Troubleshoot payment errors on Square Register
Square Register can accept tap, dip, and swipe payments. Learn how to Accept payments with Square Register.
This article provides troubleshooting steps for your Square Register if you are experiencing issues accepting card payments.
Before you begin troubleshooting
When to troubleshoot
Troubleshooting payment issues involves steps that may take a bit of time, such as rebooting your hardware. If at all possible, try to troubleshoot your Square Register after hours. If you must troubleshoot during the workday, try to avoid peak busy hours so your customers will experience few delays.
To troubleshoot payments, you may need the following:
Your Square account login information (email address and password or device code)
Wi-Fi network name and password
Saving data while troubleshooting
Step 1: Confirm card processing method
Make sure you tap Charge to activate the customer display and accept payments ― you’ll see the LED indicators light up and Insert, tap, swipe, or scan with Cash App on your Customer display for Square Register.
Ask your customer to hold a contactless device or card near the contactless symbol in the center of the screen to start the payment. The contactless logo lights up after tapping Charge.
If a specific card processing method isn’t working, ask your customer to try a different form of payment.
Step 2: Verify your internet connection
If your Customer display is docked, make sure that there are no gaps between the Square Register and the customer display. If your Customer display is undocked, make sure that the USB cable is plugged in properly into both the customer display and the bottom of your Square Register.
Step 3: Update Square Register software
Tap ≡ More > Settings > Hardware > General. If you’re signed out, tap Change Settings > General.
Tap About Square Register.
From this page, you’ll see your software version. Tap Check for Update to see if a software update is available.
If you see Software Up To Date then you are all set.
Step 4: Restart your Square Register
Press and hold the power button and release as soon as you see the Restart option.
Tap Restart. If you hold the power button down too long and see a black screen with a count-down timer, immediately release the power button before the timer goes to 0. If you don’t, this will Factory Reset your Square Register instead of restarting it.
Try to process a payment before moving on to the steps below to factory reset your Square Register.
Step 5: Send a diagnostic report
Sending a diagnostic report helps Square further investigate your issue if you cannot resolve it on your own.
Diagnostic reports can take between 2-7 minutes to upload — make sure you have a strong internet connection and your device is powered on during this time.
Sign in to the Square POS app on your Square Register.
Tap ≡ More > Support > Troubleshooting.
Tap Upload Support Ledger.
Tap Send Diagnostic Report.
Once you tap Send Diagnostic Report, you can leave the screen and continue using your Square Register normally while the report is sent in the background.
Step 6: Factory reset your Square Register
The steps below require you to factory reset your Square Register. Make sure you have the login credentials for your network and your Square Register (device code or email address and password).
Tap ≡ More > Settings > Hardware > General.
Tap About Square Terminal > Factory Reset > Confirm Factory Reset.
Tap Reset one last time. From here the countdown will begin and your Square Register will reset.
You can also Factory Reset your Square Register by holding down the power button for 10 seconds until you see a black screen with a count-down timer.
Keep holding down the power button until that timer goes to 0 and the screen says you can release the power button.