Terminal Troubleshooting: Common Issues and Quick Fixes

Nothing's worse than a customer standing at the counter, card in hand, and your terminal isn't cooperating. These problems always seem to happen at the worst moments.

This guide helps you quickly diagnose and fix common terminal issues so you can get back to processing payments.

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

When a terminal isn't working, run through this checklist:

☐ Is it powered on? ☐ Is the screen displaying anything? ☐ Is it connected to the network? ☐ Has anything changed recently?

Many issues are simpler than they first appear.

Issue: Terminal Won't Power On

Symptoms

• Screen is black
• No lights
• Completely unresponsive

Quick Checks

For wired/plugged-in terminals:

1. Check power cable at terminal
2. Check power cable at outlet
3. Check outlet works (plug in something else)
4. Check power strip (if using) is on
5. Look for power button on terminal

For battery-powered terminals:

1. Plug into charger
2. Wait 5-10 minutes
3. Try powering on while plugged in
4. Battery may be completely dead

If Still Not Working

• Try different power cable (if available)
• Try different outlet
• Terminal may have hardware failure — contact support

Issue: "Connection Error" or "Network Error"

Symptoms

• Terminal powers on
• Attempts transaction
• Shows connectivity error

Quick Checks

For wired (Ethernet) terminals:

1. Check Ethernet cable is seated firmly
2. Follow cable to switch/router — is it connected?
3. Is network equipment powered and working?
4. Try different network port
5. Try different Ethernet cable

For WiFi terminals:

1. Is WiFi showing connected?
2. Check WiFi network is working (test with phone)
3. Is WiFi password correct?
4. Is terminal within range of access point?
5. Try "forget network" and reconnect

For cellular terminals:

1. Check signal strength on terminal
2. Move to different location (better signal?)
3. Is cellular service active on account?
4. Check SIM card is seated properly

After Connectivity Check

If network seems fine but terminal won't connect:

• Reboot terminal (power cycle)
• Wait 2-3 minutes for full reconnection
• Some terminals have "network test" function — run it

Issue: "Transaction Declined"

Symptoms

• Terminal seems to work
• Card reads
• Transaction gets declined

Distinguish the Problem

Is it the card or the terminal?

Test with a different card:

• If second card works → customer's card issue
• If second card also fails → may be terminal or processor issue

If Card Issue (Other Cards Work)

Customer card problems:

• Insufficient funds
• Card expired
• Card canceled
• Daily limit reached
• Fraud hold on card

You can't fix these. Customer needs different card or to call their bank.

If Terminal/System Issue (Multiple Cards Fail)

Check:

1. Is terminal fully connected?
2. Is there a processor outage?
3. Has anything changed (credentials, configuration)?

Try:

• Process a small test transaction
• Contact processor if all cards declining

Issue: "Card Read Error"

Symptoms

• Card inserted
• Error reading chip
• Prompts to reinsert

Quick Fixes

For chip cards:

1. Remove and reinsert card (firmly, right-side up)
2. Clean card chip with soft cloth
3. Try different card to test reader
4. Look in chip slot for debris

If reader seems faulty:

• Fall back to swipe (if chip reader down)
• Note: swiping chip cards increases fraud liability
• Contact support for reader repair/replacement

For contactless:

1. Make sure customer is tapping right area
2. Have them hold card/phone steady and close
3. Verify contactless is enabled on terminal
4. Test with different contactless method

For mag stripe:

1. Swipe smoothly at steady speed
2. Try different direction
3. Clean stripe reader
4. Clean card stripe with cloth

Issue: "Printer Not Working"

Symptoms

• Transaction completes
• Receipt doesn't print
• Or receipt is blank/garbled

Quick Fixes

1. Check paper:

   • Is paper roll loaded?
   • Is paper loaded correctly (right side out)?
   • Has paper run out?

2. Paper jam:

   • Open printer compartment
   • Remove jammed paper carefully
   • Reload properly
   • Close completely

3. Blank printing:

   • Paper may be loaded wrong side up
   • Thermal paper has a printable side

4. Garbled printing:

   • May be print head issue
   • Try cleaning print head (per manufacturer instructions)
   • May need replacement

Workaround

If printer won't work but you need to process:

• Offer email receipt
• Write down confirmation number
• Process now, fix printer later

Issue: Terminal Freezing/Slow

Symptoms

• Terminal unresponsive
• Takes forever to process
• Screen frozen

Quick Fixes

1. Force reboot:

   • Hold power button until restart
   • Or unplug/remove battery briefly
   • Let it fully restart

2. If consistently slow:

   • Check network speed (slow network = slow transactions)
   • Terminal may need software update
   • Memory may be full (clear old transactions if possible)

3. If freezing repeatedly:

   • Note when it happens (specific action?)
   • May need factory reset
   • May need replacement

Issue: "Incorrect Amount"

Symptoms

• Transaction processes
• Amount is wrong
• Customer notices discrepancy

Immediate Steps

1. Verify what happened:

   • What was entered?
   • What was approved?
   • Check receipt

2. If overcharged:

   • Process refund for difference
   • Or void and reprocess (if same day)

3. If undercharged:

   • Process additional charge (with customer authorization)
   • Or eat the difference (if small)

Prevent Future

• Train on double-checking amounts before confirming
• Use customer-facing display so they see amount
• Implement approval workflow for large transactions

Issue: "Transaction Stuck/Pending"

Symptoms

• Transaction started
• Never completed
• Status unclear

Steps

1. Do NOT reprocess blindly:

   • May result in duplicate charge

2. Check transaction status:

   • Look in terminal's transaction history
   • Check processor portal
   • Was it approved, declined, or timeout?

3. If timeout/unclear:

   • Wait a few minutes (may complete)
   • Check if funds captured (processor portal)
   • Contact processor before reprocessing

4. If duplicate resulted:

   • Refund the extra charge promptly

Issue: DMS/POS Not Showing Transaction

Symptoms

• Terminal processed successfully
• Payment not appearing in DMS

Check

1. Is integration running?

   • Background service active?
   • Any error messages?

2. Is it delayed?

   • Batch integration may take time
   • Wait and check again

3. Did transaction actually succeed?

   • Verify on terminal
   • Verify in processor portal

If Integration Broken

• Manual entry as workaround
• Contact integration support
• Don't delay customer for sync issues

Prevention: Reduce Future Issues

Daily Habits

• Batch out terminals at end of day
• Check for software updates periodically
• Monitor paper levels
• Test one transaction at start of day

Weekly Habits

• Clean terminals (screens, readers)
• Check all terminals are connecting
• Review any issues from the week

Equipment Care

• Don't drop terminals
• Keep away from liquids
• Store in appropriate temperature
• Use appropriate cleaning materials only

When to Call Support

Call your processor/terminal support when:

• Basic troubleshooting doesn't work
• Hardware seems physically damaged
• Repeated issues with same terminal
• Error messages you can't interpret
• Suspected fraud or security issue

Before calling, have ready:

• Terminal serial number
• Description of problem
• What you've already tried
• Error messages (exact wording)

Emergency Backup Plan

If primary terminal fails and can't be fixed quickly:

Options:

• Use backup terminal (do you have one?)
• Use mobile phone reader (if set up)
• Take card info manually (higher risk, use sparingly)
• Accept check or cash only (temporary)

Don't:

• Let customers leave without paying (hoping to fix later)
• Write down full card numbers (PCI violation)

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Get Reliable Terminal Support →

Anchorbase provides responsive support when terminal issues arise. Many problems can be diagnosed and resolved remotely, getting you back to processing quickly.