If your Toast Tap™ card reader is not working, keeps disconnecting, or is forcing manual card entry, run these troubleshooting steps before contacting Customer Care.

Before You Begin

Applies to: Toast Tap™ (Direct Attach), Toast Tap™ (On-Counter), Toast Flex terminal

Permissions needed:

Device administrator access on the Toast Flex terminal
Toast POS app credentials

What you'll accomplish: Restore card reader functionality so your Toast Tap™ can accept tap, dip, and swipe payments through the Toast POS app.

Different reader? This article only covers Toast Tap™ readers used with the Toast Flex terminal. If you have a different device, use the right guide:

Toast Go® handheld with an attached card reader → see Toast Go® 2 Card Reader Not Working
e285, P400, P630, V400m, AMS1, or S1 (UK / Ireland / Canada) → see Identify Your Card Reader Type to find the right setup or troubleshooting article
MagTek or Elo magnetic stripe reader → see Remove Your Magnetic Card Reader (MSR)

Note: Before troubleshooting, verify your Toast Flex terminal is online and connected to your Toast Network. A dropped internet connection often looks like a card reader problem. See Verify Your Internet Connection for more details.

Quick Fix

Match your symptom in the table below. If the quick fix doesn't resolve the issue, jump to the linked step for the full procedure.

Symptom	Most Common Cause	Quick Fix	Self-Service?
Card reader not working at all (no lights, no response)	Reader unplugged, loose USB connection, or USB damage	Reseat the USB cable; check for the green pinhole power light; if no lights at all, swap to a different USB port	Yes — see Step 2 and Step 5
Forced to manually enter card numbers on every payment	Reader is not connected to the Toast POS app	Power cycle the terminal; force-close and reopen the Toast POS app	Yes — see Step 1
Tap or dip payments fail; swipe still works	EMV is not enabled in Device Setup	Enable EMV Enabled in Device Setup	Yes — see Step 6
Card reader test passes but real payments fail in the Toast POS app	Card Reader Support app left open in the background	Force-close the Card Reader Support app	Yes — see Step 3
Reader was working, suddenly keeps disconnecting	Internet drop, USB power issue, or device queue timeout	Verify internet connection; check Device Status > Queues for timeout errors	Yes — see Step 1
"Looking for Card Reader Upgrades" message keeps appearing	A pending firmware update is in progress	Verify device settings in the Device Status menu	Partial — see Persistent Connection or Repeated Errors
"Remove Card From Card Reader" message repeats	Reader's internal connection cable may need reseating	Run all standard troubleshooting steps; if persistent, the internal cable may need reseating — contact Customer Care	Partial — see Persistent Connection or Repeated Errors
Card reader is physically damaged or USB connector is bent	Hardware failure	Stop troubleshooting; contact Customer Care for warranty replacement	No — see Before You Contact Customer Care

Video demonstration of card reader troubleshooting steps.

Step 1: Power Cycle

Power cycling the terminal or printer that the card reader is plugged into is the fastest way to fix most card reader issues. Always try this first if your card reader is not accepting payments.

For card readers plugged directly into the Toast Flex terminal:

Press and hold the power button on the Toast Flex terminal until the device turns off.
Wait 30 seconds.
Press and hold the power button again to restart the terminal.
Open the Toast POS app and run a test card payment.

For Toast Tap™ (On-Counter) readers plugged into a Toast Printer:

Unplug the printer power cord from the wall.
Wait 30 seconds.
Plug the printer power cord back in and press the printer's power button.
Open the Toast POS app and run a test card payment.

Expected outcome: The Toast POS app accepts a credit card payment via tap, dip, or swipe.

If the reader still does not work, continue to Step 2: Check Card Reader Lights.

Step 2: Run a Test

The Card Reader Support app on your Toast Flex terminal lets you test tap, dip, and swipe payments without charging a card. Use it to confirm whether the reader hardware is working. If this is a Dual Card Reader setup, please remove the card reader that is not being tested before proceeding.

