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What are the troubleshooting steps for the Contactless and Chip Card Reader?

For the past few months my contactless chip reader won't process payment. It connects to my Note5, but when I press the charge amount and the reader green light goes on, it won't accept the payment. I leave the chip card in the reader for a while then a red light goes on and the phone says need to re-connect the reader. But the app says the reader is connected when I go back to the register screen. I'm thinking something is wrong with the reader but nowhere does it show there is an error. Very frustrating! 

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Verified Answer

Re: Anyone else having the chip reader take a long time to connect?

Hey @hairninja76, I'm sorry your reader is taking longer than usual to connect - that sounds pretty frustrating! These pairing troubleshooting steps usually help. It's also important that your phone's software is up to date, and the Point of Sale app is up to date too! 

 

If those troubleshooting steps don't resolve this issue for you, please don't hesitate to call our team who can take a closer look. 

1 Best Answer
Square

Best Answer

That's no good!

 

We have an article that outlines some of the best troubleshooting tips for Contactless reader trouble: Square Contactless and Chip Card Reader Troubleshooting

 

Try these steps below to get your reader up and running: 

 

  1. Force quit the Square app and reopen it.
  2. Delete and reinstall the Square app. Note: If you’ve recently accepted payments while in Offline Mode and haven’t uploaded them, don’t delete and reinstall the app or you’ll lose these transactions. Connect your mobile device to the Internet to complete these payments before deleting the app.
  3. Turn your mobile device off and back on.
  4. If the reader and device are more than 10ft apart, the reader will have trouble maintaining a consistent connection. Move your reader and device closer when in use.

If these tips don’t solve the trouble, force shutdown your reader:

 

  1. Plug in the reader for at least 20 minutes to be sure it’s charged.
  2. While the reader is charging, use a bobby pin, pen cap, or paper clip to firmly press and hold the button on the reader for 20 seconds.
  3. After 20 seconds, release the button and wait 10 seconds.
  4. Press the button again to turn the reader on and observe any lights on the reader.

 

If the reader lights turn on, you’re all set. If the lights don’t turn on, please try again and make sure to firmly press and hold the reader’s button for a full 20 seconds.

 

If that doesn’t do the trick, you can submit a warranty claim to receive a replacement.

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This reply was created from merging an existing thread: “I have had trouble with the chip reader connecting since i have bought it”

 

Sorry to hear about the ongoing trouble @Cassiek! I've moved your post here — Kelly's Best Answer on the first page has troubleshooting tips for the contactless and chip card reader that should help! 

 

It's also important check your device is compatible with the contactless reader

️ Helen
Seller Community Manager

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This reply was created from merging an existing thread: “My chip reader won’t connect to my iPhone 6 Plus. It worked this morning but stopped working later”. The original author has been notified.

 

My chip reader won’t connect to my iPhone 6 Plus. It worked this morning but stopped working this afternoon

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Hello @Chanda, I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you've had with your Contactless and Chip Card Reader. 

 

I recommend taking a look at Kelly's troubleshooting steps on the first page of this thread. These steps should get your reader up and running again! 🙂

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I have connected the reader to my iPad then when I go to use it it wont work and won't connect. What am I doing wrong?

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This reply was created from merging an existing thread: “How to connect my ipad with my contactless chip reader?”

 

Hello@Mwolfram, I moved your post here. When you get a chance, please run through these troubleshooting steps for the contactless reader. The reader shouldn't disconnect unless your iPad goes to sleep, but when you wake up your iPad it should reconnect automatically. 

 

If you're still having trouble connecting the reader to your iPad please give our Support team a call so we can help! 

️ Helen
Seller Community Manager

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I've tried all of the troubleshooting tips I could find

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Square Community Moderator

Hey @JRob

 

I moved your post over to this existing thread. There's some good information here that might help you specifically. 

 

We'll need more details to know exactly what might be happening (device you're using, which troubleshooting steps you've taken etc.).

 

For the most part, a hard reset of the reader and an uninstall and reinstall of the app resolves pairing issues. Have you tried that yet? 

