC tags you encounter — useful for security research, inventory, or just curiosity.

Quick Read and Save Workflow

1. NFC → Read (or press Up shortcut if configured)
2. Hold tag to Flipper back
3. Read completes in 1–3 seconds
4. Save — Flipper auto-names with UID if you don't rename

For speed: use the quick-access shortcut to skip menus.

Configuring Quick Access

On Momentum/Unleashed firmware:

• Long-press buttons can be mapped to frequently-used actions
• Map Up to NFC Read for one-press scanning

Naming Conventions for Mass Scanning

Use consistent naming when logging many tags:

[Location]-[Date]-[Number]
Coffee_Shop-2026-01-15-001
Conference_Badge-2026-01-15-002

Or by tag type:

NTAG213-[UID]
MIFAREClassic-[location]-[001]

Reviewing Saved Tags

NFC → Saved — browse all saved tags. Select any to see:

• Protocol/type
• UID
• Any readable data

Exporting for Analysis

Connect Flipper via USB, open qFlipper File Manager:

• Browse to SD/nfc/
• Download .nfc files to your computer
• NFC files are plain text — open in any text editor

Analysis Tools

For bulk analysis of saved NFC data:

• mfoc — crack MIFARE Classic keys (Linux)
• libnfc — low-level NFC tools
• Compare UIDs across multiple saves of the same card — UIDs should never change (if they do, it's a randomized-UID card)

Notes on Randomized UIDs

Some newer cards use randomized UIDs for privacy:

• Flipper will show a different UID each read
• These cards are harder to track and clone
• Emulation won't work for services that rely on UID matching