Magtek reader

interesting... i'm trying to get the qb21 reader to work via usb (like you, told by sales it would work)... have you confirmed with intuit support that it is not compatible? the chart here [https://quickbooks.intuit.com/community/Help-Articles/QB21-and-QB31-Bluetooth-card-reader-features-a...] is a little confusing, but it does note 'Compatible with QuickBooks Desktop 2018 R4 using the USB to micro-USB connection.' for quickbooks desktop.

from what i understand, the magtek reader is just a mag stripe swiper... not a chip reader/emv, which makes it inherently less secure. that's the reason i was shying away from it.

The reader that both of you have right now perfectly works with QuickBooks, @MPP315 and @wdi.

For the MagTek reader to seamlessly work with QBO, it must be installed on the computer. You can directly plug the reader to the computer without using a USB or extensions. You can learn more about it here: Install and use the USB MagTek card reader with a QuickBooks payments account.

On the other hand, the QB21 Card Reader is compatible with QuickBooks Desktop 2018 and future versions. This means that the release you currently have, which is R4, is also supported. To connect the device to QuickBooks, you can use a USB cable which is already included when you purchase it from Intuit.

Though the device is a magstripe card reader, it can still accept EMV chip. You can check out this website for more details: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/payments/readers/.

If you have more questions for me, just leave a reply. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

We have the QuickBooks Online subscription and want to know what reader is compatible?

The QB21 reader is not compatible with QB Desktop. That information is verified by support. It simply will not connect via Bluetooth to a computer and the USB connection, while recognized, has issues that can process a charge to the customer without any record of a transaction with Merchant Services (first-hand experience). The engineering team that certified this product should be fired.

Does the QB31 card reader work with Quickbooks Desktop that's accessed on a server through Remote Desktop? We tried the V19 QB reader and it didn't work through Remote Desktop, only local computers. I spent hours on the phone with QB support to no avail. We had been using the Magstripe readers that worked either way most of the time. 

Does the QB31 card reader work with Quickbooks Desktop that's accessed on a server through Remote Desktop? We tried the V19 QB reader and it didn't work through Remote Desktop, only local computers. I spent hours on the phone with QB support to no avail. We had been using the Magtek readers that worked either way most of the time. 

Thanks for joining this conversation, @mainegraphics1.

In QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT), the ability to use the QB31 Card Reader on a remote desktop is currently unavailable. It is only compatible with QBDT 2018 R4 using the USB to micro-USB connection locally.

While this option isn't available yet, I'll pass along your suggestion to our Product Developers. They're always looking for ideas to consider on how to improve the program. In the meantime, I recommend visiting our blog site. This is where we share recent happenings and future developments, such as updates to newly added features.

Here's the link: https://www.firmofthefuture.com/product-industry-news/product-updates/.

Just in case, I'll add this article for more information: QB21 and QB31 Bluetooth card reader features and compatibility.

Reach out to me in the comment section below if you have any other questions or concerns. I want to make sure everything is taken care of for you. I'm always here to help. Take care and have a good one!

Can I get any magtek reader for cc processing through QB Online or do I need to purchase the one through Intuit?  I cannot get anyone on the phone to answer my questions.  It seems as though no one in the Chat can answer my questions.  I have been trying to find a solution since March for inputting cc information in to Quickbooks online and have been doing it manually.  It is getting embarrassing having to ask customers for addresses and zip  codes instead of just swiping the card.

I wish I could make it better, @Lombardo.

I'm here to let you know that you can place an order and purchase the Magtek card reader directly on this link: Intuit QuickBooks Payments Magtek card swipe.

I've also included this helpful article for ideas on how you can utilize its function: Install and use the USB Magtek card reader with a QuickBooks payments account.

Keep me updated in the comments if you have any other questions. I'll be here to lend a hand.

The link to purchase the reader keeps failing. I've attempted it many times and every time I chat with support they send me the same link.

I have another way on how you can purchase the reader, editorjase.

You can contact the Payments Care team instead to have the order created on your behalf. You'll find the contact number on this article at the bottom part: Order an Intuit Payment Solutions Magtek Card Reader.

For future reference, once you have ordered the reader, please visit this article for more information: Install And Use the USB Magtek Card Reader With QuickBooks Payments Accounts.

Post a comment below if you need further assistance. I'll be here to help you anytime.

Does this card reader process chip cards?

Hi @smills77,

I'm here to handle this query for you. 

