why am I forced to give microphone access for a magstripe that doesn't use the microphone jack?

[mosaicguy]

I already don't like SQUARE, and I haven't even used it yet! This should be a very simple set-up, so why won't the system allow me to proceed without granting access to the microphone, when my new magstripe doesn't even work on the microphone jack??? This makes no sense whatsoever.

[William2]

My Motorola Turbo-2 android phone works fine with the chip reader. But if I insert the mag stripe reader into the headphone jack, the screen starts blinking. One screen in the blinking process is asking to "enalbe microphone." I am not sure how to do this. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[Chad]

@William2 Welcome to the community and congratulations on your first post. We are excited that you asked  this question! 👍

The blinking is not normal, but we can enable the microphone setting in your app and see if this fixes the issue. To enable the microphone on your device just follow these steps:

1. Head to the settings of your phone.
2. From settings choose App or Application manager.
3. Scroll until you find Square Register.
4. Select permissions.
5. Now you will see the microphone amongst the options. 
6. Toggle microphone to enabled.

Hopefully this will fix the screen flickering and will allow you to use the Magstripe reader. Please reply back if you're still experiencing the flickering. 😀

[docmike]

I have the same problem with a HTC Desire 626. When I click on the button to enable the microphone I'm offered the choices of uninstal the application, disable the application or forcing it to stop. There is no choice to enable the microphone.

This is the latest in a string of problems I've had with Square, and while I'm waiting for Square to get back to me on this I'm going to complete the application for a better service. I bet I'll have service set up with a better company by the time Square gets back to me.

[VanKalkerFarms]

I'm sure they try to keep up with the onslaught of Android devices but it is crazy because there is a new flagship android device hitting the market on average every week and hundreds of others in between the flagship devices, whereas with Apple they only have 4 new phones a year and they are all based on the same architecture.  Sure they all run android but they all have different processors and I/O chips.

Hopefully you get it figured out. Once you are up and running with square I'm sure you'll like it.

[docmike]

I've had Square for about 6 months now. I like it when it works, but when it doesn't the lack of support keeps me from being able to use it. The appeal of telling patients who want to pay their bill that I can't take their payment from the HSA didn't last too long either, it would be nice if they'd figure out how to deal with this.

[Sean]

@docmike - Declined can be tough for sure.  In most cases, if you have your patient contact their card issuing bank - they'll be able to disclose the exact decline reason. It most cases, Square just gets a generic decline reason on our side. 

[docmike]

Thanks for the reply Sean. I'm a little confused by it though, could you explain the benefit to having my patient contact their bank after the Square software has once again failed to work? How would their bank get the microphone to be connected to my phone so that the magstripe reader would work again? And would this work for additional patients?

[Sean]

@docmike - Apologies for the confusion. I thought you were having a problem with transactions being declined - not reader issues. I'll forward the feedback around the Galaxy Turbo. If you do have any older devices lying around that can still connect to wifi, I'd suggest trying the reader with one of them. 

[ER2018]

I just recieved a notice that Square used the microphone capability on my phone for over 16 minutes. What is the purpose?Is this common?

[VanKalkerFarms]

Square uses the microphone when the reader is plugged in to communicate between the reader and phone.  It is normal.

[RHatch]

The lightning connected card reader uses the audio channel.   The reader uses the audio channel to send an audio tone as the card is swiped.  The iPhone/iPad requires any app that needs to use the microphone of the headphone jack, even via the lightning connector, to get permission from the user.

[Affordablebling]

Square all  of a sudden wants to access my microphone in order to process payments. Im not set up to do any kind other than have customers put in their credit cards from an invoice I send. I don't throw what I downloaded to make this happen but I ca t figure out how to stop it. Please help.

Thank you.

[VanKalkerFarms]

Square needs access to the microphone to listen for the Credit card info on the reader that plugs into the headphone jack.   If you are worried about this you can turn off access in your phones settings and then re-enable it when you use Square.  On iPhone it is in settings/privacy/microphone.

[Woytopia]

We are running events where by staff and volunteers need to install the Square app on their own devices and then connect via bluetooth to one of our card readers.  However a few people have asked "Why does the square app need access to my microphone?"  And they have refused to install the app.
Not good for trust and team harmony !
I can understand their concern.  Surely this could be an optional setting that if not enabled would prevent access to the legacy readers.
The other settings seem to make sense, location and bluetooth - but microphone - really?
Please can you modify the app to make this one optional.

 

[Donnie-M]

@Woytopia I get that, some people are immensely concerned with privacy and ensuring they can stay as private as possible.  The microphone is part of the legacy reader and I am pretty sure it is a failsafe built into the way the information is transmitted through the audio processing part of the chips on the phones, thus requiring access to the microphone to access the information not just at the microphone but the processing of those components...that being said, I would do the following.

In order to use the app, yes, you have to give it all the permissions.  The great thing about apple is, when you are done you can go to settings ---- privacy ---- and turn off the access.  Best of both worlds.  Now, if someone has a problem with turning off the access after they are done using the app for the event, then I would question their understanding of the privacy settings and would wonder if I even want them representing an event I am running.  (but that is my humble opinion).  The real issue may be asking people to use their personal devices, while convenient, can be problematic.

The other option is to get a square terminal or get a couple of used phones and install the app on them and hotspot/wifi them and let volunteers use your equipment.  Also, I would hit the objection up front:  Hey you have to install the app and it is going to ask for location, storage, and microphone permissions, but you can turn those off and uninstall the app after the event.

Some of those tinfoil hats are not fashionable on just anyone.

[Woytopia]

Thanks @Donnie-M for you reply. 
Yes the microphone is part of the legacy reader, so why do people who don’t use or need it have to be bothered by this?

Yes we could now buy other devices for staff, with data sim cards…. But now the square solution is not looking so attractive. 
it would be great if the app developers could be approached to get this feature made optional. 
Turning access on and off does not alleviate the concern “is square listen to me while I’m on my shift”

All together a bad experience and bad feeling towards the Square brand. 
We are now having to look at other options PayPal, Sumup etc. 

[_Violet]

Hi @Woytopia - Thanks for reaching out to us with your question. I see this is your first post in the Seller Community so I'd like to officially welcome you! 🎉👏

I went ahead and merged your post to an existing thread where other Square Sellers have discussed the Square Point of Sale app requesting access to your device's microphone. We merge duplicate conversations together to keep like comments in one place, and to make it easier for others to find the thread in the future. 

Thank you @Donnie-M for your well-explained and thorough response here! 🙏

[Woytopia]

Thanks @_Violet - yes happy to be merged, although this thread is relating to legacy readers.   But yes all related due to the microphone permissions.