Last updated: Jan 29, 2026, 1:17 PM
Learn how to enable and disable Test Mode for onboarding and training purposes.
| This article is for customers who are both live (customers that are already using Toast, but go back into Test Mode to validate that your restaurant is set up properly) and pre-live (customers that are still onboarding with Toast, and are in Test Mode). If you are a pre-live customer, you can use your terminal in test mode on Wi-Fi before it is hardwired during your installation appointment. |
Test Mode allows you to take your restaurant from being live and fully operational to being able to validate that your restaurant is set up properly before going live. In Test mode, you can simulate workflows and payments without affecting your sales data. You can use Test Mode as a tool to validate your settings and menu setup before going live with Toast. Settings like active discounts and promo codes will also be available in Test Mode.
Any orders placed and payments taken while in Test Mode will be removed and voided upon disabling Test Mode. If you are open for business and have left test mode, but choose to re-enter for any reason, any test payments applied to live orders while in test mode will be removed when you return to live mode.
If you enable Test Mode from a device in your restaurant, it will put your entire restaurant in Test Mode. Test Mode cannot be isolated to a single device. We strongly discourage enabling Test Mode during your service hours at the risk of losing orders and payment data across your restaurant. If you're using it to train employees, it's critical to disable Test Mode when you are finished with training.
Note:
They can then disable Test Mode, which is covered in the next section.
Please note, test mode CANNOT be disabled during a service disruption or offline event.
If you need further assistance disabling Test Mode and returning to live mode, please start a chat with our Customer Support team in by clicking the blue button on the bottom right corner of any page or by selecting the Support icon at the bottom of the screen in the Toast Now App. Don’t have the app yet? Download it today on or on the Google Play Store.
Test Mode will be indicated on your POS by the words "TEST MODE: PAYMENTS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED" displayed in the check details. The top of the screen will also show a persistent red banner reading "Restaurant in Test Mode. Orders placed should be for testing only". A modal will appear when you tap on the red test mode banner if you want to learn more.
If you use Orders Hub, this is what your TEST MODE screen will look like:
Printed kitchen tickets will also have TEST MODE displayed at the top of the ticket.
Test Mode will be indicated by a yellow banner displayed at the top of your Toast Web homepage, similar to the banner shown below.