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When I first joined Square as Head of Industrial Design, I was thrilled to be joining a brand with a legacy of building powerful, elegant devices. The question was, “how do we bring that same level of functionality, power, and beauty to something truly portable?” The answer: Square Handheld.
First, we needed to get clear on the problem we were solving. We took a step back and asked, “what do complex businesses really need from a mobile POS device?” It wasn’t just about what features it should include, but also how it should fit into their lives, their workflows, and their physical space.
Square Terminal, our existing mobile POS, is a great all-in-one product for taking payments and printing receipts. But it’s built for small countertops. It’s not a device you slip into your pocket as easily (even if resourceful business operators were willing to try). And these businesses, especially restaurants and retail shops, aren’t standing still. They’re bussing tables, restocking shelves, and helping customers. So Square Handheld needed to evolve to meet the needs of a very active subset of the local businesses we serve. It had to be something you could hold in one hand, tuck into an apron, and keep close all day without the fear of damaging it in tough, fast-paced environments. Square Handheld was born from real businesses’ appetite for an elegant but robust mobile POS device, which could be used to manage everything from taking orders to tracking inventory.
Here’s how we built it, from early sketches to the final product, and the care we took to make sure every component of the device solved a real need for complex business operators on-the-go.
From sketch to studio to the real world
Hardware ideation at Square always starts with observing, then solving Square businesses’ problems. Then we push beyond that, looking at the solutions they’re currently using and how we can do better. Our team traveled to countless small businesses and chatted with owners as well as servers, hosts, line cooks, cashiers, bartenders, and stockroom managers — you name it. We listened to them share their perspective on what they needed from their POS hardware.
Then we take those insights back to the lab. We sketch ideas, talk through them, then move into physical prototypes very quickly. The design studio still has drawers full of 3D prints. We build these models to experience the design in the real world before making final decisions. Opening those cosmetic models often feels like unwrapping a gift. Some of them just feel right, others not so much. That’s why we don’t design solely on screens. Our hardware beta program also ensures that business owners can put our devices through the ringer before we launch. While it’s great to test ourselves, the real testing comes from operators. We have a vocal cohort of businesses across the country, in a host of industries, providing us with critical feedback to make sure our vision translates from pen and paper to the real world flawlessly.
Getting the one-handed experience right was also a key goal. That meant obsessing over the thickness and footprint down to the quarter millimeter. It was a constant balancing act. Screen size influenced pocketability. Weight impacted how long people could carry it without fatigue. We tested dozens of variations, refining each one until we found the sweet spot.
We worked shoulder to shoulder with our team of electrical and mechanical engineers to make sure everything businesses needed to operate could fit inside a smaller frame — and hold up under pressure perfectly. The final product is IP54-rated to withstand water splashes and dust. The battery is built to power you through long shifts with double the processing power of our earlier products.
One of the metaphors we kept coming back to during development was the difference between a Swiss Army knife and a chef’s knife. Square Handheld isn’t trying to do everything. It’s trying to do the most important tasks these complex business owners need it to do simply and reliably. It’s a sharp, focused tool for businesses that move fast and need a portable POS that does more than take payments.
Based on the feedback we’ve gotten from our beta testers, that focus is paying off. “Square Handheld is just what we needed,” said Trevor Ledergerber, Owner of La Mediterranee, a full service restaurant in Berkeley, CA.
Square Handheld is tremendously helpful to place orders instantly at each table instead of waiting at a counter and entering multiple tables’ orders at once, which introduces wait time to parties that placed their order earlier. The battery is dependable, lasting through two service staff shifts, so we no longer need to worry about plugging it in between lunch and dinner”
Thoughtful design, built for how businesses really work
The balance between utility and beauty is what makes Square hardware what it is. And we take a lot of pride in that. We look at the product from every angle: materials, buttons, surfaces, seams. That level of care affects everything, from durability to how the device feels over the course of a long shift.
