How to Use Square to Accept Credit Card Payments

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: May 6, 2021

This wikiHow teaches you how to install and use the Square Point of Sale card reader and app. Square takes 2.75 percent of each credit card transaction.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Acquiring the Card Reader

1
Go to Square's website. It's located at https://squareup.com/.
2
Click SIGN UP WITH SQUARE. It's a blue button in the middle of the page.

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3
Fill out your account information. To create an account with Square, you'll need to create the following sign-in credentials:
- Email address - Type in an active email address (e.g., your work email address) in the "Enter your email" and "Confirm your email" fields.
- Password - Type in a password to use with your Square account in the "Create a password" field.
- Country - Select your country of residence from the "Country" drop-down menu.
4
Click CONTINUE. This blue button is on the right side of the page.
5
Enter your business information. This includes the following:
- Type of business - Select a business type from the "What type of business is it?" box.
- Business name - Type your business' name into the "What is your business name?" box.
- Estimated annual revenue - Select your company's projected annual income from the "Estimated annual revenue" box.
- Number of employees - Select a number of employees from the "Does your business have any employees?" box.
- Business category - Choose a category from the "Business Category" box. If you can't find a relevant category, click Other.
- You can also select a reason for using Square in the "How do you plan to use Square?" drop-down menu if you like.
6
Click CONTINUE. It's on the right side of the page.
7
Enter your personal information. This includes the following:
- Legal first and last name
- Home address
- Zip code
- City
- State
- Date of birth
- Last four digits of your Social Security Number
- Phone number
8
Click CONTINUE.
9
Add your bank account details. You'll need to enter the following information:
- Name
- Type of account (e.g., Checking)
- Your routing number
- Your account number (twice)
10
Click CONTINUE. This will take you to the card reader selection page, where you can choose one of the two card readers:
- Square Contactless + Chip Reader - Costs between $29 and $49 depending on available deals. This package includes a chip reader for modern cards and a contactless reader for mobile pay methods.
- Square Magstripe Reader - Free. Contains a traditional card reader.
11
Click a reader option, then click CONTINUE. This will take you to the card reader checkout.
12
Click the "I want a reader mailed to me" option. It's a box on the right side of the page.
- If you're purchasing a reader, you'll need to enter your payment information (e.g., your card number).
- You can also click the "I need a reader today" option and enter your Zip code to see a list of nearby retailers who sell readers. Square will reimburse you for the cost.
13
Make sure that the shipping address is correct. Square will use your previously supplied home address by default.
14
Click CONTINUE. Your Square card reader will ship to your provided address within 10 days.^{[1]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Using Square

1
Download Square Point of Sale. You can do so on iPhone or Android.
2
Attach the card reader. It will plug into your phone's or tablet's headphone jack.
- If your device doesn't have a headphone jack, you'll first need to purchase an adapter from Amazon or your phone's specific store.
- If you're using the Square contactless reader, first connect it to your phone or tablet.
3
Open Point of Sale. The Square POS icon is white with a grey square and a grey cube in the middle.
4
Tap Sign In. It's a white button toward the bottom of the screen.
5
Enter your email address and password. These are the credentials you used to create your Square account.
6
Tap Sign In. As long as your email address and password correlate, you'll be signed into your Square account.
7
Allow Square access to your phone's information. Square requires access to your phone's microphone, location services, and push notifications. To do so, tap each item (e.g., Enable Microphone), then confirm by tapping OK.
8
Tap Start using Point of Sale. It's at the bottom of the screen.
9
Enter an amount to charge. There isn't a decimal point button, so you'll type without it (e.g., type "4200" for a $42.00 purchase).
10
Tap Charge [Amount]. It's at the top of the screen. As long as your card reader is connected, doing so will open the card interface.
11
Have a customer swipe or insert their credit card. If they're paying with Apple Pay or a similar service, they'll simply need to hold their phone or card face-down over the contactless card reader.
- If the purchase exceeds $99.99, they'll first have to enter their PIN.
12
Wait for a checkmark to appear on your device. Once it does, your payment is complete.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Connecting a Contactless Reader

1
Enable your phone's Bluetooth. To do so, open your iPhone's or Android's Settings, tap Bluetooth, and slide Bluetooth right to the "On" position.
2
Open Square Point of Sale. It's a white app with grey squares on it.
3
Tap ☰. It's in the top-left corner of the screen.
4
Tap SETTINGS. You'll see this option in the pop-out window on the left side of the screen.
5
Tap Card Readers. It's in the middle of the screen.
6
Tap Connect a Reader. This option is at the top of the screen.
7
Tap Square Contactless + Chip Reader. It's the only option on this page.
8
Press and hold the reader's power button. This is the circular button on the back of the reader. You'll want to hold it down for around three seconds.^{[2]
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9
Wait for four orange lights to begin flashing. These are on the front of the contactless reader.
10
Release the button. This should complete the pairing process. Your contactless reader is now connected to your device.
- If your reader goes to sleep at any time, simply press the reader's power button to wake it back up.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I enter a credit card number without the card?

Community Answer

You'll need to manually enter the number, expiration date, and CV.
Question

Does Square only work with WiFi? Can it be used with a mobile network also?

Community Answer

It should work with a mobile network. In later versions of the app, you are able to save it in an offline mode until you have access to WiFi.
Question

When I first log into Square it ask me to charge $1 using my credit card, is this just a test?

Seth Friesen

Community Answer

Yes, this is just a walk-through to help you familiarize yourself with the system. If you don't want to complete the walk-though, which I recommend you do, just tap the x on the right side of the message, and tap "end walk through."

Warnings

If your phone or tablet lacks a headphone jack, you will need to purchase a lightning- or USB-to-3.5mm adapter.

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