My bluetooth socket scanner keeps disconnecting from the iPad.

[lars2]

We have two retail stores with two terminals in each store. We use socket scanners connected via bluetooth. One terminal at each store is having problems where the scanner will not stay connected to the ipad. No problems with the other terminal.

Started happening two days ago and one of the stores, then yesterday at the other. It's odd because one terminal at each store has no problems.

Updated Ipads, uninstalled/reinstalled square, changed to different socket scanners, etc., but the problem continues. One terminal is fine and no problems. The other terminal having constant connection issues.  It's happening the same way at each location.

[lars2]

anybody experiencing this type of issue out there? any solutions?

[Vapors]

Yes, we are too. Started mid last week also and only on one tablet. Tried the same, changed scanner etc still happening. 

[KLar]

Same problem here. I’m spending the day powering off and back on the scanner to get it to reconnect…maybe been going on 2 weeks or so. Kind of becoming a pain.

[tranguyen]

Hey @lars2 and @Vapors, I'm so sorry that we missed your post and that you're also experiencing this issue!

So that I can look into this further, can you let me know:

• Are you using the standard Square Point of Sale app (with the black logo) or the Retail app (with the green icon)? If you can let me know the version of that app, that'd be great! 
• Is the scanner disconnecting when the device is in sleep mode/idle, or what's the last thing that happen/which action took place before the scanner disconnected? 
• Are you using Android tablet, iPad or a different Square device?

[LulusOnMain]

I am also having this problem - it stated when I switched to the Black Square app on our iPad.
The s700 disconnects after it sleeps, if I need to go to the Square Dashboard via Chrome or Safari and it also disconnects while charging the battery. 
It will not reconnect to the app - but it will stay connected to the iPad itself.  
I have tried doing a hard reset - new batteries - resetting Bluetooth - disconnecting the s700 and “forgetting device” and repairing device.  None of this works for more than about 15-20 minutes until I have to start figuring out which path will connect it back to the app again. 

thanks - Carol

Lulu’s On Main

[Vapors]

Pretty much the same, on iPad with the new black icon. Disconnects after a couple of minutes without use, been having to turn off and on the scanner (Socket 7ci) and wait to connect. Did all the steps as described by Carol - forgot the device / repairing / different scanners etc but hasn't made any difference. 

[lars2]

We are using the green Retail app.

We are now down to one register that we can get connected to the square app. One of the IPad/square stand will no longer connect at all.

We use IPads in a square stand.

We haven't identified any action that causes it to lose connection.

From what I'm gathering here it seems like its a problem with square software. We've done everything that Lulu'sonmain has done. We also have new scanners coming (although I think that is not the fix here and just gonna cost me money).

This has gotten progressively worse over time. Started at one station in one of our stores, then same thing happened at the second store. Then the second ipad/stand starter doing the same. Now one stand at one of our stores will no longer connect at all.

Seems like a bug in square.

[mjb502]

Same problem. Started happening to us 2 weeks ago out of nowhere. We also have 2 locations, each also with 2 iPads running Square Retail (green)!

But the problem is affecting all 4 of our iPads: the socket S700 disconnected after iPad wakes from sleep. Square is telling me it's an Apple bug... Not sure about that as it happened across all devices at about the same time and has never been an issue before.

[lars2]

No, I don't believe this is an apple bug. It shows that it's still connected to bluetooth on the ipad. This is definately a square thing.

I hope square is scrambling to identify the issue (whatever it may be).

[Mfireworks]

Yep we are having the same issue. I even bought a new scanner and still having the same problems. I was told I’d take support today that it was a known issue and they should have an update within the next couple days. Fingers crossed!

[sdavidsontribbs]

Thanks for looking into this.

For me it's the standard Square Point of Sale, Version 6.72.1sw

It disconnects in sleep, and also when you navigate away from the Square app.

It's an iPad, the version that fits in the Square Stand. 

[mjb502]

Hi @tranguyen,

Is it possible to check and confirm? That Square is aware? Working on a fix?

[HeyJuneVT]

We had this start happening two days ago in one of our stores, and today it started happening in the other (two completely different accounts and systems) both on the green Square for Retail POS. It's VERY frustrating as they had been working perfectly for 6+ months until this started.

[sdavidsontribbs]

Happening to me too! The standard behavior USED to be that the socket scanner would beep and disconnect if the iPad sleeps or switches to another task, and beep and reconnect when you wake the tablet up or navigate back to the Square App. Now the scanner will disconnect, but not reconnect, and I have to power it down and back on again. 

[HeyJuneVT]

Same! We just updated the Square for Retail app at both of our locations and it did not correct the issue.

[BofBArtStudio]

Same here.  One of our iPad Stands with Square Retail keeps losing the scanner.  We have to power off and on to get it back each time.  It just started about a week ago.

I am guessing that our iPad updated with latest Square version as well.

[lars2]

It gets progressively worse over time. We can't even get scanners to connect on one station now.

I did hear back from Square that they are realizing it's a problem on their end and they are working on a fix. No timeline given.

lars

[sdavidsontribbs]

bluetooth is a notoriously finicky protocol, and honestly troubleshooting inside two walled gardens on behalf of a third garden sounds painful, I'm glad they've provided feedback and acknowledgement. Thanks for the update.

[HeyJuneVT]

Just in case it's helpful and practical in your application, we wanted to share that we temporarily shifted our iPad Auto-Lock to "Never" during the work day and it has helped stop the chaos.

[tranguyen]

Hey everyone! Thank you for reporting this issue and sharing all the details — they helped our engineering team a lot in their investigation.

Barcode scanners disconnecting — especially when the app is closed or goes to sleep — is a known issue. Our team has released a fix in the latest app update, version 6.72.2. 

When you have a moment, please check if there's any pending update for your Square app. Downloading the latest version should resolve this issue going forward.

If you have updated your Square app to version 6.72.2 and the barcode scanner is still disconnecting, please let me know in reply to this thread with the following information:

• Confirm you have run through the necessary troubleshooting steps outlined here
• The version of Square app you are using
• The device you are using (tablet model, operating software, etc.)

Once I have the information, I'll be able to re-escalate the case so our team can look into this further!