Tap & Chip Card Reader issue (2 red blinking lights)

Retail & Point of Sale

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.

Summarized with AI on October 24. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
3

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.