Home

Use modes with Square Point of Sale

Who is this article for?
Sellers who use the Square Point of Sale app and use modes and mode switching to run their business.

About modes with Square Point of Sale

Square currently offers five different point-of-sale apps that serve all the business types Square supports. Over the next year, Square is replacing these five apps with one new app that includes all of Square’s vertices called Square Point of Sale. 

The new Square POS app replaces the following apps with the use of modes:

  • Square Point of Sale (current version)

  • Square Invoices

  • Square for Retail

  • Square for Restaurants

  • Square Appointments

A mode is a group of settings (e.g., checkout settings, add-ons, etc.) that allows you to tailor your Square POS app to your business’ needs. Modes incorporate the functionality that you currently use in each of the Square apps and can be managed via each of your point-of-sale devices and the Square Dashboard. Modes are shared and can be used by more than one device.

To tell the difference between the new and current version of the Square POS app, tap ≡ More > Settings. If you see an option for modes in the top left of the screen, you're using the new Square POS app. The current Square POS app will default to the Checkout settings.

On iOS and Android devices, the new Square POS app has a white icon against a black background. The current Square POS app has a black icon against a white background.

Before you begin

If you currently use a Square app such as the Square Retail or Square Restaurants POS apps, download the Square POS app to use mode switching. If you have an existing subscription for any of the apps listed above, you can utilize a mode that will reflect each subscription. 

Mode switching is only available with the Square POS app and is not included with any of the other Square apps. You cannot combine features from multiple modes into one (i.e. taking Bookings features and applying them to Retail mode). You must switch modes.

For any issues with the Square POS app, learn more about how to troubleshoot with the Troubleshoot the Square POS apps Support Center article. For the most optimal experience, always make sure your Square POS 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. 

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.

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.

Once you're signed in to the Square POS app:

  • Select a mode from the list of existing subscriptions or tap View all modes > Next.

  • If 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. 

Step 2: Assign printer profiles

Before you start accepting payments and processing orders with the Square POS app, review the following Support Center 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 another Square vertical and want to migrate them to the Square POS app:

  1. From the Square vertical (e.g. Square Retail POS app), tap ≡ More > Settings

  2. Tap Hardware > Printers

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

Step 3: Manage modes

You can create, edit, or switch your modes at any time to fit your business needs.

Create a mode

From the Square Dashboard:

  1. Sign in to your Square Dashboard and select Device Management > Modes > Add mode.
  2. Choose an option from the Select a mode screen > select Next.
  3. Name your mode > select Save.

From the Square POS app:

  1. Tap ≡ More > Settings > choose the current mode.
  2. Tap Create a new mode or the + icon > select a mode > tap Next.
  3. Add a Name for the mode > tap Done.

Edit a mode

  1. Sign in to your Square Dashboard and select Device Management > Modes > Add mode.
  2. Select a mode > tap Edit to rename a mode.
  3. Under Settings, select Manage to update the local settings for a mode.

Switch mode

Once a mode is assigned, you can switch it at any time. Mode switching cannot be done remotely and must be done in the Square POS app. 

  1. Tap ≡ More > Settings > choose the current mode.
  2. Find a new mode in the list available > tap Switch mode.

Related Articles