NFC tags not sent to HA app in latest versions of Android/HA Companion

[YBonline]

Home Assistant Android app version(s):
2026.6.5-full

Android version(s):
16

Device model(s):
Tested on Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro XL

Home Assistant version:
2026.08

Last working Home Assistant release (if known):

Description of problem, include YAML if issue is related to notifications:

I'm not sure if this was caused by an Android update or HA update, but when NFC tags are scanned, they can no longer be sent directly to the HA app anymore. It used to work a few months ago, but I haven't been able to get it working again. The same NFC tags all were working a few months ago.

The issue is when I scan an NFC tag, it now opens with the system NFC app, which then produces a notification, that requires you to click on it to send the link to HA. I believe the issue is related to an Android permissions change. I believe Android now requires, for an app to launch without a notification from an NFC tag, for a new permission to be enabled. If you go to Settings > Apps> Special app access > Launch via NFC, it now lists the apps that can launch via an NFC tag, and HA isn't there. As it has a URL, it defaults to the system Tags app, which then will redirect it to HA, but now only after pressing a notification.

I believe to fix this issue, HA Companion needs the android.permission.DISPATCH_NFC_MESSAGE and then to request ACTION_CHANGE_TAG_INTENT_PREFERENCE to allow NFC tag scanning directly into HA

https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/nfc/nfc#manifest
https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/nfc/nfc#tag-preference

Companion App Logs:

Screenshot or video of problem:

Additional information:

[jpelgrom]

Can you explain how this issue is different from #7095, in which you also posted?

to fix this issue, HA Companion needs the android.permission.DISPATCH_NFC_MESSAGE

As you're on Android 16, this permission is not yet needed for your device.

You're right when using it with Android 17 though, thanks for pointing it out. It wasn't mentioned in the changes for developers page and I was wondering why scanning my NFC tag wasn't working correctly instead only launching the app.

then to request ACTION_CHANGE_TAG_INTENT_PREFERENCE to allow NFC tag scanning directly into HA

This opens Settings > Apps > Special app acccess > Launch via NFC, which has apps on by default.

[laptopfreek0]

I would like to also contribute to this and say that I'm on android 17, and am experiencing the same issue with some NFC tags. I have Launch via NFC enabled and took two brand new test tags for an experiment, and wrote to them via homeassistant.
The first tag is a NXP - Mifare ultralight C (ISO 1444-3A). This tag prompts via the system dialog requesting to open the link.
The second tag is a NXP - NTAG215 (ISO 14443-3A). This tag does not prompt via the system dialog, and just promptly opens home assistant.

If I copy the defective tag onto the working tag then the working tag becomes defective. If I attempt to copy the working tag to the defective tag I get a Message exceeds the max tag size error.

If you need any further details like adb logs etc. I can provide them.

Edit: Some additional Details. The working tag I noticed had 3 records written to it, the https://www.home-assistant.io/tag/GUID, an external record of io.homeassistant.companion.android, and an external record of io.homeassistant.companion.android.minimal. Because the defective tag was too small it only got 1 out of the 3 records.

Temporary work around found. Manually build the tag in a tool like NFC tools, copy the https://www.home-assistant.io/tag/GUID record, and add a secondary record for io.homeassistant.companion.android and write the tag back. It should work now without a prompt.