Tap & Chip Reader
On this page
- Available only from Shopify
- Card reader requirements
- Supported payment types
- Where to buy the Tap & Chip Reader
- Security features
- Power the Tap & Chip Reader on and off
- Charge the Tap & Chip Reader
- Pair and connect the Tap & Chip Reader to your POS device
- Unpair the Tap & Chip Reader from your POS device
- Accept a tap payment with the Tap & Chip Reader
- Accept a chip payment with the Tap and Chip Reader
- Refunding or exchanging with the Tap and Chip Reader
- Troubleshoot the Tap & Chip Reader
- Troubleshoot a card reader update
- Troubleshoot payment acceptance
- Shopify Dock for the Tap & Chip Reader
- Shopify Tap & Chip iPhone case
Available only from Shopify
The Shopify Tap & Chip Reader is an EMV-compliant card reader that connects wirelessly to your iPad, iPhone, or Android device in the United States. You can use Shopify's Tap & Chip Reader to accept contactless and chip card payments with the Shopify POS app.
Card reader requirements
To connect the Tap & Chip Reader, you need to meet the following requirements:
- If your store is based in the United States, then you need to use an iOS or Android operating system.
- Have Shopify Payments activated as your retail store's payment provider and test mode turned off.
- Your physical retail locations are based in the same country that your store is based in
- You're selling in USD (if based in the United States)
- Have the Shopify POS app installed.
The Shopify POS app works with devices that meet the following requirements:
Device | Description |
---|---|
iPad | Generation 5 or higher running iPadOS 15 or higher |
iPad Air | Generation 2 or higher running iPadOS 15 or higher |
iPad mini | Generation 4 or higher running iPadOS 15 or higher |
iPad Pro | All iPad Pro models running iPadOS 15 or higher |
iPhone | iPhone 7 or higher running iOS 15 or higher |
POS Go | POS Go running the latest Shopify-provided software updates |
Android | Phone or tablet running official Android version 10.0 or higher, with Google Play Services and Google Mobile Services enabled |
The Shopify POS app is available for only iOS and Android devices. It's not available for laptop or desktop computers.
iOS 14 permission requirements
If you update your device to iOS 14 or higher and use third-party Shopify apps, then you might need to activate Cross-Website tracking in your iOS settings. Cross-Website tracking lets third-party Shopify apps that you install in your Shopify admin stay connected in Shopify Inbox, Shopify Point of Sale, and the Shopify app.
To activate Cross-Website tracking, complete the following steps:
- Open the Settings app on your device.
- Tap Shopify, Shopify POS, or Shopify Inbox.
- Activate Allow Cross-Website Tracking.
Supported payment types
You can use the Tap & Chip Reader to accept payments from the following payment types:
- Visa and Visa Debit
- Mastercard and Debit Mastercard
- American Express
- Discover (only for locations in United States, Canada, and United Kingdom)
- Diners Club (only for locations in United States, Canada, and United Kingdom)
- JCB (only for locations in United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand)
- Union Pay (only for locations in United States and Canada)
- eftpos (Australia only)
- Interac (Canada only)
Most national debit cards such as Interac, girocard, or eftpos cards that are co-badged with Visa or Mastercard can process payments outside the card issuer's country using Visa and Mastercard. Some co-badged debit cards that don't process payments through Mastercard or Visa might not work outside the card issuer's country.
On hardware that supports contactless payments, customers might also present any supported card brand that they've loaded on a digital wallet such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
Where to buy the Tap & Chip Reader
The Tap & Chip Reader is available from the Shopify Hardware Store in supported countries.
Security features
If the reader is tampered with, dropped with a severe impact, or connected to an unstable power source, then the reader enters a tampered state. Tampered state is indicated by red LEDs illuminated on both the left and right of the reader.
After the reader has entered the tampered state, it becomes unusable and needs to be replaced.
Power the Tap & Chip Reader on and off
To turn on the Tap & Chip Reader, press and release its power button. The status lights should turn on and display the battery level. If you've already paired and connected the reader with your POS device, then the reader automatically reconnects to the device.
After 8 hours of inactivity, the Tap & Chip Reader goes to sleep. You need to press and release the power button to wake the card reader again. If you press and hold the power button for 4 seconds or more, then the reader resets any Bluetooth pairing it had, and needs to be paired again.
To prevent the Tap & Chip Reader from going into sleep mode, ensure that it's plugged into a continuous power source.
Charge the Tap & Chip Reader
You can charge the Tap & Chip Reader by using the USB cable that's supplied with it. To charge the reader, plug the small end of the USB connector into the card reader, and then plug the large end into a phone charger or computer.
