How to Make NFC Smart Keychains with Your Laser Cutter (Perfect for Small Business!)

If you're looking for a new laser project that's fun, functional, and insanely profitable—we've got you covered. In this post, we're walking you through how to make NFC smart keychains using your laser cutter, some scrap acrylic, and a little tech magic. These keychains are the perfect addition to your craft show lineup, gift shop, or small business offerings—and yes, they’re totally customizable!

🎥 Watch the Full Video Tutorial Here: [Insert YouTube link]
📂 Grab the FREE cut files on our Patreon: [Insert Patreon link]

What Are NFC Smart Keychains?

NFC stands for Near Field Communication, a subset of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). These tiny tech marvels can hold a small amount of data and are often used in contactless payments, tap-to-enter badges, or scannable business cards. By embedding NFC tags into your laser cut keychains, you can create a product that:

• Opens your website, Etsy store, or social media

• Shares a digital business card or contact info

• Launches a video, PDF, or image

• Delivers a meme or surprise joke (Garrett’s fave 😂)

• Sends a customer to your Linktree or Shopify page

Materials You'll Need

Here’s what we used to make our acrylic NFC keychains:

🟣 Scrap acrylic (we used glitter and colored acrylic)
🟣 Double-sided tape (Elizabeth Craft Designs or 3M works great)
🟣 NFC tags (NTAG213 or NTAG215 recommended)
🟣 Keychain connectors (we love the colored pop-in kind!)
🟣 A laser cutter (we used the xTool P2S)
🟣 NFC Tools App (free for iOS & Android)
🟣 Our free keychain cut files from Patreon

Step-by-Step: How to Make Laser Cut NFC Keychains

🔧 Step 1: Choose the Right NFC Tag

There are 3 common types of NFC tags:

• NTAG213 – 144 bytes (great for links and contact info)

• NTAG215 – 504 bytes (more room for detailed info or multiple records)

• NTAG216 – 888 bytes (for larger data needs)

👉 We recommend NTAG213 or 215 for this project—both are affordable and widely compatible with smartphones and tablets.

✂️ Step 2: Design + Cut Your Keychains

We created cut files with all the popular social media icons—Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook—and uploaded them to Patreon so you can grab them too!

• Use acrylic or wood (⚠️ not metal—it blocks the NFC signal)

• Apply double-sided tape BEFORE cutting to make assembly faster

• Cut on your laser (we used Creative Space with our xTool P2S)

🧩 Step 3: Assemble the Keychains

• Peel the masking

• Place the NFC tag between two acrylic layers

• Line up the score marks and apply your top design layer

• Add the keychain connector

💡 Pro Tip: The NFC tags are super thin, so they layer cleanly inside your acrylic pieces without affecting the look or feel.

📲 Step 4: Program the NFC Tag

Use the NFC Tools app:

1. Open the app and choose “Write”

2. Select the type of content (URL, contact card, email, etc.)

3. Hold your phone near the NFC tag to program it

4. Test it—no app needed to read, just tap!

You can also password protect the tag so no one else can rewrite it. (Yup, we went there—no Rick Rolling our keychains! 😆)

Why These Smart Keychains Are a Small Business Goldmine

Whether you're selling at craft shows, stocking a boutique, or adding a fresh new upsell to your online shop, these NFC laser cut keychains check every box:

✅ Low material cost
✅ Fast production time
✅ Highly customizable (logos, links, contact info)
✅ Memorable, interactive, and functional
✅ Easy to demo and sell in person with a phone tap

Imagine your customer walking by your booth, tapping a keychain, and instantly following your Instagram. Boom—connection made.

Download the Free Cut Files

We’ve bundled all the icons and designs for you in one easy download, available now to all Patreon tiers! 🙌

👉 Download the Smart Keychain Cut Files on Patreon: [Insert link]

And don’t forget—this project is just the beginning. You can apply the same concept to:

• Business cards

• Jewelry

• Bag tags

• Lanyards

• Even custom dog tags!

Let's See What You Make!

We LOVE seeing your creations—so tag us, post in our Make It Mafia Facebook Group, and let us know how you’re using these smart keychains in your own biz.

💬 Got questions? Drop them in the comments or join us on Sunday Studio Sessions or Test Cut Tuesday LIVE on YouTube.

Until next time, keep makin’ magic!
– Kim & Garrett 😊