Tap to Pay on iPhone or POS Go and Case

Shopify Discussion

Topic summary

Multiple users are experiencing issues activating card payment functionality on Shopify POS across two different setups:

POS Go Device Issues:

  • The credit/debit card option appears grayed out with an “Activating reader” message
  • This occurs despite the tap, chip, and swipe readers being built directly into the device
  • At least two users report this identical problem

Tap to Pay on iPhone Issues:

  • iPhone 13 Pro (iOS 16.2) shows “Card Reader unavailable” error when configuring Tap to Pay in Hardware settings
  • Multiple recent iPhones only display limited payment options (Cash, Gift Card, Manual Entry, Venmo QR, Split Payment)
  • Traditional card and Tap to Pay options are missing from the checkout screen
  • When attempting to use another iPhone for payment, it triggers contact sharing instead of Tap to Pay

Current Status:

  • The original poster is on POS Pro trial and needs urgent resolution for an upcoming product show
  • Shopify support has not provided a solution
  • No resolution has been shared in the thread
  • One user speculates this may be intentional to push hardware reader purchases, though this remains unverified
Summarized with AI on October 31. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

I have installed the iOS Shopify POS app, but when I go to configure Tap to Pay in the Hardware settings it errors with a “Card Reader unavailable” message. I have the correct hardware and iOS (iPhone 13 Pro at 16.2).

Similarly, I have a brand new POS Go and Case, after going to checkout the Credit/debit card is gray and says “Activating reader”, but the tap, chip, and swipe are all built into the device.

I am in POS Pro trial right now, but desperately need to be able to read cards for a product show next week. Shopify support has not been able to find a resolution, so checking with the community. Seems like a configuration issue for neither device to be able to get cards working.

Thanks, Stephen

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2

Has anyone resolved this issue yet? I am having the same activating reader error on my POS go

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3

I think I am having the same problem, on two different recent iPhones.

I have the Shopify POS app on both iPhones.

In Checkout, both of them only show “Cash” “Gift Card” “Credit Card Manual Entry” “Venmo QR” and “Split Payment”. No traditional card option, no Tap to Pay option. If I hold another iPhone up to the iPhone running the POS, it tries to initiate contact sharing, not Tap to Pay.

How can we tell if our iPhone is working for Tap to Pay? How do we get the POS app in the right place to accept payment, and the customer phone in the right place to place the payment?

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4

Can you send us how to make sure the POS app can use the Tap to Pay function on the iphones?

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5

I have the same issue. Have you fixed it yet?

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6

bumping this up, I’m also having the same exact issue with tap to pay and hardware

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7

I think they broke this to force you to buy their reader.