Is Your Device Enabled for Tap to Pay on iPhone?

This article is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal or tax advice. For specific advice applicable to your business, please contact a professional.

The Square Future of Commerce 2024 Report surveyed business owners and consumers across multiple sectors in Ireland and shows a strong shift toward mobile, social, and online commerce. With nearly half of respondents preferring contactless payments—and 18% considering a lack of this option a dealbreaker—meeting customer expectations is crucial.

Natalie Lobel, owner of Grounded Manchester, has embraced this shift by implementing Tap to Pay on iPhone, especially at high-traffic events like the Manchester Christmas Market. ‘It’s not just the actual technology; it’s the fact that people are just talking to you, and instead of looking around trying to find the square to tap the phone on, they literally just thrust the phone at your phone and tap. And that movement is quicker’, Natalie shared.

Since adopting Tap to Pay on iPhone, her team has streamlined payments and deepened customer engagement, contributing to a 23% increase in sales. This success story highlights how small businesses can leverage tools like Tap to Pay on iPhone, Square for Retail, and Square Point of Sale to accept all in-person, contactless payments—no extra hardware required. Customers can tap a physical card or a mobile wallet like Apple Pay, making checkout quick and convenient.

Here’s what you should consider as you get started with Tap to Pay on iPhone.

Tap to Pay on iPhone Requirements

To accept Tap to Pay on iPhone transactions with Square, you’ll need the following phone models and settings enabled:

• You must have an iPhone 11 or later.
• Update your software to the latest version. You can check this by going to Settings > General > Software Update on your Apple device.
• Connect to Wi-Fi or mobile data.

Before you accept any Tap to Pay on iPhone transactions, head to your online Square Dashboard and ensure your business name is set the way you’d like it to appear for customers under the Accounts & Settings section.

Accepting Tap to Pay on iPhone with Square

How to enable Tap to Pay on iPhone:

1. Open the Square Point of Sale or Square for Retail app.
2. Navigate to More > Settings > Account > Tap to Pay on iPhone > Enable Tap to Pay on iPhone.
3. Enter your Apple ID, and you’re ready to accept contactless payments with Tap to Pay on iPhone.

Once the account owner enables Tap to Pay on iPhone, all team members under the same account with an eligible device can use Tap to Pay on iPhone.

How to take contactless payments:

1. Key in an amount or add an item to your cart as usual, then select Tap to Pay.
2. Ask your customer for a contactless card. You can check if a card is contactless by looking for the contactless symbol on the card.
3. Direct your customer to hold their device or to position their card horizontally at the top of your iPhone over the contactless symbol.
4. When you see the Done check mark, the transaction is being processed.

How to use Apple Pay or other mobile wallets:

1. Download and open the Square app on your iPhone.
2. Enable Tap to Pay on iPhone, then add an item or key in an amount.
3. Present your iPhone to the customer and ask them for a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay.
4. Have your customer hold their device over the top of your iPhone at the front of your phone to pay.
5. When you see the check mark, the transaction is complete.

From your Square POS or Square for Retail POS app:

1. Go to Checkout and add items from your Library, or use the Keypad to enter a custom amount.
2. Tap Review Sale > Charge.
3. Select Tap to Pay on iPhone and position your phone close to your customer. Have them hold their card horizontally over the contactless symbol or any NFC-type devices (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Apple Watch, etc.) to the front of the phone.
4. Once the payment is complete, have your customer choose their desired receipt method.

If you are a Square seller, Tap to Pay on iPhone transactions costs 1.75% + VAT per tap, with the same security as any payment with Square. Rest assured that no customer card information will be stored on your iPhone. You can use this new payment method with your existing Square hardware, and if you use Square Reader for Magstripe, you can enable Tap to Pay on iPhone to accept contactless payments.

Whether you run a family-owned shop, a bustling city café, or a pop-up stall at a local market, embracing Tap to Pay on iPhone with Square makes accepting payments simple while meeting the growing demand for contactless options in Ireland.