thread Re: error "Reader Failed to Connect" -- selecting Retry and square app hangs in "conn in Payments Troubleshooting

error "Reader Failed to Connect" -- selecting Retry and square app hangs in "connecting to square"

JewelryStill — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 07:33:23 GMT

After a period of not using the app. When restarting the app, getting "Reader Failed to Connect" message. I choose the "RETRY" option (if I choose OK, the app is not usable because it won't talk to the chip reader). App then gives a "Connecting to Reader" status message (at the top of the screen). Followed by "Connecting to Square" status message. The app stays in that mode for a few minutes (or sometimes hours).

If I close the app and restart, it connects to the reader and the server very quickly.

Have done all of the trouble shooting steps multiple times (app is up to date, phone OS is up to date).

Fails same way on two readers and two phones.

Purchased a new reader and fails the same way.

It appears it may have not actually connected to the reader and that is why it can't connect to the server.

Have been trying to get Square support to address the issue but keep getting the run around.

Re: error "Reader Failed to Connect" -- selecting Retry and square app hangs in "connecting to square"

frances_a — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 01:12:43 GMT

Hello @JewelryStill 👋

From what you describe, it sounds like the app needs to be restarted in order to successfully connect to the Reader.

It is normal for apps to need a restart occasionally, but if it happens often, there might be an issue.

Can you share more details about the devices you are attempting to pair these Readers to?

You can learn more about the requirements we have for our Contactless Reader to be compatible with your phone here.

Thank you.

Re: error "Reader Failed to Connect" -- selecting Retry and square app hangs in "conn

JewelryStill — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 16:11:01 GMT

this occurs frequently - multiple times at each craft show. Started in May (our first show since December). It happens just about every time there is more that a 15 minute gap in taking charges.

I've checked both phones and they show the contactless reader as supported.

These are the same phones that we've used with the readers for a number of years.

I do notice that the readers are behaving differently .. in the past if the reader hadn't been used for a long time, we might have to press the button on the reader to wake it up. I'm never seeing that anymore.

Re: error "Reader Failed to Connect" -- selecting Retry and square app hangs in "conn

Candlestore — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 16:47:21 GMT

@JewelryStill ;

Since you are using this on a Phone, some phones turn features off when not being used. This could be happening to your Bluetooth to save the cells battery life. Like a Low poer mode or something.

Check your cell to see if the Low power settings are set and other power savings features.

See if that helps.

If that does not help Forget the Device in Bluetooth setting on your cell phone, not the Square app.

Then open the Square app and add the bluetooth device back.

I also just checked my Stand as I have 2 Bluetooth readers connected to it.

1 by USB and 1 by Bluetooth as a backup.

When I checked my stand only 1 showed up the USB one. I had to add the Bluetooth one again. I am not sure why I lost the Bluetooth back up one. Maybe an Update that made me reinstall the Bluetooth Backup reader. As you can see I do not use it much as I just noticed this after a few years.

In the Dashboard on a computer I looked at my Devices and saw only 1 card reader connected. You may want to check that area also in your dashboard to see if Square is seeing it that there might be another problem. Since mine was not seen on the dashboard, I added it through the app and now it appears. See below. USB Main reader, Bluetooth is a backup reader.