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Thanks EJ. 

I ended up speaking w/ support and it appears that after an update on my device I lost connection. 

I would've suspected the reverse. 

My device is listed as not totally supported. 

Thanks. 

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My chip reader is not working. It connects to my iPhone but does not read any chip. Have tried all the recommended fixes without success. I can’t find any way to contact Square either. Rather frustrated...

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Admin

 

This reply was created from merging an existing thread: “Chip reader not reading. Have already tried all the “fixes””

 

Thanks for running through the troubleshooting steps for the contactless and chip card reader, I'm very sorry they didn't do the trick and for the frustration you had trying to get in touch. 

 

Here are the steps to call Square Support if you'd like to speak to someone. If you've identified the issue is with the reader you can exchange it under warranty online

️ Helen
Seller Community Manager

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I keep pressing the button on the reader and the yellow lights won’t blink.  My reader has charged and I’ve tried to reset it but it still won’t connect.

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I'm sorry to hear your reader isn't pairing! Can you run through each of the troubleshooting steps listed in this post? These steps should help but if you're still having trouble give us a call so we can troubleshoot with you. 

️ Helen
Seller Community Manager

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This reply created from merging an existing thread: "Not lighting up with the chip card forced to enter manually" The author has been notified via email.

 

I have a square reader inserted into a small square stand buttery 

always plugged . When I push the button green light indicate that the reader is charged , but when I insert the card( tried many different chip cards) it doesn’t work and I have to enter data manually?

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need help to restart chip reader

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This reply was created from merging an existing thread: My chip reader won’t work? Tried to restart and can’t seem to get it to restart

 

@Jkj3 I've merged your post in to this thread. I'd make sure the reader is charged and then run through these troubleshooting tips for the contactless and chip card reader

 

If the reader is completely unresponsive even after you've completed all of those steps you can exchange it for a new one under warranty.

️ Helen
Seller Community Manager

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We are trying to charge a new chip reader for the first time, but we recently have moved and cannot find the instruction booklet. I tried looking it up online but the instructions seem to be for another model, because it says that while charging, there should be an amber light on the bottom of the reader, and ours has no amber light. When we plug it in, 4 green lights come on but then go off. How will we know if it is charging and when it is done, and can we get a set of directions for this reader online?

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Square Community Moderator

Hi @JuliaCee

 

I've moved your thread over to this troubleshooting thread. It sounds like you're doing everything right on your side, so this thread covers a few troubleshooting tips that you can try. 

 

Your reader might be completely dead, so try leaving it on a charger for at least 20 minutes. 

 

Check out the Best Answer in this thread to perform a hard reset and let me know if that does the trick for you. 

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I have a square contactless chip reader. It is charged and paired. It reads a tap from an iphone, but doesn't read a card when dipped. I suspect the contact might be dirty or damaged. Is there a way to clean it?

 

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Admin

@mbontrager I wouldn't recommend inserting anything to the reader in an attempt to clean it. But I do recommend that you go through the troubleshooting steps for the contactless and chip card reader in this thread.


If you're still having trouble with dipped payment cards, go ahead and file a warranty claim to exchange it for a new one.

️ Helen
Seller Community Manager

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Hello, this is my now second reader who has stopped connecting, all 4 lights are green, I have tried re starting my phone, deleting and re adding the app, forcely restarting the reader (all 4 lights red), making sure the internet is good, and this time aorund it no longer will even connect with the blue tooth. I decided to try to forget the reader on blue tooth and now nothing will even pop up for it to start connecting from scratch. I have no idea what to do and why this is the seocnd time this is happening.

 

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I just had a similar thing happen. I hard reset (red flashing until it turned off), then left it for a couple of minutes. When I restarted by holding the button down to turn on...it flashed yellow and via my iPad app for Square, re-established the wireless connection. This is the second time this has happened in 3 months, which sucks when your dealing with customers. Its working now so you might want to retry. Good luck.  GoldRushBookstore

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