I’m having persistent issues connecting a new Epson TM-m30III receipt printer to Shopify POS on both iPadOS and Android, and I’d love to know if anyone else has encountered this recently.
Summary
The printer appears correctly in the POS “Available printers” list, but when I select it, Shopify POS shows “Adding printer…” for about 10 seconds and then fails with “Unable to pair printer. Please try again.”
This happens on both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections.
Test environment
Printer: Epson TM-m30III
Firmware 13.15 (ESC/POS)
TM-i Firmware 01.36
This printer is currently purchased directly from the official Shopify Hardware Store, as part of the official Shopify POS hardware kit.
iPad: 9th Generation, iPadOS 18.7.2
Latest Shopify POS version (installed from App Store)
Also newly bought and chosen because this model is listed as compatible with Shopify POS and fits in the official Shopify POS iPad stand.
Android: Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e, Android 11
Shopify POS 10.15.1
Tests performed
Printer factory-reset (prints “Resetting to Factory Defaults”).
Shopify POS app fully deleted and reinstalled on both devices.
All firmware and software updated to the latest versions.
Printer discovered via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on both devices.
Multiple connection attempts made — same result every time.
Epson TM Utility app works perfectly on both devices via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (test receipts print successfully).
Additional info
“Allow Cross-Site Tracking” is enabled on iPad.
I already spoke with someone from Shopify Retail Support on Nov 22, 2025, who confirmed the troubleshooting steps and asked me to submit a bug report via the POS app (done from both devices).
Observation
Because this happens on two operating systems and two connection types, while the printer works fine with Epson’s own app, this strongly points to a Shopify POS compatibility issue with the latest Epson TM-m30III firmware (13.15 / TM-i 01.36).
Request
Has anyone else experienced this issue after updating their TM-m30III firmware?
Could a Shopify staff member confirm whether this is a known issue or whether a patch is planned?
I’d be happy to provide logs or videos if needed.
This issue currently blocks all receipt printing in-store.
Thanks for your message — it’s actually helpful to hear that someone else is experiencing the same issue.
We don’t have other Shopify POS customers using this printer yet, so unfortunately I can’t compare firmware versions. I submitted a detailed bug report to Shopify on November 22, and I’m still waiting for a response from their technical team.
I was also hoping that this post would attract more users who could confirm whether they’re seeing the same problem. If I hear anything back from Shopify or get new information, I’ll definitely post an update here.
I wanted to post a full follow-up because I’ve finally resolved the issue after working with Shopify Retail Support (Nathan S.) and performing some additional testing.
Summary of the problem
The Epson TM-m30III (Firmware 13.15 ESC/POS, TM-i 01.36) could not connect to the Shopify POS app via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi on either iPadOS 18.7.2 or Android 11.
The printer always appeared in the available printers list.
When selected, Shopify POS showed “Adding printer…” for about 10 seconds.
Then it failed with “Unable to pair printer. Please try again.”
The Bluetooth/Wi-Fi LED turned solid, so the handshake started but never completed.
The printer worked fine with the Epson TM Utility app, confirming the hardware was OK.
Root cause
Shopify’s retail specialist Nathan S. confirmed that this behavior is related to Epson’s RED (Radio Equipment Directive) security compliance changes introduced in the latest firmware.
When the printer’s internal Security Mode is set to RED, it enforces stricter Bluetooth/Wi-Fi encryption that currently breaks the handshake with Shopify POS.
This can be verified by printing a Status Sheet using Epson’s instructions:
Open the paper roll cover.
Hold down the Feed button for one second.
Close the cover to print the initial report.
Press Feed twice quickly, then hold it once more for one second.
On the printout, look for a line showing “Security Mode: RED.”
I applied the workaround recommended by Shopify and Epson, and it solved the issue immediately.
Here’s exactly what I did (tested successfully on Android, and I’ll confirm iPad tomorrow — but it should behave the same):
Connect to the printer via Bluetooth using the Epson TM Utility app.
In the app, go to Change Printer Settings.
Enter the admin password (printed on the sticker at the back of the printer).
Scroll down to Various Settings → Secure Printing.
Change the setting from “Enabled” → “Disabled.”
Go back one page and tap “Apply settings to printer.”
Once the printer restarts, forget it on your Android/iPad Bluetooth list.
Reboot the printer.
Put the printer back into Bluetooth discovery mode and re-add it through the Shopify POS app.
After doing this, the printer paired instantly and now prints correctly from Shopify POS.
The connected cash drawer (wired through the printer) also works normally again.
Notes
This was tested on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e (Android 11).
I will test it again on my iPad 9th Gen (iPadOS 18.7.2) tomorrow, but I expect identical results since both platforms failed before disabling “Secure Printing.”
My printer’s Security Mode indeed showed as RED before applying this fix.
Conclusion
The issue was caused by Epson’s new RED security mode introduced for compliance with EU regulations.
Disabling Secure Printing (thus lowering the connection security level) restores compatibility with Shopify POS.
Thanks to Nathan S. from Shopify Retail Support for confirming the cause and providing the RED workaround.
Hopefully this post helps others encountering the same problem!
You have no idea how many hours I was struggling with this problem (i.e. connection lost immediately after installing the printer whether it was BT, WiFi or LAN).
This detailed instruction how to disable that setting was a life saver for me.