How to Restart an Ingenico Terminal: All Models (Move, Desk, Lane, iCT, iWL)

Your Ingenico terminal has frozen, stopped responding, or is throwing an error. The fix, in most cases, is simpler than you think.

Press # + yellow CLR key simultaneously and hold for 3 seconds. That's the universal Ingenico restart shortcut — and it works on almost every model.

Quick answer: Hold the # (hash/dot) key and the yellow CLR key at the same time for 3 seconds. The terminal will beep and reboot. For wireless models, press the green key afterward to power back on.

But before I get into the full model-by-model guide, let's look at what a restart actually fixes — because it solves more than most merchants realise.

What a Restart Fixes on Ingenico Terminals

A soft restart clears the terminal's working memory without affecting your transaction data or settings. It's the right first step for any of these issues:

• Frozen screen — terminal is unresponsive to button presses
• Slow processing — transactions taking much longer than usual
• Card machine not connecting — "No connection" or "Failure on all coms"
• App crash — terminal is stuck on a screen or looping
• PIN pad not ready — after a restart, the PIN pad often re-initialises correctly
• Contactless not working — tap-to-pay errors often clear on restart

Will a restart lose my sales data? No. A soft restart (# + yellow) does not delete your transaction batch or sales totals. Always do a soft restart first — it's completely safe.

Universal Restart Method (Any POS Brand)

Here's the thing — if you're in a rush and your terminal is a countertop model, there's one restart method that works regardless of make or model:

• Trace the power cable from the terminal to the wall socket
• Pull the plug out of the socket
• Wait 15 seconds
• Plug it back in and wait for the terminal to boot

This works for Ingenico, Verifone, PAX, Clover, Sunmi, First Data — any countertop model. It won't work on wireless/battery-powered models unless the battery is fully flat.

How to Restart Ingenico iCT220 and iCT250

The iCT series are the classic countertop Ingenico models — found in millions of retail and hospitality locations.

1. Make sure the terminal is not mid-transaction
2. Locate the # key (bottom left of keypad) and the yellow CLR key (above the keypad)
3. Press and hold both keys simultaneously for 3 seconds
4. The terminal will beep, display the Ingenico logo, and reboot automatically
5. Wait up to 60 seconds for the payment app to load fully

If the terminal does not restart: unplug the power cable from the back of the terminal, wait 15 seconds, and plug back in.

How to Restart Ingenico iWL220, iWL250, iWL255

The iWL series are wireless GPRS/3G portable terminals. The restart procedure is the same, but there's an extra step afterward.

1. Make sure the terminal is not processing a transaction
2. Hold # + yellow CLR simultaneously for 3 seconds
3. The terminal will beep and power off — unlike countertop models, it does not auto power-on
4. Wait 10 seconds after the screen goes dark
5. Press and hold the green key for 2 seconds to power back on
6. Wait for the terminal to connect to the mobile network (signal bars should appear)

iWL220 — "Put on Base" error after restart: Remove the terminal from its base, hold # + yellow to restart, wait 30 seconds, then firmly reseat the terminal on the base.

How to Restart Ingenico Move 3500

The Move 3500 is a compact 4G/WiFi terminal. Same keypad layout as the iWL series.

1. Hold # + yellow CLR for 3 seconds — the screen will go dark
2. Wait 10 seconds
3. Press and hold the green key for 2 seconds to power on
4. Allow 60–90 seconds for the terminal to connect to network and load the payment app

How to Restart Ingenico Move 5000

The Move 5000 is Ingenico's flagship mobile terminal with 4G, WiFi, and camera. The restart procedure is slightly different from older models.

1. Confirm the terminal is at the idle/home screen (not processing)
2. Locate the # key and the yellow CLR key
3. Press and hold both simultaneously for 3 seconds
4. The terminal will beep and the screen goes dark — it does not auto power-on
5. Wait 15 seconds
6. Press and hold the green key for 2 seconds to power back on
7. Wait for the home screen — this can take up to 90 seconds on the Move 5000

Still not coming back online after restart? Remove the back cover, take out the battery, wait 20 seconds, replace the battery, and power on with the green key.

How to Restart Ingenico Desk 3500

The Desk 3500 is a modern countertop terminal with an integrated colour touchscreen and PIN pad.

