Knowledge Base › Payments & cards
The card reader isn't responding
What to check when the card reader doesn't wake up, doesn't answer the POS, or a new reader won't take cards.
While a card payment is waiting, the POS shows Card Reader with "Have the guest insert, tap or swipe their card on the card reader." If the reader never reacts, tap Cancel on the POS and work through these checks.
Quick checks
- Is the reader on and showing its welcome screen? If it's blank or frozen, unplug its power for a few seconds and plug it back in. Give it a minute to start.
- Is its network cable (or Wi-Fi) connected? The reader talks to the terminal over the restaurant's network.
- Try the payment again. If the same terminal keeps failing, try another terminal.
- Meanwhile, take another tender (cash, gift card) or use another terminal so the guest isn't kept waiting.
For managers: check the setup
In the back office, open Hardware > Terminals > the terminal > Hardware and look at the card reader section:
- Card Reader must be set (not None).
- Card Reader IP Address must be the reader's current address. If the reader was moved or replaced, its address may have changed.
- A new or replaced reader needs Push Parameters once. The terminal must be on; the reader restarts and is ready again in about a minute.
If the POS says The card reader needs its parameters pushed first, that's the fix: press Push Parameters.
Good to know
- A message starting with Declined is not a reader problem. See A card was declined.
- If the internet is down, see Card payments while the internet is down.
Related: Terminals.