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Troubleshooting NFC with YubiKeys and Security Keys

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Oscar
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This article covers things to try when encountering difficulty using YubiKeys or Security Keys via NFC (near-field communication). 

 

Note:

Beginning in firmware 5.7, new Security Keys and YubiKeys must be powered up at least once before NFC will function. For information, see this page.

 

Enabling NFC on your YubiKey

YubiKeys with firmware >5.7 comes with NFC Restricted-mode enabled and if you have never plugged your YubiKey into a USB port before this could be why you are running into the NFC issue - since it’s not activated yet.

To activate the NFC on your YubiKey, please follow the two steps below:

  1. Plug in for Power: Simply connect your YubiKey to any USB power source, such as a computer, for at least 3 seconds.
  2. That’s It! Once powered, NFC will be activated and ready for use.

If you have already tried this and you are still running into the same NFC issue as you previously did, then we would suggest reading further and performing the troubleshooting steps as introduced throughout the article..

 

Frequently seen issues:

If you are receiving the error "Error in YubiKey Communication" when using the Yubico Authenticator on Android, please see this article.

For guidance on where to hold your YubiKey when using it with a mobile phone, look here for placement tips.

 

Making sure the issue is NFC related

If the YubiKey can be detected while inserted, you can most likely skip this step, but to make sure the issue is specific to NFC, it is recommended to follow the guidance in our two articles, depending on whether you have a YubiKey or Security Key.

Identifying your key - ensuring it has NFC capabilities

Before proceeding with further troubleshooting steps, make sure your key supports NFC, as not all models do. Products that support NFC are clarified in the Compatible devices section above. It is typically also possible to identify NFC support visually by looking for wireless "waves" on the gold touch sensor of the key (examples shown below).

 

yubikey-nfc-visual-indicator.png    yubikey-nfc-visual-indicator-sky.png    yubikey-nfc-visual-indicator-neo.png

 

The exact steps you will follow to use your key with NFC will largely depend on the service you are attempting to log in to. Please consult the Works with YubiKey catalog for additional details, but note that not all services provide documentation on using keys over NFC specifically.

 

 

 

Still encountering the NFC issue? Try the following:

  • Restart your phone and check whether the problem remains.
  • Verify that your phone supports NFC and has it enabled.
    • To use NFC on an iPhone, you need an iPhone 7 and newer, running a supported version of iOS.
    • On Android, NFC can be toggled under Settings, although the exact location of the setting varies. If possible, try searching for NFC within your Settings app.
  • If your phone is in a case, try removing it, in case it is interfering.
  • Ensure you are holding your key near the NFC reader on your phone. Because the YubiKey performs cryptographic operations, you will likely need to hold the key near your phone for longer than with other NFC tags/devices.
    • If you do not know your phone's NFC reader location, try looking up the phone's manual on the manufacturer website, and/or search online for something like "iPhone 7 NFC antenna location".
    • Depending on your phone, you may need to use an unusual orientation/rotation of your YubiKey. For example, holding it at a 45 degree angle to the device (see below for an example of using the key with an iPhone).

       image.png
  • Hold the YubiKey near or against the phone's reader, keeping it still until your phone confirms authentication by vibrating and/or emitting a sound. It can take up to 5 seconds for the two devices to complete the operation.
  • If the phone does not read anything from the YubiKey/does not make a confirmation noise, try setting the NDEF slot for NFC usage and try these steps again. If you're not sure which slot to use, use slot 1.
    • This applies only to YubiKeys. NDEF programming does not apply to the Security Key Series keys.

 

I’ve tried the steps above and I’m still encountering the NFC issue

If you have tried all of the suggestions above, and you are still noticing the NFC issue. We would suggest that you run a Full Scan of the YubiKey using one of these applications depending on which mobile phone you are using.

Android:

Please use the NFC TagInfo by NXP - available here for download. 

iOS:

Please use the NFC Tools by wakdev - available here for download. 


Once you have downloaded the app and scanned your YubiKey, we would appreciate it if you could share the results with us when submitting a support ticket.