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Home>Accepting Payments

Accept Payments with Square Terminal

Once you’ve set up your Square Terminal, you can start processing payments right away.

Accept Payments

To take payments with your Square Terminal:

  1. From the Checkout tab, enter a custom amount or add an item from your Item Library.

  2. Tap Charge.

Tap (Apple Pay, Google Pay, or contactless device)
Ask your customer to hold a contactless device or card near the contactless symbol in the center of the screen to start the payment.

Dip (chip cards)
The front of the card with the chip on it should face up. Insert the chip card into the chip card slot and leave it in place until prompted to remove card.

Swipe (magnetic stripe cards)
Swipe magnetic stripe cards through the magstripe reader on the right side of Square Terminal. The magnetic stripe must face inward.

taking payments

Customizing Payment Settings

Square Terminal is built for versatility — you can run cards for your customer or have your customer drive the payment for contact-free. You can customize your check out experience right on your Square Terminal:

  1. Tap More from the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen.

  2. Tap Settings > Checkout > Payment types.

  3. Choose the best checkout option for your business.

  4. Arrange the main payment types or toggle off the less frequently used.

Skip Review Sale: Transactions with a single custom amount will skip the 'Review sale' screen for a quick checkout.

Skip Payment Type Selection: Default to the customer-facing "Tap, Swipe, or Insert" prompt.

Skip Itemized Cart Screen: When on, customers will not see an itemized view of their order before paying.

Connect Square Terminal to Square Point of Sale

You can wirelessly connect your Square Terminal to a compatible iPad, tablet, or phone running Square Point of Sale to use as a separate customer display and payments device.

In seconds, you can turn Square Terminal into a dedicated customer display and checkout device. You can also:

  • Let customers check out anywhere: Keep your POS at the counter and use Square Terminal to let customers pay curbside or tableside.

  • Sell accurately and minimize errors: Show customers their itemized cart and total before they complete the transaction. 

  • Keep a safe distance: Minimize contact by letting your customer complete the transaction on Square Terminal.

Learn how to connect Square Terminal for in-person payments.

Connect Square Terminal to Virtual Terminal

You can also connect your Square Terminal to a desktop computer or laptop so you never miss a sale— in-person or remotely. Be sure to access Virtual Terminal on a supported browser on your laptop or computer.

Learn how to connect Square Terminal with Virtual Terminal.

Additional Point of Sale Features

Square Terminal allows you to do a lot more than take payments. Learn more about what your device can do here.

Enable Mastercard Audio Tone

To enable or disable the Mastercard audio tone for Square Terminal at the completion of a successful transaction with Mastercard:

  1. Tap Menu > Settings > Sounds.

  2. Toggle Allow card network sounds on or off.

If enabled, the tone will only be heard for dipped or tapped Mastercard debit and credit cards.