There are two types of card readers available from Intuit. These are QB21 and QB31 card readers. Both of these can accept EMV chip cards, as well as Magstripe debit and credit cards. See this article for more information: QB21 and QB31 Bluetooth card reader features and compatibility. 

In case you want to get a hold of these card readers, see this page: Mobile payments made simple. You'll also find a list of FAQs at the bottom of the page, along with their answers. 

I'll be around if you need further assistance. Place a comment below, and I'll get back to you. 

I may have phrased my question poorly.

The 2 card readers offered through the QBO software are only for the mobile app. I need to use my desktop computer to process QuickBooks Online cc payments, with the Magtek cc reader. Does that reader also process chip cards or would I need to key in the cc info for chip cards?

Thanks for getting back to us here, @smills77.

Let me share some information about the Magtek card reader and QuickBooks Desktop. The MagTek USB card reader is compatible with the following applications:

• Online service center (Merchant Service Center)
• Rezovation
• QuickBooks for Desktop (Pro, Premiere, Enterprise)
• QuickBooks MAC
• QuickBooks Point of Sale
• QuickBooks Online

With this, you can accept magnetic stripe cards, EMV chip cards, and contactless NFC payment transactions. You'll just need to plug the USB card reader directly into the computer that will be submitting transactions to Intuit.

For more information about USB Magtek, check out this guide: Install and use the USB Magtek card reader with a QuickBooks payments account.

If you haven't placed an order yet, click this link to have the item purchased through our e-store experience. If you experience issues with placing the order, please contact the Payments CARE team at 800.558.9558 to have the order created on your behalf.

Feel free to message me anytime if you still have questions or concerns. I'll be here for you. Take care and have a wonderful weekend ahead.

The purchase link again is dead end and needs to be fixed. I've brought this up to several help specialists and the only response is...we've submitted it to some team...that's not helping us make the purcahse

[Sigh] This thread is ridiculous.

@ShiellaGraceA, with all due respect, unless there have been some major reengineering efforts in the last year and a half, and/or we're talking about a completely different product, the Magtek card reader does not read EMV chips. I've been using it since May 2018. It's just a magnetic stripe reader... you have to swipe the card through it.

"With this, you can accept magnetic stripe cards, EMV chip cards, and contactless NFC payment transactions." If this is just semantics... you can SWIPE chip cards and yes, that will work, but the device will not read the chip and I don't understand how it could do contactless transactions. The referenced link doesn't mention anything about chips or contactless; it indicates "Swipe the card when prompted and the information will populate in the payment fields."

If we're talking about a difference device, I apologize... I'd love to see a link which includes a photo of the hardware and some specific details. At this point, I am not aware of a device which permits swiping, reads chips, and does contactless that works with Quickbooks Desktop. QB21 and QB31 do not work on Desktop.

Hey there, wdi. 

Thanks for dropping by the Community, at this time, QuickBooks Desktop doesn't offer the ability to read EMV chips. However I can see how this would be of great importance to you and your business. So I'm suggesting this feature to our product engineers right away to see if we can get this implemented in a future product update. Keep an eye on our Blog as that's where you'll find information on all changes coming to the product in the future. 

Thank you for your time and have a nice evening. 

@Nick_M, I appreciate your note, but this was the reason for my [sigh] at the beginning of my post. There is so much misinformation regarding the credit card readers... much of it coming from Intuit... that I really wish someone would take the time to straighten it all out. All you have to do is read through this thread to get a sense that there's quite a bit of confusion among Quickbooks users (and team members, apparently).

Check out this link: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/payments/mobile/#readers. Credit card readers offered by Intuit, right? Okay, granted... these are listed in the 'Mobile Payments' section of the website... but wait... take a look at the descriptions...

• Accept Apple Pay®, Google Pay™, Samsung Pay™, EMV chip and magstripe debit and credit cards

AND...

• Compatible with QuickBooks Desktop 2018 and future versions via USB cable

'QuickBooks Chip and Magstripe Card Reader':

• Accept EMV chip and magstripe debit and credit cards

AND...

