Tap to pay not working on a card terminal: what to check

Tap to pay usually fails for one of four reasons: the card or phone was presented before the terminal was ready or pulled away too fast, more than one card was in the field, the phone needed unlocking, or the amount needs a PIN or signature. If no contactless card works at all, contactless may not be enabled on the terminal, which Allstar or the processor must fix.

Before you start

• Start a real sale first. The reader only looks for a card while a transaction is waiting for one.
• Find the contactless symbol on the terminal. That is where the card or phone goes.
• Have a chip card ready as the fallback way to finish the sale.

Steps

1. Start the sale and enter the amount. Present the card or phone only when the terminal shows its tap prompt or contactless lights. Expected: the terminal is waiting for a card. On Ingenico terminals the first status light is lit.
2. Hold the card or phone flat over the contactless symbol, within 1 to 2 inches, until the terminal beeps or all lights come on (usually 1 to 2 seconds). Expected: the card is read and the terminal moves on.
3. Present one card only. Take it out of a wallet or phone case that holds other cards, and keep anything else away from the symbol. Expected: the reader sees a single card. Verifone's troubleshooting says to clear any obstruction between the logo and the card.
4. Phone or watch: if the terminal or phone says to check the phone, have the customer unlock or authenticate, then tap again. Expected: the second tap completes the payment. Visa's device guide describes this re-tap as normal.
5. If the terminal asks for a PIN or signature, or to insert the card, follow the prompt. Expected: the sale completes. Higher amounts need cardholder verification.
6. Try a different contactless card or phone on the same terminal. Expected: if it works, the first card or phone is the problem. If none work, the terminal side is.
7. Finish the sale by inserting the chip card. Expected: the sale completes by chip.
8. If no contactless card or phone works on this terminal, contact Allstar support. Do not change terminal settings yourself. Expected: Allstar or your processor checks that contactless is enabled and set up.

If that did not work

If the tap reads but the sale is declined, the card's bank made that decision; see the decline codes guide. If chip cards also fail, see the chip card read error guide. Otherwise contact Allstar support with the model, serial number, payment application, processor and the exact message on screen.

Sources

• Visa: Tap to Pay - Learn About Contactless Payments
• Visa Transaction Acceptance Device Guide (TADG) (version 3.3, August 2025), sections 2.13.3, 5.2 and 5.3.1
• EMVCo: EMV Contactless Chip
• Ingenico Desk Series User Guide (900016018 R11 000 13/0123), section 6.3.3
• Ingenico Move/5000 User Guide (900017771 R11 000 16/0226)
• Verifone V400m Installation Guide: Troubleshooting Guidelines