Exit Toast App
Open the Card Reader Support app from the Home Screen.
1. For devices with Launcher, navigate to Use Toast Launcher for navigation
2. For devices using Locktask, unlock the device shown in Use Kiosk Mode on Your Terminal, then navigate the same as with Launcher.
Wait for the app to initialize the card reader. Does it innitialize?
1. “Error USB_DEVICE_NOT_FOUND” Go to Step 4
2. USB Status: Connected: Continue below
Select each of the three buttons at the top — NFC (tap), Insert (dip), and Swipe — one at a time. Run a test payment with each method using a credit or debit card. The card will not be charged. Use a card that is NFC-enabled (look for the sound wave icon) for the tap test.
If one or more tests fail, repeat the test with a different credit or debit card.
If the reader continues to fail any test, see Before You Contact Customer Care.
Force-close the Card Reader Support app: select the gray square at the bottom of your device's screen and swipe up on the Card Reader Support window to close it.

Important: If you don't force-close the Card Reader Support app, the card reader will not function within the Toast POS app.

Open the Toast POS app and attempt another credit card payment.

Expected outcome: All three test payment methods (NFC, Insert, Swipe) show as successful in the Card Reader Support app, and the Toast POS app accepts a real credit card payment.

If the credit card payment does not register in the Toast POS app, continue to Step 4: Clear the Cache.

Step 3: Clear the Cache

Clearing the cache forces the Toast POS app to reload its connection to the card reader.

Select the gray circle at the bottom of your device's screen and open the Clear Cache shortcut.
1. For devices with Launcher go Use Toast Launcher for navigation
2. For devices using Locktask, unlock device shown in Use Kiosk Mode on Your Terminal, then navigate the same as with Launcher.
Select Clear Cache.
Select the gray square at the bottom of your device's screen and swipe up on the Clear Cache window to close it.
Open the Toast POS app and attempt another credit card payment.

Note: For a more thorough cache clear, you can navigate to Settings > Apps > Toast POS > Storage and select Clear Cache.

Expected outcome: The Toast POS app accepts a credit card payment via tap, dip, or swipe.

If the card reader still does not work, continue to Step 5: Swap USB Ports.

Step 4: Swap USB Ports

Switching the card reader to a different USB port on the Toast Flex terminal can resolve issues caused by a bad port or loose connection.

If the Toast Tap™ is screwed in, carefully unscrew it. Otherwise, unplug the card reader from its USB port.
The Toast Flex terminal has several USB ports on the top, left, and right sides. Choose an available port. You may need to remove a small cover plate.
Plug the Micro-USB or USB cable from the Toast Tap™ firmly into the new USB port.
If the cable has a mounting plate, screw it securely to the terminal or guest-facing display so the connection stays stable.
For Toast Tap™ (On-Counter): also confirm that the cable is securely plugged into the port on the bottom of the Toast Tap™ device itself.
Open the Card Reader Support app and run a test payment by tapping, dipping, and swiping a credit card.

Note: For Toast Tap™ (On-Counter), if the problem continues, and if this is currently plugged into the printer, try using the micro USB to micro USB cable that comes with the Toast Tap to plug into the Terminal or Guest Facing Display.

Expected outcome: The card reader is recognized in the new port and successfully passes a test payment.

If the reader shows a solid blue light but still fails the test, repeat the steps in any other available USB port you have not yet tried. Systematically checking each port helps identify whether a specific port is the problem. If all ports fail, continue to Step 6: Verify EMV Is Enabled.

Step 5: Verify EMV Is Enabled

EMV must be enabled to accept chip and dip payments. If tap or dip payments fail but swipe works, EMV is likely disabled.

In the Toast POS app, select the arrow in the upper-left corner until you reach the main menu.
Scroll down and select Device Setup.
Locate and select the EMV Enabled setting near the bottom of the page.
If EMV Enabled is not already set to Yes, select Yes and then select Continue. Download an update if prompted.
Select the arrow in the upper-left corner to return to a service mode.
Attempt another credit card payment in the Toast POS app.

