Square Terminal FAQs
Find answers to commonly asked questions about Square Terminal.
Hardware
Yes. Learn how to connect Square Terminal with Virtual Terminal
to wirelessly accept in-person payments using your laptop or desktop computer.
Yes! Connect Square Terminal with Square Point of Sale to wirelessly accept payments with a compatible tablet, iPad, or smartphone. You can build a cart on Square POS and your customers pay on Square Terminal to create a smooth and contactless checkout experience.
1.75% + VAT for each contactless payment, inserted chip card, or swiped magstripe card through Square Terminal. The fee is 2% + VAT for each manually entered payment. Learn more about Square’s payment processing fees.
Your Square Terminal power supply has a USB-C port. While some sellers have been able to charge their Square Terminal with third-party chargers, we recommend using the power supply provided with your Square Terminal.
To control the brightness of Square Terminal:
- Navigate to ≡ More > Settings.
- Tap Hardware > Display.
- Use the slider to control the brightness of your Square Terminal. From here, you can also adjust your Square Terminal’s sleep timer.
You can adjust the language of your Square Dashboard to see you reports, transfers, and more in another language.
To adjust the language settings on Square Terminal:
Square Point of Sale, Square for Retail, and Square Appointments
- Tap ≡ More from the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen.
- Tap Settings > Hardware > General > Language
- Select a supported language.
Square for Restaurants Mobile POS
- Tap the Home icon from the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen.
- Tap Settings > Hardware > General > Language.
- Select a supported language.
To control the volume of Square Terminal:
- Navigate to ≡ More > tap Settings.
- Tap Hardware > Sounds.
- Use the slider to control the volume level of your Square Terminal.
Note: You cannot control the payment success beep tone at this time.
To adjust the language of your Square Terminal:
- Navigate to ≡ More > Settings.
- Tap Hardware > General.
- Choose Language and select your preferred language.
To update the time and date on your Square Terminal:
- Navigate to ≡ More > tap Settings.
- Tap Hardware > General.
- Toggle Set Automatically and choose the correct time, date, and time zone.
From this screen, you can also adjust your Square Terminal’s nightly reboot. Check out the software section of this article for more information on your nightly reboot.
You can buy additional receipt paper right from our Square Shop.
You can also purchase receipt paper from your local office supplier or retailer that sells receipt paper. Square Terminal supports thermal receipt paper with 57 mm x 35mm dimensions.
Square Terminal has a specifically designed Hub that easily connects USB accessories to your Square Terminal. Check out our full list of supported devices.
Keep in mind, Bluetooth-connected accessories are not currently supported with Square Terminal.
Square Terminal is built with Gorilla glass and durable construction to ensure that no matter where you are processing payments, your Square Terminal can keep up.
If you have any trouble with your Square Terminal, contact Square Support and we can help.
Software
One of the benefits of Square Terminal is that we keep the software up to date automatically, so you will always get the latest features and improvements without any cost. We will update the software every 2-8 weeks. To enable automatic updates, you’ll just need to leave Square Terminal powered on and plugged in overnight. Automatic updates require a battery level of at least 35% to initiate.
Note: Software updates for Square Terminal generally require 2 GB per month. This does not include attempts to retry failed downloads, so it is recommended to connect to Wi-Fi overnight to help facilitate software updates.
Square Terminal software updates may include a system update, Square app updates and a firmware update.
If a Square apps update is recommended before the automatic nightly update, a notification will appear on the screen. To defer this update, tap Defer Update. The update will then begin overnight at 03:00 (or at your custom set time) as long as your Square Terminal is powered on and plugged in. To start the update immediately, tap Install Now.
If you manually update your Square Terminal software from your settings, you will not see an option to defer the Square apps update. The update may take up to one hour to complete.
If you’ve powered down your Square Terminal overnight and there are software updates available, you’ll be prompted to choose a software update option when you next power on your device. Updates are released approximately every 2-8 weeks, involve a reboot of Square Terminal, and typically take around 20 minutes to complete but may take up to an hour.
- Tap Install Now to immediately start the update.
- Tap Defer Update to delay the update by up to seven days. You will be prompted once a day to update until the seventh day, then you’ll be required to update the software.
- You can manually start the software update at any time by tapping ≡ More > Settings > Hardware > General > About Terminal > Software Update > Install Now.
Note: In some cases, updates are required immediately for security purposes and you might not see the option to Defer Update.
To ensure your Square Terminal can update overnight – just make sure it’s plugged in and powered on, but the display can be turned off. To turn off the display, simply tap the power button quickly and Square Terminal will go to sleep.
You can check your software at any time. Head to ≡ More > Settings > Hardware > General. Scroll to the bottom of the page and tap About Terminal. From this page, you’ll see your software version. Tap Check for Update to see if a software update is available. If you see Software Up To Date then you are all set.
Software updates are, by default, set at 03:00 to avoid any disruption to your normal business hours. If you need to adjust your nightly reboot time, head to ≡ More > Settings > Hardware > General from navigation bar at the bottom of your screen. Tap Nightly Reboot and select the time that works best for your business.
Note: This adjustment will not take effect on the next nightly reboot, but instead the one after that.
Square Terminal software updates may include a system update, Square app updates and a firmware update. Software updates can take anywhere from 15 minutes to one hour to complete, depending on which updates are needed.
Square Terminal software updates may include a system update, Square app updates and a firmware update. Software updates are released every 2-8 weeks and can take anywhere from 15 minutes to one hour to complete, depending on which updates are needed.
However, Square apps updates are also released independently every 2-4 weeks, which can result in your Square apps running different versions on Square Terminal. Independent Square apps updates normally take up to 10 minutes to complete.
Square Terminal will only update the app you are logged into; keeping the speed of software updates fast and the size small so you can get back to running your business. If you are logging into another app for the first time, you’ll be prompted to update upon login.
The following Square apps are available on Square Register:
- Square Point of Sale
- Square for Restaurants POS app
- Square Retail POS app
- Square Appointments POS
Points of sale
1.75% for each contactless payment, chip and PIN payment, or swiped magstripe card through Square Terminal and the Square Point of Sale or Square for Retail app.
Learn more about Square’s fees.
You can connect your Square Terminal as a customer-facing display to a compatible smartphone, Square Stand, iPad, or tablet. Check your device compatibility.
Square Terminal will connect to the Square Retail app on compatible iOS devices only. Check your device compatibility.
You can connect Square Terminal to the Square Point of Sale app and the Square for Retail app. Square for Restaurants, Square Invoices and Square Appointments are not yet supported.
Yes, you can plug Square Reader into your Square Stand via the dock and connect the Square Terminal to your iPad wirelessly.
Yes. Learn how to connect Square Terminal to Virtual Terminal on your computer.
Once you connect your Square Terminal to a device, it will stay on a “Powered by Square” screen. From there, you’ll be able to change your settings and access support resources. Simply swipe from the left to the middle of the screen to access the menu.
Payments accepted on Square Terminal automatically appear on your online Square Dashboard and sync across all Square devices logged in to your business location.