With Square Handheld, we packed a lot of functionality into a small form factor while making sure the device didn’t feel bulky or overbuilt. It had to feel solid but never heavy — because as a business owner on your feet all day, if the device slows you down or wears you out, it’s not doing its job. So we worked hard to make sure the product met a high standard, not just technically, but visually and ergonomically.
The shape of the device is deliberate. The custom display has a slight edge curvature so there are no sharp corners in your grip. The gentle curves create a seamless in-hand experience, whether someone pulls it from an apron or passes to another employee. That kind of ergonomic attention was core to our design approach.
Every element, even the smallest, got this level of attention. Take the metal button. You might press it hundreds of times a day, so it needs to be durable and responsive. The screen had to be bright enough to work in any lighting and large enough to display key information clearly, without sacrificing portability.
And while the core device is built to be tough, we also heard from staff who wanted more protection and personalization. That’s where the optional case comes in. It adds an extra layer of durability but also helps teams organize devices by zone or role using color. We partnered with Belkin to develop seven case colors that are functional, long-lasting, and visually distinct. It’s a small detail, but one that gives businesses more control over how their tools fit into their workflow and their brand.
Feedback from our beta group confirmed that these design decisions made a real difference.
Square Handheld is sleek and slim. It helps us to 10x the power in the palm of our hand (and our pockets), and elevate our hospitality front of house. It’s easy to be hands free as staff members round corners. Now, they can focus on keeping food steady.”
Chad Sykora → CEO of Krootz Brewing Company
Features built to evolve with your business
We want Square Handheld to stay useful and relevant for years to come. During testing, people started imagining their own ways to use the built-in tools. Some of their ideas hadn’t even occurred to us, and that was exciting. It confirmed we were building something flexible with room to grow with the businesses that use it.
One example is the barcode scanner. We knew it would be helpful for retail, but we soon discovered that around sixty percent of restaurants sell shelf-stable items or merchandise like sauces, beans, or branded t-shirts. Food and beverage operators saw just as much value in scanning inventory as traditional retailers. And because the scanner also reads QR codes, it has become especially useful for digital gift cards, letting you complete checkouts quickly even when customers present a code on their phones. Plus, with a built in camera you can now update your item photos right from the floor.
These kinds of features make Square Handheld a flexible tool for multi-concept businesses — people who might sell online and in person, or switch between retail and hospitality. No matter what kind of business you’re running today, or how it might evolve tomorrow, this device is designed to keep up.
Software to match the hardware
As we shaped the hardware, we evolved the software experience alongside it. Square Handheld runs on the Square Point of Sale app, which has a variety of advanced solutions for every kind of business — from sophisticated inventory management tools, to managing your restaurant floor plan right from your device.
We also made it easier to get to the tools you use most. Settings are faster to access, and the notification system is built to keep the most important information you need to run your business at your finger tips. And built-in payment security keeps every transaction safe, so you can focus on your customers with confidence.
And when it’s time to complete a sale, you can send receipts instantly via SMS or email, or printed wirelessly via a network printer. Because Square Handheld supports offline payments, you can keep taking payments even if the Wi-Fi drops. Software updates happen automatically in the background, with no interruptions or IT support required.
That kind of flexibility and performance is what makes teams love it. “Square Handheld is powerful, profitable, and predictable,” Sykora told us. “Our bartenders and servers have been fighting over getting their hands on one!”
Raising the bar
Across the team, we constantly challenged ourselves to do better. Our north star is always the same: Every decision should have a reason grounded in improving your experience and elevating your unique brand. Why does the speaker grille look the way it does? Why is the logo placed there? Why does the texture feel the way it does in your palm? We don’t ship until we’ve answered every one of those questions.
And at the end of the day, this is about making things easier for the businesses we serve. If this device helps someone fire an order faster, turn a table more efficiently, or go home a little less tired at the end of their shift, then it’s done its job.
That’s why we built Square Handheld.