1. Hold # + yellow CLR for 3 seconds
2. Terminal beeps and reboots automatically (it will power back on by itself)
3. Wait up to 90 seconds for the full boot sequence and payment app load

If the Desk 3500 is showing "PIN PAD Out of Order" after restart: this is a known certificate issue on older Desk 3500 units. See the full guide: Ingenico PIN PAD Out of Order.

How to Restart Ingenico Lane 3000, Lane 5000, Lane 7000

Lane terminals are customer-facing PIN pads connected to a separate main terminal or POS system via cable or network.

Important: Lane terminals do not have their own network connection — they rely on the host POS system. If your Lane terminal won't connect, check the cable between the Lane and your POS system first.

1. Hold # + yellow CLR for 3 seconds on the Lane terminal
2. The Lane will reboot — it may restart automatically or require the green key, depending on model
3. If the Lane does not reconnect to the POS after restart: unplug the cable from the Lane, wait 10 seconds, reconnect
4. Alternatively: unplug the entire Lane from power for 15 seconds and plug back in

How to Restart Ingenico iPP320 and iPP350 PIN Pads

The iPP320 and iPP350 are external PIN pads attached to a main terminal (usually iCT220/250) via USB cable.

1. Restart the main terminal first using # + yellow CLR
2. The PIN pad will restart automatically as part of the main terminal boot sequence
3. If the PIN pad still shows errors after the main terminal has restarted: unplug the USB cable from the main terminal, wait 10 seconds, reconnect firmly
4. If showing "PIN PAD Out of Order": see full PIN PAD guide

How to Turn On Ingenico After Restart

Countertop Ingenico models (iCT, Desk, Lane) power back on automatically after a soft restart.

Wireless/mobile models (iWL, Move series) power off after a soft restart. To power back on:

Press and hold the green key for 2 seconds. That's it. The terminal will start its boot sequence, connect to the network, and load the payment app within 60–90 seconds.

What Does the Smiley Face Mean on Ingenico?

When an Ingenico terminal boots, it briefly shows a smiley face icon — this is completely normal and means the hardware self-check passed successfully.

Smiley stays on screen for more than 60 seconds: The battery is likely depleted. Keep the terminal on charge — it will boot once it reaches a minimum charge level. Do not attempt another restart yet.

Sad face / frown icon on boot: The anti-tamper sensor has triggered. The terminal is security-locked and requires a service centre visit. This cannot be reset by merchants. See: Ingenico Alert Irruption guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does restarting an Ingenico terminal delete my transactions?

No. A soft restart using # + yellow does not delete any transaction data, batch totals, or settings. It simply clears the working memory, the same way restarting a phone doesn't delete your photos.

How many times can I restart my Ingenico without causing damage?

Occasional restarts are completely harmless. If you find yourself restarting daily to fix the same issue, that's a sign of an underlying problem (weak SIM signal, unstable network, or a failing component) that needs investigation.

My Ingenico won't restart with # + yellow — what else can I try?

If the keypad is completely unresponsive, unplug the power cable from the terminal (not from the wall — from the back of the terminal). Wait 15 seconds. Reconnect. For wireless models: remove the battery pack, wait 20 seconds, replace and press the green key to power on.

How long does an Ingenico take to restart?

Countertop models (iCT, Desk): 30–60 seconds. Wireless models (iWL, Move): 60–90 seconds including network reconnection time. Allow the full time before attempting a transaction or assuming the restart failed.

How to restart Ingenico Move/5000?

Hold # + yellow CLR for 3 seconds, wait 15 seconds for screen to go dark, then press and hold the green key for 2 seconds to power back on.

Ingenico showing a frown face after restart — is the terminal broken?

A frown (sad face) means the anti-tamper system triggered. The terminal is not broken but it is security-locked — it will not process payments until serviced. Contact your acquirer for a replacement terminal.

If you found this guide helpful, please share it with other merchants — it helps people find accurate information when they need it most.

Author: Drasko Georgijev

I'm a financial technology professional with 15+ years of experience in payment cards, eCommerce, card machines, transaction processing and switching.
From time to time, I'm sharing helpful tips, tactics, and news about Digital Commerce, Payments and Fintech.

Got questions? Ping me on LinkedIn.