Writing NTAG

Program NTAG and Ultralight cards from saved dumps

Prerequisites

  • An NTAG .nfc file on the SD card under /mnt/ghostesp/nfc/ created from a previous scan or copied manually.
  • NTAG21x or Ultralight tag compatible with the captured image size (NTAG213/215/216 page counts).
  • A PN532 or Chameleon Ultra enabled build with a connected PN532 module or Chameleon Ultra.

Steps

  1. Open NFC → Write. From the NFC menu, choose Write. You should see a list of .nfc files detected on the SD card.

  2. Select an image. Tap the file you want to program. You should see a popup summarizing the tag model, UID (if present), and total pages.

  3. Start the write. Choose Write in the popup. You should see the status change to “Present tag to write…” while GhostESP waits for a blank card.

  4. Present the blank tag. Hold the target NTAG on the antenna until the title updates. You should see “Writing… X%” as each page is written, finishing at “Write complete”.

Chameleon Ultra Writing

  • No remote writes. GhostESP cannot program tags through the Chameleon Ultra; use the PN532 workflow above.

Verify

  • Re-scan the card using the Scan NFC Tags guide to confirm the UID (if applicable) and data match the source image.
  • Check the popup for success messages; any failed page write will trigger an error log with the page number.
  • Optional: load the card in an external reader to confirm the NDEF payload or application data.

Troubleshooting

  • File list empty. Ensure .nfc files exist under /mnt/ghostesp/nfc/ and the SD card is mounted.

  • “Present tag to write…” never changes. The PN532 cannot see the card. Re-seat the antenna or try a different blank tag.

  • Write stops mid-way. Remove the tag, power-cycle GhostESP, and retry. Persistent failures often mean the card’s capacity does not match the image (e.g., writing a 216-page dump to a 213 card).

FAQ

  • Can I clone MIFARE Classic with this flow? No, the Write flow is limited to NTAG/Ultralight dumps today.
  • Do I need to keep holding the card after 100%? Hold it until “Write complete” appears; the device finalizes status after the last page.
  • Will the UID be overwritten? NTAG UIDs are read-only. The saved UID is used for naming and verification, but the physical card keeps its factory UID.