EMV Payments FAQ

FAQ About EMV
eDynamo FAQ

EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) is the ability to read payment cards with a chip. EMV works with the Toast Tap™ contactless payment readers. It also works with eDynamo, which is on some handhelds, in the ToastGo™ handhelds, and ELO (Manufacturer of touch screen display we use) terminal adapters. The chip is more secure than a magnetic stripe. The average expected transaction time is 3 seconds.

Are there limitations to EMV?

The following transactions are not supported for terminals where EMV is turned on. (Note: Any terminal where EMV is off will continue to support these functions):

Chip and PIN EMV cards: These will fail over to chip and signature.
Fast Processing Mode: Only swipes are allowed in Fast Processing Mode.

How does pre-authorization (bar tabs) work with EMV?

Toast supports dip and tap for EMV cards for pre-auth transactions (bar tabs).

Be sure to dip or tap EMV cards for pre-auth transactions (bar tabs) for EMV-enabled readers (recommended). To save time, we recommend dipping instead of tapping when initiating a bar tab. Dipping will automatically populate the cardholder’s name as the tab name. However, tapping will not, due to limitations set by the card networks. If you choose to tap, the tab name will need to be manually updated to avoid confusion or potential disputes.

For those using a dual card reader setup (including those that are guest-facing displays), bar tabs will remain swipe-only.

How do I enable EMV on my device?

1. From the main menu of the Toast app, navigate to Setup.
2. Scroll down and select Device Setup.
3. Scroll down and select the EMV Enabled.
4. If it's not already set to Yes, tap Yes and select Continue.

Note: Verify EMV Status: Before proceeding, ensure the EMV setting is toggled to "Yes" to indicate it is active. If it is listed as "No," toggle it to enable.

How do you use swipe actions with EMV?

To get all swipe actions in EMV, you must turn EMV off. On your Toast device, select Device Setup and change EMV Enabled to Off. We recommend keeping EMV enabled for all cards with smart chips, however, and dipping these cards instead of swiping.

If I set up EMV on one device, is it enabled on all devices?

No. EMV is a device-level configuration. A restaurant can have some terminals with EMV on and others with EMV off. If a transaction is taken on an EMV: OFF terminal, it will be susceptible to EMV-related chargebacks.

For EMV setup on Kiosks:

- Access Device Setup as outlined previously.
- Check USB detection and reset all associated settings if necessary to ensure EMV is functioning.

eDynamo FAQ

Can the eDynamo still take payments by swipe?

The eDynamo will process payment card payments via the swipe reader if there are multiple bad reads on the chip. In these cases, you'll be prompted by the POS or card reader to swipe the payment card instead of inserting the chip. You can still dip your card in Offline Mode/Fast Processing Mode.

What happens if the eDynamo reader cannot read the chip card?

After two failed chip read attempts, a prompt at the bottom of the POS screen will tell you to swipe the card instead.

Why is the EMV Enabled button grayed out?

The card reader may need to be activated. You can do so by pressing the card icon in the lower left corner of the passcode screen (the card icon will remain blue if this step worked). If this doesn't work, power-cycle your device by turning off and turning it back on. This may require you to log back into your Toast account. You may also have to wait a few minutes for the activation after performing these steps.

- Toggle Reset: Disable and re-enable EMV in the setup menu by toggling the EMV setting off and then on again.
- Ensure Reader Visible: Verify the card reader is listed under connected devices in Device Setup. If not, add it manually by selecting Add New Card Reader.

I was offered a card reader update, but it is not working. What should I do?

If a card reader update failed, you should wait a minute and try again. If it still doesn't work, chat with Customer Support and let them know so they can alert the appropriate teams. Start a live chat with our Customer Support team. Chat is available in Toast Web and Payroll Web (blue support button in bottom right of every page) and the Support tab in the Toast Now app.

For more information on how to contact support view "" or go to .

The payment card didn't work when I dipped the card. Should I key-in the card?

No, try to dip again. If it fails twice, you'll be prompted to swipe instead. There are several reasons why a dip will not work, such as having dirt on the chip. Keying in a card number carries the highest amount of risk because it has the least authentication out of all payment taking options.

EMV is on, card reader is updated, device prompts me to enter the card - but after I put the card in, nothing happens on the screen. Swipes work fine. I’ve tried multiple cards. What's wrong?

Make sure Automatic Date/Time is turned On in the Android Date/Time setting.