Four flashing Red lights 1st gen square reader

[Handhelld]

I recently recieved a 1st gen square reader secondhand from someone else, and while trying to connect I only get 4 flashing RED lights. When I press the button, I get 4 Green lights for a moment before it goes back to flashing red.
When i press and hold for 20 seconds, it stops and then goes right back to flashing 4 reds. Im not sure what to do to connect it to my device, as nothing shows up in the "Pair your reader" section of the app.

1st Generation Square reader , ios17.4.1, iphone 12. and I freshly downloaded the Square POS app today

[JK_Fiber_Art]

Hi Handhelld,

Although the Community is not the same as Tech or Customer Support, there is one additional thing you can try. 

Force shutdown your reader (hard reset):

* Plug in the reader for at least 20 minutes to be sure it’s charged.
* While the reader is charging, use a bobby pin, pen cap, or paper clip to firmly
press and hold the button on the reader for 20 seconds.
* After 20 seconds, release the button and wait 10 seconds.
* Press the button again to turn the reader on and observe any lights on the reader.

[Handhelld]

As I said in the post, i have done this.

After 20 seconds when i release the button, two seconds later the red lights start blinking again and I am back at step one. The orange lights do NOT come on so signify pairing mode.

[Candlestore]

@Handhelld ;

The one main thing I have forgotten in the past was to Unpair the device with the tablet or the phone.  You may think it was not paired or is currently paired with a 'test' device close by.  Like if you paired it with your cell and now are trying to pair it with a tablet. 

Here are help things from Square how to trouble shoot it:

5673-square-contactless-and-chip-card-reader-troubleshooting 

Not sure if this was tried but this is how I fixed mine when I could not repair my device to a different device.

[jschacht]

Did you solve this? I have one that is currently doing the same thing.

[jschacht]

correction, I have two doing this, both were left to have their batteries run out, both are charging, the first one displays two green lights when the button is pressed at this point. the other one I just plugged in

[Handhelld · Accepted solution]

I ended up just returning it to the person i bought it from and purchasing a new one because even the support team were rather useless when i emailed them, I was never able to get an actual fix 

[auldyeller]

Have you resolved this issue? We had one reader do this, got it replaced and the replacement just started doing exactly the same thing! And now our other location also has this issue with the reader. So frustrating! I don’t want to just keep replacing them. All three readers are less than 1 month old! 

[jschacht]

Unfortunately no, it seems they are just paperweights at this point. I did purchase one of the new generation card readers and the connection is a lot more dependable so if you have to buy a new one I advise getting the new model.