Powered up my Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader after having used it only once at a flea market last Summer. All it does now is blink 2 red lights. The first and last in the sequence I believe. I have reset via pinhole button as well as held blue button down at various time durations. Nothing seems to work in getting this equipment reset or working properly. Any help in troubleshooting this issue or ideas on how to receive replacement equipment would be great help.
Topic summary
Multiple users are experiencing a critical failure with Shopify Tap & Chip Card Readers, indicated by two blinking red lights. According to community responses, this signals a “tampered state” that renders the device permanently unusable.
Causes identified:
- Severe drops or impacts
- Unstable power sources
- Metal credit cards (per linked video reference)
- Potential moisture damage
- Some users suspect forced obsolescence via software updates
Resolution:
- Affected readers cannot be repaired and must be replaced
- Official support directs users to troubleshooting guides and contacting Shopify Support
- Warranty replacement success varies: some users report easy replacements (requiring only serial number, photo of blinking lights, and shipping info), while others face pushback with “user error” claims
- One user successfully obtained replacements for 8-month-old devices; uncertainty remains for older units (2-3 years)
Community frustration:
Users express disappointment that normal use scenarios (drops, metal cards) trigger this irreversible failure state. Multiple participants report having 3+ failed readers, with some questioning the design’s durability for retail environments. The issue remains unresolved for several users awaiting support responses.
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Did you ever get a response on this? Mine is doing the same thing.
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Hey, @Loend .
Thank you for joining the thread.
If you’re experiencing issues with the Tap & Chip card reader, then we’d recommend following the solutions on our troubleshooting guide - Troubleshoot the Tap & Chip Reader. If the problem continues to persist, then you can send a report to Shopify Support from the Shopify POS app. Once that’s done, you can contact us through the Shopify Help Center and we’d be happy to take a closer look.
If you have any other questions on this topic, then don’t hesitate to let us know.
Any response on this? I have 3 tap and chips with this very same issue,
Nope…No reply at all.
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I just reported Elias’ comment as a waste of time to all of us who are waiting for an answer for offering no help and disrespecting the time of everyone who is running into this issue.
The two flashing red lights on the Shopify Tap & Chip Reader indicate that the reader has entered a tampered state. This can happen if the reader is tampered with, dropped with a severe impact, or connected to an unstable power source. When in this state, the reader becomes unusable and needs to be replaced. If you are experiencing this issue, you will need to contact a support advisor for further assistance. Basically, you have to buy a new one. Sorry.
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Well, thank you for that information. I now know that I’m just dealing with a failure of design. @Tobias_Lutke any help with this please? I already have 3 readers in this state, and it is quite disappointing that a drop, or a metal card can do this, things that have nothing to do with actual tampering could trigger this state.
Quite honestly, I didn’t think that tagging Mr. Lutke would actually tag him here. #Boss
video reference:
I did not receive that red dots until right after the last update. It happened almost immediately so I did not update the other two that I have. Just like apple, they force you to spend more money, lol.
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I found this “solution” in another forum. Essentially it says it’s broken and needs to be replaced. User experiences vary in terms of getting Shopify to replace it as a Warranty claim vs. them blaming User Error.
I experienced the same issue at an event. Both of my chip readers failed simultaneously and began blinking red lights. It’s very unusual that they would both enter a “tempered” state at the same time, especially since I never dropped them and always used the docking station to charge them. I’ve opened a ticket with Shopify, and they will be sending me replacements. Apparently, once you’ve got the dual blinking lights, your chip reader is done.
How old were they? Wondering if they would replace mine which are 2-3 years old.
They are about 8 months old. The only thing they asked was serial number (no receipt) , pic that the chip reader is flashing and then your name and mailing address. Try it out and see
I i was putting my card reader in my wet book bag my book bag was not wet in the morening until the charge port got wet I cant repare cant charge none of that its gone forever
my card reader was 1-5 years old