Why does my card reader keep disconnecting from POS app on iPhone?

Payments + Shipping & Fulfilment

Topic summary

Recurring Bluetooth (BT) disconnects between Shopify’s WisePad card reader and the Shopify POS (point of sale) app on iPhone/iPad prevent setup and disrupt checkouts. Initial setup shows “BT Disconnected,” and some users must repeatedly re-pair.

Troubleshooting shared:

  • Charge the reader, keep it close to the device, toggle iOS Bluetooth, restart iPhone/reader, forget/re-pair the reader, and update the Shopify POS app. Contact Shopify Support if unresolved.

Notable finding:

  • Ensure Shopify Payments is not in Test mode. In Test mode, the WisePad will not connect.

Ongoing issues and sentiment:

  • Multiple users report random disconnects during or between customer checkouts, even after following all steps. Some resort to restarting the POS tablet. Several regret switching to WisePad due to reliability and request a hardwired (non‑Bluetooth) option or suggest using non‑Bluetooth readers.

Status:

  • No confirmed fix or official resolution in the thread. Actionable items are limited to standard troubleshooting and verifying Shopify Payments is out of Test mode; users are asking for a more permanent solution or update.
Summarized with AI on December 19. AI used: gpt-5.
1

Received my card reader from Shopify (thinking it would be easy and simple to have everything integrated in one place) About to open a shop next week, and can’t even get the card reader to connect to my Shopify POS app on my iPhone. Haven’t even made it past the initial set up phase, keeps saying ‘BT Disconnected’

does anyone know how to fix this??

2

If you’re experiencing trouble connecting your Shopify card reader to the Shopify POS app on your iPhone and it shows a “BT Disconnected” error, here are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:

  1. Ensure that your card reader is fully charged: Make sure your card reader has enough battery power to establish a Bluetooth connection. Charge it using the provided cable if needed.

  2. Check your iPhone’s Bluetooth settings: Go to your iPhone’s settings and navigate to the Bluetooth section. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled. If it’s already enabled, try toggling it off and on again to refresh the connection.

  3. Restart your iPhone and the card reader: Sometimes, restarting your devices can help resolve connectivity issues. Power off your iPhone and turn it back on. Additionally, power off the card reader by holding down the power button, then turn it on again.

  4. Forget and re-pair the card reader: In your iPhone’s Bluetooth settings, find the entry for the card reader and tap on the (i) icon next to it. Choose the option to “Forget This Device” or “Disconnect”. Afterward, follow the instructions provided by the card reader to put it into pairing mode and reconnect it to your iPhone.

  5. Update the Shopify POS app: Ensure that you have the latest version of the Shopify POS app installed on your iPhone. Go to the App Store and check for any available updates.

  6. Contact Shopify Support: If you’ve tried the above steps and are still unable to connect the card reader, it’s recommended to reach out to Shopify Support for further assistance. They have dedicated experts who can help troubleshoot and resolve specific issues related to your setup.

When contacting Shopify Support, make sure to provide them with detailed information about the steps you’ve taken and any error messages you’re encountering. This will help them understand the problem and provide you with the appropriate solution.

Remember to keep your card reader and iPhone close to each other during the setup process to ensure a strong Bluetooth connection.

3

I have the same issue. And yes the above solutions work but thats not the issue. The issue is that it keeps disconnecting. And everytime a customer wants to pay I have to go through the above steps. I think this is a reason not to buy and use the shopify card reader and the mpop drawer. Rather use a non bluetooth solution.

7 Likes
4

You probably solved it already but for others this might help: besides the troubleshoot steps already mentioned.. be sure your Shopify Payments is not set as ‘testmode’. In testmode you can’t connect the wisepad and it took me hours and hours before I found this out :wink:

1 Like
5

Would love a hardwired option. Have been using Shopify POS for months and have 4 card readers trying to solve the issue of them disconnecting with no luck. They litteraly disconnect between checking out customers for no reason at all.

5 Likes
6

100% agree! I starting to regret making this purchase. It’s more expensive than the small card reader and the small card reader was way more reliable.

1 Like
7

This is so ridiculous I changed to Shopify wisepad in order to streamline checkout process in the physical store however I now have to restart the pos tablet randomly throughout the day, this is an issue I never encountered using 3rd party card readers!

Is there an actual solution or update to this fault other than regurgitated troubleshooting steps?

8

i have had the Tap and Chip card reader (i’m assuming the “small” card reader you are referring to) and I literally cannot imagine a more flaky unreliable device than it, so I am a bit shocked to read these words. I have been going through support for just over 12 months now about this issue. It has never once worked! I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. Every time I see one in the wild too around my city I ask the clerk if they have had trouble with theirs and they have all responded yes (huge red flag but I was already 4 months into my struggle the first time this happened.) Its ridiculous there isn’t a hardwired option. C’mon Shopify.