Considering that 48% of online shoppers use credit cards as a form of payment, modern-day businesses need reliable and cost-effective contactless payment processing solutions.
Introduction to Square reader for contactless and chip
If you’re looking for a secure and affordable way to accept customers’ chip cards and contactless payments, then you should consider the Square card reader for contactless and chip. This card reader is simple, fast, and reliable. It accepts chips, contactless cards, and mobile wallets such as Android Pay and Apple Pay. So, are you wondering how to connect square reader to phone now? Then, you’ll be glad to know that this reader can connect to your Apple or Android device smartphone, enabling you to accept contactless payments anywhere. In this article, we look at how to connect Square Reader and the various ways you can use it in your business.
Checking and Charging Square Reader
Check Your Square Reader Battery
To get an accurate battery reading, unplug the device if it’s plugged into a power source and firmly push the power button on the reader to check the battery level. The device will show either green, solid red or blinking red lights. If you see 4 green lights, then the battery is fully charged. Three green lights indicate that the battery is 75% charged. If you see two green lights, then your battery is 50% charged. A single solid red light shows that the battery is 25% charged. A blinking red light is an indication that you have a low battery, and you need to charge your Square chip card reader immediately.
Charge Your Square Reader
Square recommends that after learning how to connect Square reader to iPhone, iPad, or any other compatible device, don’t use it immediately before you fully charge it. The reader comes with a charging cable that you can connect to a USB port or a wall charger. To charge your Square reader, simply connect the USB cable to a wall charger and plug it into a power source. You can also plug the USB cable into a powered USB outlet or port. To check whether your device is charging, have a look at the bottom side of your device. If you can see a small amber light, it means the reader is charging. Once the device is fully charged, the light at the bottom changes from amber to green.
Connecting Square Card Reader to Device
Connecting via USB cable
If you’re using a Square POS Stand with your contactless chip reader, setup is easy. Simply, plug in the USB cable to the square stand’s USB hardware hub.
Connecting via Bluetooth LE
To learn how to connect square reader to phone, & To connect Square reader to phone via Bluetooth, follow the below steps:
- On your device settings turn on Bluetooth
- Open the Square app – ensure your device is running on the latest Square app
- From the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen, tap on More
- Go to Settings and select Hardware
- Tap on Card Readers and then Connect a Reader
- In case you’re using an iOS device, select Contactless + Chip Reader
- Pair your reader to your device by long pressing the chip and contactless reader’s button for at least 3 seconds
Once the two devices are paired, you’ll see orange flashing lights on your reader, an indication that you need to stop pressing the reader’s power button. In case the flashing lights are red, then you’ve pressed the button for too long, and you’ll need to try pairing the devices again. Once the two devices are connected, the app will show the message, Reader Ready. Also, ensure you keep the two devices close together – not more than 10ft apart. In case the two devices are too far apart, the connection will be lost.
Accepting Payments with Square Reader
Accepting EMV chip cards
To start accepting EMV chip cards with your Square chip and contactless card reader, follow the below steps:
- Ensure the reader is connected to your Square stand or another compatible device
- Go to the Square app and add the customer’s items to the sale
- Insert the chip card at the top of the reader. Ensure the chip side of the card goes first into the port and that the front of the card is facing upwards
- Tap on Charge on the Square app
- Let the card stay in the reader until you hear a beep sound and see 4 green lights
Remove the card from the reader
Enabling the swipe feature for magnetic stripe cards
To enable the swipe feature on your chip and contactless card reader, follow the below steps:
- Go to the reader’s menu by selecting the three horizontal lines in the top right corner of the app
- Select Swipe Chip Cards under Checkout Options and toggle the feature on
- Read and agree to the liability terms to understand magnetic stripe card logic while understanding how to set up square reader.
- You can now use your Square stand or magnetic stripe reader to swipe the cards
Accepting contactless payments
To use your Square reader to accept contactless payments such as Google Pay, Samsung Pay, or Apple Pay, follow the procedure given below:
- Again, connect your Square contactless and chip card reader to your device
- On the Square app, add items to the current sale and select Charge
- Wait until you see a single green light on the reader
- Once the light is visible, ask the customer to put their device over the chip reader to complete the payment
- Once payment is complete, you’ll hear a beep sound and four green lights will be visible on the Square card reader
Notably, in case the single green light isn’t visible, open the Square app and tap to Re-Enable Apple Pay and Contactless.
Pairing a Reader to a New Device
If you had previously paired your contactless and chip card reader to another Square stand or compatible device, you’ll need to forget the device the reader was previously paired with if you want to use it with a new device.
You can follow the below steps to understand how to pair square reader with a new device:
- At the bottom of your reader’s screen, go to the navigation bar and tap on More.
- Go to Settings and select Hardware and then Card Readers
- Select the connected device and tap on Forget This Reader
- You can now pair the reader to your new device via Bluetooth LE
Conclusion: How to Connect Square Reader?
The Square Reader makes it easier to accept payments by supporting magnetic stripes, contactless payment systems like Apple Pay, and EMV chip cards. It is ideal for a wide range of businesses due to its simple setup, mobility, and versatile USB or Bluetooth connectivity. The process of understanding how to set up square card reader ensures smooth transactions while on the road, especially as contactless payments become more common. The new security features of EMV chip cards make them even more appealing.
Overall, the Square Reader offers reliable, secure, and mobile payment solutions that allow businesses to adapt to changing client payment trends.
Why is my Square terminal not connecting?
If your Square Terminal isn’t connected despite a strong Wi-Fi signal, try these fixes: reconnect to the network, test with a mobile hotspot, reset the device to factory settings, verify the device’s date and time, change its proximity to the router, switch to Ethernet if available, or restart the system. If the problem persists, contact Square Support at 855-700-6000.
How do I connect my Square reader to WIFI?
To understand how to set up Square reader, Open the Square app, then click More > Settings > Hardware > Card Readers > Connect a Reader lets you connect your Square reader to Wi-Fi. After three to five seconds of pushing the reader’s button, tap Pair on the app. On Android, press and hold Pair, and then select Pair & Connect when prompted. To use Square Terminal, go to Settings, pick Wi-Fi, enter your password if necessary, and then press the Next button. If Wi-Fi is not available, you can use Ethernet or a mobile hotspot as an alternative.