thread Re: Why does my contactless reader keep shutting the app when it's connected to Bluetooth in Payments Troubleshooting

Why does my contactless reader keep shutting the app when it's connected to Bluetooth

GvonWatts — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 10:38:54 GMT

I just recently got the contactless reader and I have paired it with my phone. Now everytime the reader is connected, it closes the app. I cannot complete a purchase.

Re: Why does my contactless reader keep shutting the app when it's connected to Bluetooth

Candlestore — Wed, 18 May 2022 11:52:30 GMT

@GvonWatts ,

More information is needed to help out since Squares apps are a little different on Android compared to Iphones, also depending which app they are also a little different. Square POS, Square for Retail or Square for Restaurants. The reader does not just pair to a phone like other Bluetooth accessories. Did you pair it correctly? Here is the How to Pair the device to a cell phone. But before you can do this you need to Unpair it and then follow these instructions:

set-up-the-square-reader-for-contactless-and-chip

Re: Why does my contactless reader keep shutting the app when it's connected to Bluetooth

Konaiceccs — Thu, 19 May 2022 13:42:20 GMT

I have similar experiences to this. In fact, I posted a rant here a few days ago. It seems the chip reader is designed to fail after less than one year. I use an iPhone - about 9 months after purchase it begins to fail. Saturday the blue tooth connection kept failing - especially if I needed to go off the square app for even a few seconds to look at a text message. Sometimes it would not reconnect unless I used the "forget this device" on both the reader and iPhone. Sunday, 15 hours after it was last used, it connected automatically to the iPhone and reconnected throughout the day even after being off the screen for several minutes to take a phone call. Not used again until yesterday - when it ultimately stopped working at all. Needed to dig out the magstripe reader. We have two vehicles that use the chip reader with iPhone - checked our records and since 2020 none have lasted a full year before we needed to purchase a replacement. Ordering a new one today.

Re: Why does my contactless reader keep shutting the app when it's connected to Bluetooth

MayaP — Fri, 20 May 2022 21:25:18 GMT

Hi @Konaiceccs,

Thank you for reaching out and providing us all that insight. I am really sorry you are continuing to have issues with Contactless and Chip reader.

I do assure you we do not design the devices to stop working after a year. That is definitely not our goal to keep making you replace the hardware.

Let me investigate this more on my end. If I have further insight I will follow up on this thread.

Thanks again for the feedback!

Re: Why does my contactless reader keep shutting the app when it's connected to Bluetooth

MayaP — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 00:03:33 GMT

Sorry for all the trouble you have experienced @Konaiceccs.

I know you got a new reader, but if this issue is still happening please go ahead and reach back out to our Direct Support Team.

We can file a ticket and investigate this further. You can reach support at 1-855-700-6000 squ.re/contactsqsupport.

Please let us know if anything else is needed!

Re: Why does my contactless reader keep shutting the app when it's connected to Bluetooth

Konaiceccs — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 20:30:37 GMT

Thanks for following up. Yes, we got a new reader and first used it last Saturday. It works much better than the one it replaced, but occasionally would still fail to re-connect. Once I even had to use the "forget this device" on both the app and the iPhone settings. But for the most part it worked fine and reconnected if I had to go off the app for a minute or so. I've even encountered times when I would leave the app to check a text, re-open the Square app and get the message to "Press button on reader to connect" and didn't do it right away. But sometimes it would reconnect anyway after a short while. There are times where it doesn't show that it's connected, it won't connect if I push the button, but when I press the "forget this reader" option on the app, it will give the message that the reader has been disconnected. (Even though it never showed as connected.)

We're part of a food truck franchise and on our private Facebook group another franchisee was complaining of this same problem. Yet other franchises would comment that they've been using the same chip reader for years without ever having a problem.

Makes me think it's a software glitch that may be related to iPhones -but I don't really have data for that.

Re: Why does my contactless reader keep shutting the app when it's connected to Bluetooth

MayaP — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 23:36:11 GMT

Thanks for all the information @Konaiceccs.

That is super odd, I haven't come across this issue, especially with iphones. But that is super frustrating you consistently have to deal with this!

The only other thing I can really think of, is being on a food truck can the wifi/data be pretty spotty? If so, then that definitely could be a reason.

If our Direct Support hasn't already, I would file a ticket. Hopefully our engineers can get more insight and better understanding.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Reach back out if you have more insight or questions!