• Compatible with QuickBooks Desktop 2018 and future versions via USB cable

Can you see how there could be some confusion here? I'm passionate about this subject because ** I ** was one of those users who needed to read credit cards on a Quickbooks Desktop system a year and a half ago and I was told different things by multiple Intuit reps... tried a few different solutions trying to get these things to work with Desktop (because the website indicated that they should work)... before finally getting an answer that the solution doesn't exist. And what's so frustrating is that a year and a half later, reps are still spreading misinformation and Intuit has not clarified anything. I'm almost certain I got the same boilerplate response "However I can see how this would be of great importance to you and your business. So I'm suggesting this feature to our product engineers right away to see if we can get this implemented in a future product update."

Come on, y'all. Nick, I'm not coming down on you... but really... PLEASE... someone take some personal responsibility and get this issue straightened out.

Hi there, wdi.

QuickBooks have different card readers. We have Chip and Magstripe Bluetooth Card Reader and All-in-One Bluetooth Card Reader. These two have different compatibilities and specs. 

You can check these links for more details:

• QB21 and QB31 Bluetooth card reader features and compatibility
• Technical Spec Sheet for QuickBooks Mobile Credit Card Readers

I also suggest reaching out to our QuickBooks Payments Team so they can assist you further with it. 

Post again here if you have more concerns. Stay safe!

As mentioned in these threads, there is misinformation in the PDFs. Specifically regarding compatability with Desktop. Firstly, I have both devices. Although not addressed, it will not connect via Bluetooth to a laptop. It can connect via USB and will get found when attempting to take payment, but does not read cards. There is one exception, and it can really bite you. Discover cards will read, but the transaction will not process. There will be no transaction in Merchant Services. Your customer will get the notice of the "transaction", but it will not go through. This can lead to some unhappy reactions as your customer will demand his purchase and you'll spend months getting a payment from your customer after the fact . Works as advertised in GoPayment with your mobile device.

We appreciate your time for joining this thread, rmitche2.

You'll need to contact our Payments Support Team. They can take a look at your account and further assist you with this. 

Here's how to contact them:

1. Go to this link: https://community.intuit.com/browse/payments-contact-us.
2. Look for the support's contact details under QuickBooks Payments.

You may also want to review our commonly asked payment questions.

Keep on posting if you have any additional concerns.

The Intuit responses in this thread read like an episode of the Twilight Zone. None of the specific points raised by users are ever addressed, and team members just reply with robotic boilerplate responses. I get it... it's just a community forum and not technical support... but the misinformation is actually hurting users... and I've gotten the same incorrect information from support.

Here's the proper response, y'all:

We apologize for the confusion and agree that there is misinformation present in this thread, on our website, and in our technical spec sheets, regarding the compatibility of our credit card reader options with Quickbooks Desktop. We understand that this has frustrated many users and we will be working over the next several weeks to review and update our advertising and documentation to ensure the information presented therein is accurate. We'll also be training our team members so that they are aware of the current state of credit card reader hardware and compatibility to ensure correct information is being relayed to our customers. I'm going to take lead on this issue and will update this thread in two weeks with actions that have been taken.

Currently, we do not have a device which will read credit card EMV chips and which is compatible with Quickbooks Desktop. We have plans to add this in the future but cannot provide a delivery time frame at this time. Quickbooks is an integral part of many businesses and we appreciate that you turn to Intuit for solutions to your accounting and POS needs. Thank you for your patience.

@ResponsibleTeamMember

For the record, I'm a Quickbooks fan! I've been using the Magtek card stripe reader and it's been working fine with Quickbooks Desktop/Enterprise 19. It just won't read card chips... only swipes of the magnetic stripe. I'd love to have something that would read chips, but it's not available right now.

It's frustrating to see the same question get answered multiple ways and for there to continue to be misinformation spread. QB21 and QB31 DO NOT work with Quickbooks Desktop via USB. I've tried. They just don't. https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/mobile-and-apps/qb21-and-qb31-bluetooth-card-reade... has incorrect and misleading information.

Wow, you could have not stated that any better. This is the most confusing situation ever, coming from a company that is processing who knows how many hundreds of thousands of $ every day. 

Can someone just post up the answer to the question instead of referring to articles and links that have incorrect information and bad links?

Here is the simple issue. There seems to be plenty of people in the same situation as us. We have a store, are working with QBO, and want to process a CC transaction on a Mac or PC desktop, and not have to enter the CC information which makes us seem slow and antiquated. What card reader will do that? 

We purchased the chip / swipe version and it does not work. We do not want to use an app. The MagTek referenced above is not available anywhere on QBO store. It absolutely blows my mind that this is such a difficult issue to resolve. Please just help answer the question we are all asking.