Set Up Your Receipt Printer
Meadow uses Star Micronics Bluetooth receipt printers. Follow these steps to pair your printer with your iPad and start printing receipts.
What You Need
First, confirm which printer model you are using. Meadow is compatible with the following receipt printers:
Star Micronics TSP143II
Star Micronics MC-Print3
You will also need:
A Star Micronics receipt printer (powered on)
An iPad with the Meadow app installed
A USB cable compatible with your iPad (Lightning or USB-C)
A cash drawer cable (optional, if using a cash drawer)
Step 1: Pair the Printer via USB (Most Common)
Make sure the USB cable is properly connected between the printer and your iPad.
Locate the USB port on the back of the printer.
Plug the USB cable into the printer.
Connect the other end of the cable (Lightning or USB-C, depending on your iPad model) to your iPad.
Once connected, confirm the connection in your iPad Settings
Move Step2
Step 1 (Alternative): Pair the Printer via Bluetooth (Less Common)
Make sure Bluetooth is turned on in your iPad's Settings.
On the back of the printer, press and hold the small red "Pair" button for 6–7 seconds. The light will blink, indicating it's ready to pair.
On the iPad, go to Settings → Bluetooth and select Star Micronics from the list.
The printer is now paired. It will automatically reconnect each time you turn on the iPad.
⚠️ Important: Each receipt printer can only pair with one iPad at a time, and each iPad should only connect to one receipt printer at a time.
Step 2: Connect the Printer in Meadow
Open the Meadow app on your iPad.
Tap Menu (top left).
3. Tap Manage Devices.
4. Select Receipt Printers and choose your Star Micronics printer from the list.
5. Print a test receipt to confirm the connection.
How to Print a Test Receipt
In the Meadow App, go to Receipt Printers
Select the printer you would like to test
Tap Test Print
A sample receipt should print, and your cash drawer (if connected) should open automatically
Step 3: Connect Your Cash Drawer
The cash drawer connects directly to the receipt printer — not to the iPad. When a cash transaction completes, the printer sends a signal to pop the drawer open.
Locate the cable that came with your cash drawer. It has two different-sized plugs.
Plug the small end (phone jack size) into the back of the receipt printer.
Plug the large end into the underside of the cash drawer.
Complete a test transaction to verify the drawer opens.
💡 Tip: There is a small cable inside the cash drawer behind the money tray. If the drawer isn't opening, remove the tray and check that this internal cable is securely connected.
Troubleshooting
Bluetooth Printer Won't Pair or Connect
Unpair the printer from all iPads: Go to Settings → Bluetooth, tap the (i) next to Star Micronics, and select "Forget This Device." Repeat on every iPad that has been connected to this printer.
Turn off Bluetooth on the iPad.
Reset the printer: Use a pen tip to press and hold the small red "RST" button on the back of the printer for 3 seconds. The printer will reset and print a note about the auto-connection setting.
Turn the printer off and back on.
Turn Bluetooth back on on the iPad and re-pair.
Printer Won't Auto-Reconnect
If the printer doesn't automatically reconnect when you turn on the iPad, the auto-connection setting may be off:
Press and hold the red "RST" button on the back of the printer for a few seconds.
The printer will print a note telling you if auto-connect is on or off.
If it's off, download the Star Setting Utility app from the App Store to manage this setting.
Cash Drawer Won't Open
The cash drawer is controlled by the receipt printer, so if the drawer isn't opening, the issue is usually with the printer connection.
Check the cable: Make sure both ends are securely connected — small plug into the printer, large plug into the drawer.
Check the printer: Make sure the iPad is successfully paired with the printer. Try printing a test receipt.
Check inside the drawer: Remove the money tray and verify the small internal cable is connected to the mechanism that powers the drawer.
Reconnect the printer: If the printer is connected but the drawer still won't open, try unpairing and re-pairing the printer.
Receipts Not Printing
Make sure the printer is powered on and the Bluetooth light is active.
Verify the printer is paired in iPad Settings → Bluetooth.
Check that the printer is selected in Meadow → Menu → Manage Devices.
Make sure the printer has paper loaded.
Check paper roll orientation and reload it.
Try printing a test receipt from Manage Devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
My printer is connected to the iPad via Bluetooth but Meadow doesn't recognize it. What should I do?
Go to Menu → Manage Devices → Receipt Printer in the Meadow app and select your Star Micronics printer. If it doesn't appear there, try forgetting the device in iPad Bluetooth settings, resetting the printer using the RST button, and re-pairing from scratch.
We downloaded a new version of the Meadow app and now our printer doesn't work. How do I fix it?
After updating Meadow, go to Menu → Manage Devices and re-select your receipt printer. If it still doesn't work, forget the printer in iPad Bluetooth settings, restart the iPad, and pair the printer again.
Our receipt printer occasionally doesn't pop the cash drawer, and end-of-shift totals sometimes don't print. What's going on?
This usually means the Bluetooth connection is intermittent. Try unpairing and re-pairing the printer. Also check the cable between the printer and the cash drawer — both ends should be firmly connected. If the issue keeps happening, reset the printer using the RST button.
Can I connect the same receipt printer to multiple iPads?
No. Each receipt printer can only pair with one iPad at a time, and each iPad should only connect to one receipt printer. If you have multiple registers, you'll need a separate printer for each.
How do I set up a second receipt printer for another register?
Pair the second printer to the second iPad following the same steps above. Use the Star Setting Utility app to rename each printer (e.g., "POS1" and "POS2") so you can easily tell them apart.
Still Need Help?
Contact Meadow support via chat or email at support@getmeadow.com.