The reader also charges when placed in the Tap & Chip Reader dock. The USB cable supplied with the dock must be plugged into a phone charger or computer.
The Tap & Chip Reader takes 1-2 hours to charge fully. After the reader's fully charged, its battery should last for a week of selling.
Press and release the power button to display the reader's battery level on the four status lights:
● ● ● ● | Full charge |
● ● ● ○ | 75% charge |
● ● ○ ○ | 50% charge |
● ○ ○ ○ | 25% charge |
● ○ ○ ○ (red) | Low battery |
● ❂ ○ ○ (flashing) | Charging |
Pair and connect the Tap & Chip Reader to your POS device
To use the card reader with Shopify POS, you need to pair the reader with your device through Shopify POS. After the reader and device are paired, the reader automatically connects to the device whenever both are turned on and in range.
Steps:
- Press and release the power button to turn on the reader.
- In Shopify POS, tap ☰ > Settings > Set up hardware.
- Tap Card reader.
- On the Select Reader page, tap Tap & Chip.
- Press and hold the power button on the card reader for 4 seconds, then release. The 4 LED indicator lights across the top flash back and forth to indicate that the reader is ready for pairing. Make sure that you release the power button when the LED lights flash back and forth in blue. If you continue holding the power button, then the reader turns off.
- When the card reader displays in the Available card readers section, tap Connect.
Unpair the Tap & Chip Reader from your POS device
You can use the Tap & Chip Reader with only one device at a time. If you want to use the card reader with another device, then you need to first unpair it from its current device.
Steps:
- From Shopify POS, tap ☰, and then tap Settings.
- Tap Manage connected hardware.
- Tap the name of your connected card reader.
- Tap Forget card reader.
- Go to your device's Bluetooth settings and forget the reader from the list of previously connected devices.
Accept a tap payment with the Tap & Chip Reader
You can use the Tap & Chip Reader to accept contactless tap payments.
For some card types, contactless payments might be limited to purchases under a specified amount. To make purchases for larger amounts, a customer can insert the card.
Steps:
- From the Shopify POS, tap Checkout. If the Tap & Chip Reader is connected and ready, then Shopify POS displays Tap or insert card and the leftmost light on the reader should turn on.
- Tap the contactless payment card or device on the face of the card reader and hold it in place until the four blue notification lights display. When Shopify POS displays a Payment approved message, the transaction is complete.
Accept a chip payment with the Tap and Chip Reader
You can use the Tap & Chip Reader to accept chip card payments.
Steps:
- From the Shopify POS, tap Checkout. If the Tap & Chip Reader is connected and ready, then Shopify POS displays Tap or insert card and the leftmost light on the reader should turn on.
- Allow the customer to insert their card. The chip should face up, towards the Shopify logo.
- If an account selection is required, then the customer must select if they're using their checking or savings account. Depending on the bank that the customer uses, they might also be prompted to select which language to complete the transaction in.
- Allow the customer to discretely enter their PIN or signature on the entry screen. After the customer completes the entry of their PIN, they should tap the green button with the checkmark icon.
- The customer can remove their card as soon as Remove card displays on the screen.
- When the transaction is successful, choose whether to provide a receipt, and then tap Done. The POS app will complete the transaction and go back to the home screen.
Refunding or exchanging with the Tap and Chip Reader
Refunds are available for Interac debit. To prevent fraud, the refund must be made in person with the debit card present. If the customer used an Interac card attached to a digital wallet, such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, then the original device used must be present. You can't refund a purchase to a different payment than what was originally used, nor can you refund the purchase in cash. Refunds can't be completed through the Shopify admin.
Exchanges can only be made by merchants who use Shopify POS Pro.
Troubleshoot the Tap & Chip Reader
If your card reader isn't working, then investigate the problem using the following steps:
- Verify that you meet the requirements to use the Tap & Chip Reader.
- Verify that you have an internet connection. Shopify POS needs to connect to the internet through Wi-Fi or your device's cellular data to process payments. If you can't connect to the internet, then you need to use a different payment type when you're offline.
- Check your firewall settings
- Make sure that your device has Bluetooth activated and that Shopify POS has the necessary permissions to access the device's Bluetooth.
- Make sure that your device has location services turned on and that the Shopify POS app has the necessary permissions to access your device's location.
- To connect to the Tap & Chip card reader, Shopify Payments test mode needs to be turned off.
