Reader Damaged

[AmbitiousCakes]

I attended a market as a stall holder over the weekend.  I connected my reader, but got the "reader damaged" error.  No stress, I thought nothing of it & continued to use the function on my phone (I haven't used mine for over a year, so figured it would need replacing soon anyway). 

Talking with 3 other stall holders, who use their readers on a monthly basis, they all had the same error.

Before considering replacement, I wanted to check if they are being discontinued due to the phone function now being a better option.

Anyone have any clues?

[Laurie_ · Accepted solution]

Hi @AmbitiousCakes!

Generally, most issues with Square Readers can be resolved by following the troubleshooting steps in our online guide. In many cases, connection issues related to Bluetooth or network settings are the cause.

That said, the “Reader Damaged” error you’ve described typically points to a hardware fault. This can occur due to environmental conditions or an internal mechanical issue, either way, it means the reader is no longer functional. Our Support Team can confirm this by reviewing your account to verify the device’s status.

When a reader is confirmed to be damaged, we’ll automatically organise a replacement. The quickest way to do this is by contacting our Support Team on 1800 760 137 (Mon–Fri, 9 AM–5 PM Melbourne time). Since you’ve reached out here, I’ve sent you a DM to verify your details so we can get that replacement sorted for you directly.

Just to clarify — the Square Reader is not being discontinued with the introduction of Tap to Pay. It's still fully supported as a payment option.

[holmes99]

hi!! i’m having the same issue! reader damaged but i’ve literally never taken it out of the box! could you help me as well!

[Laurie_]

@holmes99 I've sent you a DM! 😊