GivebearTroubleshoot kiosks
Fix common kiosk problems in the field: pairing, readers, payments, sync, and locked screens.
Most kiosk problems show up as a status in the dashboard or a message on the device. Read the status first, then fix the matching layer. This guide covers the failures you are most likely to hit during a service or event.
Start in the dashboard under Devices. Each kiosk card shows whether it is online, the reader state, and the access state. Open a kiosk to reach its Insights, Configuration, and Logs tabs.
Gather evidence before you restart anything. Note the device name, the time, what the donor selected, and the on-screen message. The Logs tab and a screenshot save you a second trip.
Read the device status first
Open the kiosk in the dashboard. The header and the Configuration tab tell you which layer is failing.
A kiosk counts as online when it checked in within the last five minutes. If it checked in longer ago, it shows as offline.
The reader badge tells you the card reader state:
| Badge | What it means |
|---|---|
| Reader Ready | The reader is connected and can take a card. |
| Reader Connecting | The kiosk is connecting to or discovering the reader. |
| Reader Disconnected | The reader is not connected. |
| Reader Attention | The reader reported a problem that needs a look. |
| Reader Unknown | The kiosk has not reported a reader state yet. |
The Configuration tab adds a Status panel with connectivity, last seen, reader engine, reader type, and registration date. Reader type tells you which reader the kiosk is actually using: USB reader or Built-in NFC. See reader modes and Tap to Pay.
A new kiosk will not finish pairing
The device says "Device Not Linked Yet" or stays on the link check.
The kiosk shows a Device ID. You have to register that ID in the dashboard before the kiosk can link.
If the kiosk still will not advance, confirm it is on the internet. Pairing needs a working connection at each step. See Setup and pairing for the full flow.
The kiosk cannot reach the dashboard with no internet. If the network step never turns green, fix Wi-Fi before anything else.
The reader will not connect
The reader badge shows Reader Disconnected or Reader Attention, and donors cannot tap a card.
The kiosk tries to recover a dropped reader on its own. It reconnects, then reloads, and finally restarts the tablet if a reader was connected earlier in the session. Give it a minute or two before acting. Check Reader type in the Status panel first so you fix the right reader.
For a wired USB reader:
For Built-in NFC (Tap to Pay):
Automatic restart only fires when a reader connected at least once this session. A kiosk that never had a reader connected will not reboot itself, so plug the reader in and wait for discovery.
When a reader stays down for about fifteen minutes, Givebear emails your organization contact. It sends an all-clear email when the reader comes back.
The kiosk says Tap to Pay is not supported
The device shows "Tap to Pay is not supported on this device. Change the reader mode in the dashboard or attach a USB reader."
The kiosk's Card reader setting is pinned to Built-in NFC, but Stripe's eligibility check says this device cannot do Tap to Pay. It may lack NFC, lack Google certification, or fail the integrity check. Payments stay down until you change something.
See reader modes and Tap to Pay for what each mode needs.
The kiosk says it is missing Stripe location configuration
The device shows "Kiosk is missing Stripe location configuration" and no reader connects.
The kiosk needs its payment location from a successful sync before a reader can connect.
If the message persists after a clean sync, contact support. This points to setup the dashboard cannot fix on its own.
A card payment fails
The reader is ready, but a payment does not go through.
Read the message on the kiosk and match the cause:
- Card declined: ask the donor to try the card again or use a different card.
- Reader disconnected: see the reader will not connect.
- Network or timeout: check the internet, then retry.
- Cancelled: the attempt was cancelled. Start a new one.
Most card errors let the donor retry right away.
A recurring, ticket, or membership payment fails offline
The kiosk is offline and a recurring gift, event ticket, or membership will not complete.
These payments need an internet connection. The kiosk blocks them while offline and shows a message that the payment requires a connection.
Restore the internet, then take the payment again. Only one-time card-present gifts can be stored while offline, within limits. See Offline payments.
The kiosk shows offline in the dashboard
The kiosk card shows Offline even though staff say it is running.
A kiosk shows offline when it has not checked in for over five minutes. The tablet is most likely off the network.
If the kiosk is online but the reader is down, the tablet still checks in. Treat that as a reader problem, not a connectivity one.
After 30 minutes offline, Givebear emails your organization contact a Kiosk offline alert with the last-seen time and the same checks. You get one per outage. If the kiosk card also shows gifts waiting to sync, card payments taken offline are still stored on the tablet: bring it back online rather than resetting or replacing it, or those gifts are lost.
Funds or branding look out of date
The kiosk shows old funds, names, or branding after you changed them in the dashboard.
The kiosk syncs its settings periodically. Push the change sooner with a command.
Saved funds, kiosk experiences, and home-screen widgets all live in the dashboard. Review them under the kiosk's Configuration tab and in Kiosks and devices.
You cannot reach device settings at the kiosk
The tablet is locked into kiosk mode and you need Wi-Fi or system settings.
The kiosk hides a maintenance screen behind a code. Get the code from the dashboard, then unlock the device in person.
From the maintenance tools you can open Wi-Fi, device, or app settings, or exit kiosk mode for deeper work. Exiting kiosk mode pauses the lock for thirty minutes.
Use Remove device owner only when you are reprovisioning the tablet. It clears kiosk ownership. The static fallback key is for clock-drift cases only, when the dynamic code will not match.
The kiosk says access is suspended or revoked
The device shows that its access is suspended or revoked and will not load.
This is the device access state, not a network problem. A suspended kiosk points staff to the organization admin; a revoked one points to support.
Check the access badge on the kiosk card in the dashboard. If the state looks wrong, contact support.
Capture diagnostics for support
When a problem is not obvious, collect evidence from the kiosk's Configuration tab before you escalate.
- Take screenshot: capture what is on the kiosk screen now.
- Send logs: upload the latest device logs.
- Report status: push a fresh runtime snapshot.
- Logs tab: review recent device activity over time.
Commands queue and run on the kiosk's next check-in. You can cancel a queued command before it runs.
Reboot, restart reader, and check for updates wait while a card payment is being collected. The dashboard marks them failed with a payment-in-progress note, then you can run them again once the payment finishes. App updates also install only while the kiosk is idle on its resting screen, and optional updates wait for overnight hours (10 PM to 6 AM) or a ten-minute lull. See when app updates install.
When to escalate
Contact support when:
- A payment may be duplicated or missing.
- Offline pending payments did not resolve after the internet returned.
- The kiosk reports missing Stripe location configuration after a clean sync.
- A device looks suspended or revoked by mistake.
- The same failure repeats after these steps.
Include the device name, the time, the on-screen message, and a screenshot or logs. Evidence resolves kiosk issues far faster than a description alone.
Related guides
Setup and pairing
Register a device and pair a kiosk to your organization.
Day-to-day operations
Run a kiosk during services, events, and lobby giving.
Reader modes and Tap to Pay
What the wired reader and built-in NFC each need.
Offline payments
Understand what offline mode can and cannot do.
Kiosks and devices
Manage kiosks, commands, and settings from the dashboard.
Contact support
Reach the Givebear team with your evidence.