1st Generation Square Reader
Your guide to taking offline payments
Respond and smoothly get back online after any interruption.
How to respond to a service disruption
Follow these steps in the event of a service disruption so you can continue doing business.
1. Offline payments are processed automatically when you reconnect your device to the internet and will be declined if you do not reconnect to the internet within 24 hours of taking your first offline payment. By enabling offline payments, you are responsible for any expired, declined, or disputed payments accepted while offline. Square is unable to provide customer contact information for payments declined while offline. Offline payments are not supported on Square Reader for contactless and chip (1st generation – v1 and v2).
Your guide to taking offline payments
1. Identify your disruption type.
There are two types of service disruptions: an internet or network disruption or a Square service disruption. Once a disruption is identified a notification will automatically appear on your Square device, letting you know the type. See which alert you have in order to troubleshoot your issue.
Types of alerts
Internet or network disruption alerts
You’ll see a notification banner at the top of your device when your internet connection is down. You can still take offline payments but try to get back online by restarting your modem or double-checking your internet connection. For more troubleshooting help, reach out to your internet provider.
Square service disruption alerts
You’ll see a notification banner at the top of your device when there are issues that are affecting Square services. You can still take offline payments from your device while our team works quickly to resolve it.
2. Check Square status.
Scan the QR code to view the Square status page and stay informed about any service interruptions. issquareup.com
3. Turn on offline payments.
Set up offline payments on your device so your business can keep running during a service disruption. Follow these steps to take offline payments for up to 24 hours¹:
- From your Square app or device, tap More.
- Select Settings from the menu options.
- Tap Checkout, then Offline payments.
- Toggle on Allow to confirm.
- Set a transaction limit that you’re comfortable with (you can change this at any time).
- Manage your online orders and deliveries.
New online orders from Square Online or other ordering platforms won’t appear in your POS, but they’ll be there once the disruption is resolved. Your customers won’t notice a difference, so continue delivering excellent service and processing payments just like you would for online transactions. Don’t forget to check credit card details and print receipts for your records to reduce the risk of declined payments and disputes.
5. Stay signed in.
If you have pending offline payments, do not sign out of the Square app or switch locations. Do not factory reset the device used to take the payment or delete the app. Make sure you process these payments by reconnecting your device to the internet within 24 hours.
6. Process your offline payments
Offline payments will appear as pending in your in-app payment history. When you’re back online, payments will show as processing in your Transactions tab. Customers’ digital receipts and your payment notification emails will also be sent when your device is back online. Make sure to enter tip amounts for any in-person transactions into your POS so you can settle the transactions.
Note: If you log out of your Square account, delete the Square app, or factory reset the device that took offline payments, any pending transactions will be lost, and you will unfortunately be out of pocket for the cost of goods or services you sold.
Documents / Resources
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Square 1st Generation Square Reader [pdf] User Guide 1st generation, v and v2, 1st Generation Square Reader, 1st Generation, Square Reader, Reader |
