What to do if a terminal is offline
An offline terminal is almost always power or network. Work through this list top to bottom — each step fixes the most common remaining cause.
Before you start
- Know where the terminal's power and network connections are (Wi-Fi or ethernet).
Steps
- Check the terminal screen — If it's dark, fix power first. If it shows an error, note the exact message.
- Restart the terminal — Power it fully off and on. Wait for it to finish booting before testing.
- Check the network — Confirm the terminal is on the same network as the register — a router reboot often reconnects stubborn terminals.
- Retry from the POS — Ring a small test and send it to the terminal again.
- Take other payments meanwhile — Cash and gift cards still work while card processing is down — don't stop the line.
Common mistakes
- Re-registering or factory-resetting the terminal before checking power and network.
- Retrying a charge many times in a row — check with the customer's bank app before assuming none went through.
Troubleshooting
Terminal is online but the POS times out talking to it.
Confirm the terminal is assigned to that station and both are on the same network, then restart both.
A payment was interrupted mid-charge.
Check the order's payment status in the back office before charging again, to avoid a double charge.
When to contact support
- The terminal shows an unfamiliar error after a restart.
- You suspect a customer was double-charged.
Reach us any time from the Contact Support form.