Troubleshoot payment issues on Square Kiosk
This article provides payment troubleshooting information for Square Kiosk, including troubleshooting tap and chip payments, as well as slow payment processing.
Before you begin
Confirm your Square Kiosk is powered on and connected to the internet.
Confirm your Square account is active and can accept payments.
If payments are declined, this is generally an issue with the card issuer, not the device.
If possible, test payment issues with a different card to rule out card-specific issues.
If all payments are being declined, check your internet connection and Square account status in Square Dashboard to ensure there are no issues with your account.
If you need to contact Square support for further assistance with payment issues, have your device serial number ready, the payment type that's failing, and any error messages displayed. Confirm whether the issue affects all cards or specific payment cards.
Purchase and use of the new Square Kiosk requires an active Square Plus or Premium subscription. Subscribers on other plans will be able to continue to use their existing Square Stand models with their existing plan. While Square Kiosk is not currently available with legacy pricing plans, such as Restaurants POS Plus or Premium, please reach out to your Account Manager for help with Square Kiosk order and setup.
Troubleshoot payment issues on Square Kiosk
If tap (contactless) payments aren’t working, take the following steps:
- Check card position: The customer should hold or tap their payment card or digital wallet on their mobile phone on or within 1-2 inches of the payment area, marked on the device. Hold for one to two seconds.
- Check for obstructions: Remove any cases, stickers, or objects covering the payment area on the device.
- Try a different card: If one card fails, try another contactless card or mobile wallet to determine if the issue is card-specific.
- Check the payment indicator lights: Ensure the indicator lights for the payment tap location and dip slot illuminate when a buyer is prompted to complete payment.
- Restart the device.
If chip (dip) payments aren’t working, take the following steps:
- Check card insertion: The chip card should be inserted chip-first into the card slot. Ensure it’s fully inserted.
- Check the chip: Inspect the card’s chip for dirt or damage. Clean it with a soft cloth if it’s dirty.
- Don’t remove the card too early: Leave the card inserted until the device prompts removal. Removing early cancels the transaction.
- Try a different card: Test the payment with another chip card.
- Check the card slot: Look for debris in the chip card slot. Gently blow out any dust.
- Check the payment indicator lights: Ensure the indicator lights for the payment tap location and dip slot illuminate when a buyer is prompted to complete payment.
- Restart the device.
Additional troubleshooting steps
If following the steps outlined above don’t resolve payment issues, you can send a diagnostic report or factory reset your Square hardware. Learn how to factory reset your Square Hardware.