this post was submitted on 06 Sep 2025
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Can anyone test a Square card reader real fast? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/askelectronics@discuss.tchncs.de
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Hey I'm not sure if this is the right community for this but it seemed applicable, let me know if I need to delete!

I am seeking anyone with a Square brand magstripe reader (not contactless, magstripe specifically) willing to run a quick test for me. It's just:

  • Connect Square to computer
  • Open any text editor
  • run any card's magstripe (except a chipped payment card. Costco, non-chipped card, gas station rewards card, etc will work fine) through
  • Does it type out the data from two or three tracks in the text editor, the way traditional USB readers do?

Thank you for your time reading this, and double thanks for anyone willing to test. This is as close as I can get to trying before buying lol.

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[–] Steve@startrek.website 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

The only one I have plugs into a microphone jack on a phone

[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 day ago

Ah I presume that means your pc does not, and frankly I'm not sure that'd work even if it did lol.

Thanks anyway!

[–] 9point6@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I don't have one handy to check I'm afraid, but I believe all square readers are completely useless without their app, so it's very likely a proprietary protocol

[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Ahh I was afraid it might be. They make the only USBC magstripe reader in the world lol. I hate to resort to an a-to-c converter dongle and a traditional reader but that may be my fate. Thanks anyway!