Information at Your Fingertips

Getting Started

The WayAround App is designed to be simple, accessible, and intuitive for anyone with any degree of vision loss. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to get you started using WayAround quickly and effectively.

What You'll Need

The WayAround App - The WayAround App is available free in the iOS App Store or on Google Play.

WayTags - You'll need WayTags to attach to items around your home or office. With the WayAround app, you can add information to your WayTags and then read that information again and again. Visit our online store to purchase WayTags.

About the WayLink Scanner

The WayLink scanner is our convenient accessory that makes it fast and easy to scan WayTag NFC tags. Continuous scanning lets you quickly scan one WayTag NFC tag after another, while keeping your phone hands-free!

The WayLink scanner is an NFC reader that connects to your smart device wirelessly via Bluetooth Low Energy, or "B.L.E." It is about the size of a credit card, and one-half inch thick. Two corners are angled. While holding the WayLink scanner vertically, position these angled corners to the top-left and bottom-right to have the front of the WayLink scanner face you.

The front side of the WayLink scanner is smooth. There are two LED lights at the top angled corner. The back side has four bumps, one in each corner. On the back of the WayLink scanner, near the center, you will find a panel covering a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. When you're using the WayLink scanner, hold the center of the WayLink scanner on top of the WayTag. You may use the front or back side when scanning.

On the WayLink scanner's top edge, there is a toggle switch and a USB port. The toggle switch has three positions:

  1. When the toggle is toward the outside, angled edge, the WayLink scanner is on using Bluetooth.
  2. When the toggle is in the center position, the WayLink scanner is off.
  3. When the toggle is furthest away from the angled edge, it is in USB mode.

A USB cable is included with your WayLink scanner, which you may use for charging. It takes about 50 minutes to fully charge.

On the right side is a push button to wake up the WayLink scanner if it has gone to sleep. When active, the WayLink scanner will remain charged for 5.25 hours or 6,345 NFC scans.

The two LED lights on the front provide additional information. The lower-left LED light is a Communications indicator and the upper-right LED light is a Battery indicator. When the lower-left Communication LED is blue, the WayLink scanner is communicating in Bluetooth mode. When the Communicator LED is red, the WayLink scanner is communicating in USB mode. When the Communication LED is off, the WayLink scanner is off or in sleep mode.

Connect a WayLink

The WayLink uses Bluetooth to communicate to your device. Make sure your phone or tablet has Bluetooth enabled before connecting the WayLink.

Follow the steps below to connect the WayLink to the WayAround app. You don't need to use your phone's Bluetooth settings to connect the WayLink. As long as Bluetooth is turned on, WayAround will automatically connect the WayLink to your device once settings are complete within the WayAround app.

  1. In the WayAround app, go to Settings by clicking on the gear icon (Settings button) at the top right in the header of the WayAround screen.
  2. Near the top of the Settings page under "Your Preferences," there is a checkbox with the label "Use WayLink." Check the box. In the top right corner in the header, you will see a grey WayLink icon. If the WayLink is not connected, the WayLink icon will have a slash through it. If the "Use WayLink" option has been automatically checked without the ability to uncheck it, then you must use a WayLink. In most cases, this is because your device does not have a built-in NFC reader.
  3. If the WayLink icon has a slash through it, move the toggle switch on the WayLink to the "on" position, which is nearest the angled edge.
  4. When the app connects to the WayLink, you will hear it say "WayLink Connected." The WayLink icon will change to blue and will not have a slash through it. Note: If you do not hear your phone say “WayLink Connected,” check the mute switch on the left side of your phone to make sure it is not in the silent mode. The WayLink must also be in Bluetooth range of your device, which is about 50 feet.

Write a WayTag

Use these instructions to add information to any type of WayTag: stickers, buttons, magnets, or clips. Start by adding a description, then add other details.
  1. Open the WayAround app.
  2. Choose the Create button at the bottom of the screen.
  3. A new screen will appear with a header labeled “Create A WayTag.” Near the top of the screen is a box to enter a description. Tap inside of the box to activate the keyboard. You may type in a description or use the microphone to dictate. Your description may be up to 2,000 characters—several paragraphs of information. Remember, this description will be displayed every time you scan this WayTag. When you have completed the description, select "Done" at the top right of the iPhone keyboard or click outside of the keyboard area on an Android device.
  4. At this point, you may either write the WayTag with just the description or add additional details. To write the WayTag with just the description, skip to Step 7. If you want to add more information, continue to Step 5.
  5. Select a Detail Type. You may choose from Clothing Care, Groceries, Files, Cleaning Supplies, Personal Care, or Custom. Once you select a Detail Type, detail fields will appear below.
  6. Enter as much detail information as you would like. You may skip any detail field. Only fields where you enter information will be added to your WayTag.
  7. When you are ready to add information to a WayTag, choose the Write button at the bottom of the screen. If you are writing a WayTag with your iPhone a "Ready to Scan" screen will pop up from the bottom. If you're using a WayLink or an Android device, you will be taken to another screen that says "Ready to Write."
  8. Hold your phone or WayLink on top of the WayTag until you hear a chime and feel the phone vibrate. When the WayTag has been successfully written, the screen will display a message that says, "Success! WayTag Written." After a few seconds, you will be taken to the WayAround screen that displays all of the information written to that WayTag.

How to Read a WayTag

Use these instructions to read the information on a WayTag using the built-in NFC reader on your iPhone 7 or above. Instructions for using a WayLink are in parenthesis.
  1. Open the WayAround app.
  2. Choose the Read button at the bottom of the screen.
  3. A "Ready to Scan" screen will pop-up from the bottom of the screen, letting you know the phone's NFC reader is engaged. (Skip this step if you're using a WayLink.)
  4. Hold the top edge of your iPhone (or the center of the WayLink) right over the WayTag. For best results, place the reader directly onto the WayTag. Keep your device steady for a moment while it reads.
  5. When the iPhone has read the WayTag, you will hear a faint double-click and the iPhone will vibrate. A blue checkmark will appear on the popup. The popup will automatically disappear after a couple of seconds. (If you're using a WayLink, the iPhone will vibrate once the WayTag has been read.)
  6. You will see the description and any details on the screen. If you're using VoiceOver, the iPhone will begin reading the description aloud as soon as the popup disappears. Swipe right to hear the next detail. Swipe left to hear the previous detail. Double-tap to repeat the current detail.

How to Edit a WayTag

You may edit a WayTag to add or change the information on it. There is no limit to the number of times you may edit a WayTag.
  1. Read the WayTag you wish to edit. You may also edit a WayTag immediately after writing it.
  2. Choose the Edit button at the bottom of the screen.
  3. A new screen will appear with a header labeled "Edit A WayTag." The existing information from the WayTag will appear in the description field. The previously selected Detail Type will appear under the Details section, and any detail fields containing information will be filled in.
  4. Tap inside the description box to edit the description text.
  5. To change the Detail Type, simply select a new Detail Type and enter new detail information. The previously stored detail information will be deleted when you write the new WayTag. You may also keep the same Detail Type and edit any detail information.
  6. When you are ready to add the edited information to a WayTag, choose the "Write" button at the bottom of the screen. If you are writing a WayTag with your iPhone a "Ready to Scan" screen will pop up from the bottom. If you are using a WayLink or an Android device, you will be taken to another screen that says "Ready to Write."
  7. Hold your smart phone or WayLink on top of the WayTag until you hear a chime and feel the phone vibrate. When the WayTag has been successfully written, the screen will display a message that says, "Success! WayTag Written." After a few seconds, you will be taken to the WayAround screen that displays all of the information written to that WayTag.