A How to Guide to reading NFC with Android and Apple
iPhones
We will start with the most modern iPhones, the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max and the iPhone XR. Nota Bene: Please note that the iPhone X does not work in the same way as the rest of the range and needs an app to be downloaded. Thnx to Nick from Autoglym for pointing this out.
All these models react to NFC tags automatically. If you tap any of them with these phones you will see this.
The Apple developer site explains:
"Background tag reading lets people scan tags quickly any time, without needing to first open your app and initiate scanning. On devices that support background tag reading, the system automatically looks for nearby compatible tags whenever the screen is illuminated. After detecting and matching a tag with an app, the system shows a notification that the user can tap to send the tag data to the app for processing. Note that background reading is disabled when an NFC scanning sheet is visible, Wallet or Apple Pay are in use, cameras are in use, the device is in airplane mode, and the device is locked after a restart."
NFC is supported in earlier iPhones from iPhone 7 onward but you need to download an app to do so.
We would advise using NXP's TagInfo which you can find on the App Store.
Just follow the simple instructions.
Android
If your phone is already running NFC you will see something like this
in the status bar at the top of the screen.
If not first you have to go to settings
Then connections 
Open connections and you will see a list 
including NFC.
Switch it on and you're done.
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