Expected outcome: Chip and tap payments succeed in the Toast POS app.

If the credit card payment does not register, continue to Step 7: Reset USB Detection.

Step 6: Reset USB Detection

If the card reader still doesn't work after a port swap, reset USB detection on the terminal.

Navigate to Settings > About Device > USB Detection.
Select Reset All.
Restart the Toast Flex terminal.
After the terminal restarts, test the card reader functionality with a real credit card payment.

Expected outcome: The Toast Flex terminal recognizes the card reader and processes a payment successfully.

If the card reader still does not work, see Persistent Connection or Repeated Errors and Before You Contact Customer Care.

Persistent Connection or Repeated Errors

Some card reader problems point to a hardware or firmware issue that the standard troubleshooting steps cannot fix. Use this section to identify your scenario.

Card Reader Intermittently Disconnects

If the card reader disconnects intermittently but passes initial tests, the problem is usually the USB port, the cable, or an internet drop.

Test the card reader in a different USB port on the Toast Flex terminal (see Step 4: Swap USB Ports).
Replace or reset USB cables as needed to ensure a stable connection.
Verify the terminal's internet connection (see Verify Your Internet Connection).

"Remove Card From Card Reader" Repeats

If the Remove Card From Card Reader prompt repeats:

Inspect and clean the card reader of any debris
Complete the basic troubleshooting steps above (Step 1 through Step 6).

"Looking for Card Reader Upgrades" Error

If you see the Looking for Card Reader Upgrades error:

Verify your device settings in the Device Status menu.
A BBPOS firmware update may be in progress on your reader. If the update has failed, power cycle the terminal and try again. See BBPOS Card Reader Firmware Updates.
If the update continues to fail or the error persists after a power cycle, contact Customer Care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my card reader not working?

Card readers usually stop working for one of three reasons: a loose USB connection, a software issue in the Toast POS app, or a hardware failure. Start with Step 1: Power Cycle and work through the steps in order. If the reader fails the Card Reader Support app test, the reader hardware is broken and needs to be replaced.

Why is my Toast Tap™ forcing me to manually enter card numbers?

Forced manual entry usually means the Toast POS app cannot detect the card reader. Power cycle the Toast Flex terminal (see Step 1) and force-close any open apps including Card Reader Support (see Step 2). If manual entry continues, run through the rest of the troubleshooting steps.

My card reader test passes, but real payments still fail. What's wrong?

If the Card Reader Support app test passes but the Toast POS app still fails to take payments, the Card Reader Support app is most likely still open in the background. Force-close the Card Reader Support app, then attempt a payment again. See Step 2: Run a Test for the close procedure.

Does this article cover Toast Go® card readers?

No. This article covers Toast Tap™ (Direct Attach) and Toast Tap™ (On-Counter) readers used with the Toast Flex terminal. For Toast Go® handheld card readers, see Toast Go® 2 Card Reader Not Working or Get Help With Your Toast Go® 2 Handheld.

Can I troubleshoot a Guest Pay or dual reader setup with this article?

This article covers single-reader troubleshooting. For Guest Pay and dual reader functionality, see Guest Pay and Dual Reader Functionality with Toast Tap™.

Before You Contact Customer Care

If you've completed Steps 1 through 6 and your card reader still does not work — or if any of the following apply — contact Customer Care for hardware replacement options:

The USB connector on the card reader is bent or broken.
The card reader has no power light in any USB port.
The Card Reader Support app test fails on multiple cards in multiple ports.
The card reader was working previously and has now physically failed (overheating, melted connector, no response).

Have the following ready when you contact Customer Care:

The card reader serial number (printed on a label on the device).
The Toast Flex terminal serial number.
A summary of which troubleshooting steps you have already completed.
A description of the symptom (no power, fails test payments, intermittent disconnects, repeated error message).

For warranty information, see Toast's limited warranty policy. To order a replacement, visit Toast Shop.

To open a Customer Care ticket, see Contact Customer Support.