Set Up the Square Contactless + Chip Card Reader

Before setting up your Square contactless and chip card reader, make sure you have a compatible device with the latest version of the Square app.  

For a full overview on setting up your reader, watch this video:

1. Check the Battery of Your Contactless + Chip Reader

For an accurate battery reading, unplug your reader from any power source. 

Firmly press and release the button on the reader. Green lights indicate that you’re charged and ready to go. If you see a single red light, charge up immediately. Once your reader is on, you don’t need to worry about turning it off. It’ll automatically go into sleep mode after 2 hours of inactivity. To wake it up from sleep mode, firmly press the button on the side of the reader. 

2. Charge Your Contactless + Chip Reader

Connect one end of the accompanying USB cable to your reader and the other end to a USB port like a mobile phone charger, computer or car charger. 

It will take approximately 2 hours for a reader with low battery to charge completely. 

Note: You can also use the Dock for Square Reader to charge and accept payments. 

3. Wirelessly Connect Your Contactless + Chip Reader

The new reader connects wirelessly with Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE). Make sure you have the latest version of the Square app for your device–only the latest version supports the contactless and chip card reader.

Watch this video to learn how to wirelessly connect your reader:

You’ll need to connect through both your device’s Bluetooth settings and through the Square app.

To connect your reader:

1. Press and release the button on your reader to turn it on.
2. Go to your device settings and make sure Bluetooth is turned on.
3. Open the Square app and tap:
4. Tap Settings > Card Readers > Connect a Reader.
5. Put your reader into pairing mode by pressing the reader’s button for 3-10 seconds.
6. Remove your finger as soon as you see orange flashing lights. If you see red flashing lights, you’ve held the button too long and you’ll need to try again.

When connected, the reader will be listed as Ready in-app.

Any necessary firmware updates will be automatically installed once the reader has been connected.

Note: The wireless connection can be lost if the reader and device are more than 3 m apart.

Now that you’re setup, learn more about accepting chip card and contactless payments.

Square Stand and the Square Reader for Contactless and Chip Cards

If you’re using a Square Stand with the reader, set up is simple. Just plug the included USB cable (or optional Dock for Square Reader) to the USB hardware hub on the Square Stand.

You can also connect your reader wirelessly if there are no free USB ports on your stand’s hardware hub. 

Note: The iPad 2 doesn’t wirelessly connect with the reader and requires a Square Stand to connect via USB.

Watch this video to learn how to connect the Square Stand and reader:

Find answers to frequently asked questions and review these reader troubleshooting tips if you run into any issues.