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Use modes with Square Point of Sale

Who is this article for?
Account owners or team members with the account and settings permissions to create, edit and delete devices, configure device security settings and configure checkout settings. Set permissions in the Square Dashboard.

About modes with Square Point of Sale

The Square Point of Sale app comes with a set of pre-configured modes that are available by default that can be used as a starting point to adjust your device settings to suit your business needs. These pre-configured modes are only available in the Square Point of Sale app and contain the features of the following products:

  • Full service, quick service and bar modes – Square for Restaurants

  • Retail mode – Square for Retail

  • Bookings mode – Square Appointments 

  • Services mode – Square Invoices

  • Standard mode – Square Point of Sale

If you’re logging in to the Square Point of Sale app for the first time, you’ll see a suggestion for a mode that may best match your business needs. If you’ve logged in before, modes are located in the More > Settings portion of the Square Point of Sale app.

Before you start

If you currently use a different Square app, such as the Square Retail Point of Sale app, download the Square Point of Sale app to use these pre-configured modes.

Full service, quick service and bar mode are not available on the iPhone or Android phone or tablet. You cannot combine features from multiple modes into one (ie taking Bookings mode features and applying them to Retail mode). You must switch modes.

For information about how to manage modes, review the Create and assign modes Support Centre article. 

For any issues with the Square Point of Sale app, learn more about how to troubleshoot with the Troubleshoot the Square POS apps Support Centre article. For the most optimal experience, always make sure your Square Point of Sale app is up to date.

Step 1: Download and set up Square Point of Sale

The Square Point of Sale app is compatible with iOS and Android devices. 

If you’re signing in for the first time, follow the setup guide. If you skipped any parts of the setup guide, you can revisit it by tapping ≡ More > Support > Setup guide. 

iOS devices

Requires an iOS device running iOS 16 or above. Download the Square POS app by:

  1. From your iOS device, visit the App Store and search Square Point of Sale.
  2. Tap Get to download the app.
  3. Sign in with your Square account email address and password or create an account.

Android devices

Requires an Android mobile device running AndroidOS 7 or above. Download the Square POS app by:

  1. Open the Google Play Store and search Square Point of Sale.
  2. Tap Install to download the app.
  3. Sign in with your Square account email address and password or create an account.

Step 2: Assign printer profiles (optional)

Before you start accepting payments and processing orders with the Square Point of Sale app, review the following Support Centre articles for more information about connecting printers to your point of sale and configuring printer profiles.

If you already have printer profiles set up with different Square app and want to migrate them to the Square POS app:

  1. From the Square app (eg Square Retail Point of Sale app), tap ≡ More > Settings

  2. Tap Hardware > Printers

  3. Make sure the status of the printer profile is Enabled

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