Home

Set up accessibility features

Who is this article for?
Account owners or team members with the account and settings permission to configure hardware settings. Set permissions in the Square Dashboard.

About accessibility

Accessibility tools help accommodate the needs of visually impaired sellers and customers by enabling your device to play audio of what is represented on screen.

You can enable magnification to enlarge a selected portion of Square Terminal or the main display on your Square Register, allowing you to zoom in and out with ease.

You can also adjust your accessibility settings to have personally identifiable information (PII) read aloud or not read aloud. Personally identifiable information (PII) is any data that, when used alone or with other relevant data, could be used to identify a specific person. PII includes the customer’s name, email address, home address and phone number.

Before you start

You have two options for setting up your device to play audio of what is shown on screen out loud:

  • Turn TalkBack on from Square Terminal, Square Register or an Android device.

  • Turn VoiceOver on from an iOS device or Square Stand.

Both TalkBack and VoiceOver work with a connected Square Reader (1st and 2nd generation).

To turn magnification on, you need access to your Square Terminal or Square Register.

From an Android device, you can also adjust your accessibility settings to have customer information read aloud on Square Point of Sale, the Square Retail Point of Sale app, Square Appointments, the Square Restaurant POS app and Square Invoices.

Turn TalkBack on

You can turn TalkBack on from your Square Terminal, Square Register or Android device.

From Square Terminal or Square Register

  1. Open the Square POS app. If you are signed out, you can tap Change Settings > Accessibility.
  2. Tap ≡ More > Settings > Hardware > Accessibility.
  3. Toggle TalkBack ON.

TalkBack automatically enables on the Customer display for Square Register when headphones are inserted into the audio jack.

From an Android device

  1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
  2. Tap Accessibility > TalkBack.
  3. Toggle TalkBack ON.
  4. You can also turn on TalkBack by asking Google Assistant.

The steps to turn on TalkBack may vary depending on your Android device and version. You can also turn on TalkBack by asking Google Assistant. TalkBack features, services and options are managed by Android directly.

Turn VoiceOver on

You can turn VoiceOver on on an iOS device:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device.

  2. Tap Accessibility > VoiceOver.

  3. Toggle VoiceOver ON.

VoiceOver changes the gestures you use to control your iOS device. When VoiceOver is on, you must use VoiceOver gestures to operate your iOS device.

Turn magnification on

 You can turn magnification on from your Square Terminal or Square Register:

  1. Open the Point of Sale app on your Square Terminal or Square Register. If you are signed out, you can tap Change Settings > Accessibility.

  2. Tap ≡ More > Settings > Hardware > Accessibility.

  3. Toggle Magnification ON.

Once you’ve enabled magnification on your Square Terminal or Square Register:

  • Triple-tap the main display screen with one finger to enlarge that area of the display. This is the only magnification level available and cannot be adjusted.

  • Using a two-finger touch, press, hold and drag two fingertips around the screen to pan around the display.

  • Triple-tap to stop magnification and revert to a normal display experience.

The magnification feature does not enlarge the font on the main display or customer screen.

Use the tactile PIN guide

Your Square Register comes with an accessory for your customer display. The tactile PIN guide for Square Register adds a layer of physical keys to the Square Register’s customer display screen, enabling accessibility for visually impaired customers.

Your PIN guide comes with a Velcro loop so that you can easily attach the tactile PIN guide to the power cable of your Square Register for quick access. We recommend storing your tactile PIN guide near your Square Register to make sure that every customer is welcome at your business at all times.

Depending on whether your customer display is docked or undocked, there are two ways to apply the tactile PIN guide. 

If you need to clean your tactile PIN guide, simply use water and an alcohol solution with a lint-free cloth (such as a glasses-cleaning cloth) to wipe away any dust or residue from the back of the guide.

Step 1: Remove the blue protective film

This will enable the tactile PIN guide to properly adhere to the customer display of your Square Register.

Step 2: Enable accessibility mode

Once the PIN screen is shown, enable accessibility mode by tapping the accessibility icon in the top-right-hand corner. Once enabled, instructions will appear on the Square Register screen which will help you guide the customer through how to use the tactile PIN guide.

Note: play instructions through the Square Register audio, or help your customer plug in their own headphones. If your customer would like to use their headphones, make sure they insert them into the headphone jack on the customer display before tapping Accessibility Mode. You can also replay, skip or exit these instructions from the customer display. Interaction with the PIN screen is not affected by headphones being used.

Step 3: Place the PIN accessory on your customer display

Once the customer has finished reviewing the instructions, the PIN screen will appear on the customer display again. Place the tactile PIN guide at the top of the customer display, aligning the guide with the edges of the illuminated touchscreen and the accessory keys over the corresponding buttons on the customer display. The tactile PIN guide will adhere best when the customer display screen and tactile PIN guide are clean.

Apply light pressure to the corners and edges of the guide to make sure it adheres to the customer display screen, otherwise the tactile PIN guide may slip from the customer display. Be careful not to press any button while you apply the guide; if a number is accidentally entered, use the ‘delete’ key to erase it or allow your customer to do so. Please note that the customer display may beep when the tactile PIN guide is applied.

If you’re having trouble getting the guide to stick, you can try rinsing it with cool water and drying with a lint-free cloth.

Register – PIN guide – X2 – UK

Note: with the customer display in the docked position, the bottom edge of the guide should be nearest to the card slot. If your customer display is undocked from your Square Register, the top edge of the tactile PIN guide should be nearest to the card slot.

Register – PIN guide – X2 – UK

Step 4: Complete the transaction

When the customer enters their PIN, your Square Register will beep to indicate that a number has been successfully entered. Once the customer has entered their PIN and the transaction is complete, prompt the customer to remove their card from the slot.

Step 5: Remove the tactile PIN guide

After each transaction where you use the tactile PIN guide, gently remove the accessory from the customer display to return your customer display to normal use.

Register – PIN guide – X2 – UK

Have customer information read out loud by your Point of Sale app

On Android devices, you can adjust your accessibility settings to have customer information read out loud on your Point of Sale app.

  1. Open the Point of Sale app on your android device.

  2. Tap ≡ More > Settings > Hardware > Accessibility.

  3. Toggle Allow accessibility tools to read customer info ON.

  4. Review the customers’ privacy notification and tap Accept.

When Allow accessibility tools to read customer info is turned on, you’re responsible for complying with applicable privacy laws, like using a headset to prevent others from overhearing.

TalkBack and VoiceOver support

Related articles