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How to restart a Verifone card reader (P400, P200, M400, V400c, V400m)

Restart (reboot) a frozen Verifone Engage card reader or PIN pad: P400, P200, M400, V400c, V400m. A restart keeps your encryption keys; a factory reset does not.

Applies to
Verifone P400, P400 Plus, P200, M400, V400c, V400c Plus, V400m
Last reviewed
Oct 27, 2026 by Abdul Rashid

Ask Allstar AI about this guide

Check first

  • Which model is it? The model name is printed on the front or on the label on the back (P400, P200, M400, V400c, V400m).
  • Is any message on screen that mentions tamper or security? If yes, do not restart; see the tamper guide.
  • Does the screen respond to touch or keys at all, or is it fully frozen?
  • Is the screen just dark? Tap it first; the device may be in screen-saver mode.

To restart a Verifone card reader, hold the red X (Cancel) key and choose Reboot when the prompt appears; on a P400 or P200 you can also hold the green Enter key for about 10 seconds. A restart keeps your encryption keys and settings, so it is safe to try first. A factory reset is different: it wipes the keys, and the terminal must be re-injected before it can take debit or PIN payments again.

This guide covers the Verifone Engage family: P400 and P400 Plus, P200, M400, V400c and V400c Plus, and the V400m portable.

Before you start

  • Let any sale finish, or cancel it on the POS. Pulling power mid-transaction can lose data that was not yet saved.
  • Read the screen first. If it mentions tamper or security, do not restart. Go to the Verifone tamper message guide (listed under related guides) instead.
  • A dark screen may only be screen-saver mode. Tap it before anything else.
  • Restart is not reset. Never run a factory reset or delete keys to fix a frozen reader; contact Allstar support instead.

Steps

  1. Finish or cancel any sale on the POS, then tap the screen once. Expected: the screen wakes up, or it stays frozen and you continue.
  2. Press and hold the red X (Cancel) key. If a prompt offers turn off or reboot, select Reboot. Expected: the device power-cycles. If no prompt appears, it reboots on its own.
  3. P400 or P200 that does not react: hold the green Enter key for about 10 seconds. Expected: the terminal restarts. (Holding Enter for 3 seconds powers it on; holding Cancel for 3 seconds powers it off.)
  4. P400 or V400c that is fully frozen: hold the green and red keys together until the screen goes black. Release red but keep holding green, then release green when the screen turns white. Expected: the terminal starts again from the Verifone start-up screen.
  5. V400m: take it off the charger or base. Hold the red key for about 7 seconds until the screen goes dark, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then hold the green key until the screen lights up. Expected: the V400m powers back on.
  6. Last resort for a corded unit: unplug only the power supply, wait 10 to 15 seconds, and plug it back in. Leave the data and peripheral cables connected. Expected: the device starts up. Verifone warns that unplugging peripheral cables to power-cycle can damage them.
  7. Wait for start-up to finish. Expected: the Verifone copyright screen, then your payment application's screen, and the POS can reach the device again. If DOWNLOAD NEEDED appears, the application is missing: stop and contact support.

If that did not work

  • Still frozen or will not power on: check that every cable, including the power cable and its connector, is firmly seated, and try a known-working outlet. Use only the Verifone power supply rated for your model.
  • Card reader not working after the restart: try a different card to rule out a bad card. For chip cards, insert the card fully with the contacts facing up and leave it in until the screen says the sale is done. For tap, remove anything between the card and the contactless logo. If manual entry works but swipes or inserts keep failing, the reader may be faulty.
  • "Comm Error" on screen: reseat the network or POS cable, check that the internet and router are up, then restart with the red X key.
  • Random reboots, or a reboot at the same time every day: Verifone lists loose cables and a wrong device clock as the usual causes. Contact support so the clock can be checked.
  • Tamper or security message: stop. Do not restart repeatedly. See the Verifone tamper message guide (listed under related guides).

Contact Allstar support with the model, serial number, payment application, processor and the exact message on screen. Allstar support: 888-403-7066 or support@allstarterminals.com, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Central.

Sources

Stop and contact support if

  • Any tamper, security alert or *TAMPER* message: stop, do not restart repeatedly, contact support. A restart will not clear it.
  • DOWNLOAD NEEDED after the restart: the payment application is not loaded. Do not try to load software yourself; contact support.
  • The device asks for a Supervisor or system password you do not have: stop and contact support.
  • The device reboots by itself at random or at the same time every day: contact support (Verifone lists loose cables and a wrong device clock as causes).
  • Anyone suggests a factory reset or deleting keys: do not. That wipes the encryption keys and the terminal must be re-injected.

Contact Allstar support with the model, serial number, payment application, processor and the exact message on screen.

Contact support about this

Notes

  • The two-key restart (green + red) and the V400m red/green power cycle come from Verifone's Nordic support pages, written for Nordic payment software. The key behaviour is device-level, but it has not been confirmed on US-programmed units. Those pages also give a menu restart behind a menu password; it is left out on purpose.
  • The 10-second Enter restart is documented for P400 and P200 only. Verifone's US reboot page (hold red X) does not name models; the Comm Error page applies it to Engage devices.
  • No official Verifone restart procedure was found for the VX 520 or other VX (Verix) terminals. VX 520 is left out until a Verifone-hosted source is found.
  • Verifone's system-mode menu (1, 5, 9 pressed together) also has a reboot option, but it sits behind a Supervisor password. Passwords are not published here.

Sources

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