- If the reader requires a software update, and the reader doesn't have at least 50% of its battery charged, then the reader won't connect to Shopify POS. Connect the reader's charger and allow it to charge to at least 50% of its battery before reconnecting the reader to Shopify POS.
- In the Shopify POS hardware settings, make sure that the card reader is listed as a connected device. If the card reader isn't connected, then pair the card reader with your device.
- Attempt a pinhole reset of your reader. The pinhole is located on the top of the reader, next to the power button. Insert a thin pointed object, such as the end of a paper clip, into the hole and press down for five seconds to reset the reader. Wait for the card reader's status lights to blink 4 times to indicate that the reader is connected.
If your card reader's still not working, then from your Shopify POS app, send a report to Shopify Support by tapping ☰ > Support > Report a bug. Support will contact you after the report has been submitted.
Troubleshoot a card reader update
If you're updating the card reader through your Shopify POS app and the update freezes, then you must pair the card reader to a different device and try again.
Steps:
- Make sure the reader is plugged into a power source and its battery is charged to at least 50% of its capacity.
- Make sure you're using the latest version of Shopify POS and that your device is connected to internet.
- Close and reopen the Shopify POS app on your device.
- From Shopify POS, unpair the card reader, and then pair the card reader to Shopify POS again.
- Restart the card reader update.
If your card reader isn't working after you have completed these troubleshooting steps, then send a report to Shopify Support by tapping the ☰ symbol > Support > Report a bug. Support will contact you based on your report.
Troubleshoot payment acceptance
If your card reader isn't processing payments, then investigate the problem using the following steps:
- Make sure that you're inserting the card correctly.
- Make sure that the device has location services turned on and that the Shopify POS app has the necessary permissions to access the device's location.
- The Tap & Chip Reader can't process card transactions when Shopify Payments is in test mode. You must deactivate test mode to complete a transaction with a credit card. Learn more about processing test transactions with Shopify POS.
- Force quit the Shopify POS app and then turn off the device. Turn the device back on, open Shopify POS, and make sure that the card reader has reconnected. When the card reader's status light indicates that the reader is connected, try another payment.
- Attempt a pinhole reset of your reader. The pinhole is located on the top of the reader, next to the power button. Insert a thin pointed object, such as the end of a paper clip, into the hole and press down for five seconds to reset the reader. Wait for the card reader's status lights to blink 4 times to indicate that the reader is connected before using it for another payment.
Further troubleshooting tips before sending a report to Shopify Support
- Never blow into the chip slot, as the saliva particles can corrode the chip contacts.
- Don't use an adhesive like a sticky note or tape, as this can leave residue that can collect debris.
- Use a can of compressed air to dislodge any debris inside the chip slot.
- Use isopropyl alcohol and thin cotton swabs to gently clean the contacts in the chip slot.
If your card reader is still not working, then send a report to Shopify Support by tapping ☰ > Support > Report a bug. Support will contact you after the report has been submitted.
Shopify Dock for the Tap & Chip Reader
The dock for the Tap & Chip Reader provides the following benefits:
- keeps the reader powered on, when connected to a USB power source
- elevates the reader
- secures the reader to a countertop
The dock is available from the Shopify Hardware Store in the United States.
Attach the Tap & Chip Reader
You need to power on and pair the Shopify Tap & Chip card reader before you insert it into the dock.
Steps:
- Optional: Mount the dock to a countertop using the M5 (0.8 mm) bolt and nut. You need to drill a hole through the countertop. You then screw the bolt through the bottom of the countertop and into the bottom of the dock.
- Remove the end cap from the dock.
- Slide the Tap & Chip Reader into the dock. Make sure that the USB-C connector on the dock connects to the card reader.
- Replace the end cap.
- Connect the power cable to the dock and then to a power source that has a USB-A connector, such as the Shopify Retail Stand.
Shopify Tap & Chip iPhone case
The case is designed to attach the Shopify Tap & Chip reader to the back of your iPhone. This gives you the mobility and ease to take payments without being restricted to a countertop checkout. It also offers protection for your iPhone and card reader.
The case is compatible with the iPhone X and iPhone XS models.
Attaching the case to the iPhone and Shopify Tap & Chip reader
We recommend that you attach the iPhone to the case before you attach the Shopify Tap & Chip reader.
You need to power on and pair the Shopify Tap & Chip reader before you attach it to the case.
Steps:
- Power on the card reader and then pair the card reader to your phone.
- Attach the case to the iPhone.
- Attach the case to the Shopify Tap & Chip reader.
Remove the Shopify Tap & Chip reader from the case before you detach the iPhone.