# Connecting Square Handheld device with an external Android device **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions\ **Tags:** orders-api, devices-api\ **Created:** [August 18, 2026, 9:34am UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/connecting-square-handheld-device-with-an-external-android-device/27234 "2026-08-18T09:34:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dev-Internetsoft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Dev-Internetsoft](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/Dev-Internetsoft)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 9:34am UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/connecting-square-handheld-device-with-an-external-android-device/27234/1 "2026-08-18T09:34:08Z")
Hi all, Our main question is around device connectivity: is there a supported way to connect a Square Handheld device with a separate external Android device (i.e., an Android device managing/communicating with the Handheld)? Once that connection is established, our intended workflow is: - The Android app creates the order and applies a discount to it - This order (with the discount already applied) is sent from the Android device to the connected Square Handheld device - The Square Handheld device is then used to complete payment/checkout for that order So to summarize: 1. Is Handheld-to-external-Android device connectivity supported, and if so, how (which API/SDK)? 2. Once connected, can orders (with discounts applied) be pushed from the Android device to the Handheld for checkout? Is there a supported API or SDK (e.g., Point of Sale API, Terminal API, or similar) that enables this kind of device connectivity and order hand-off? Any documentation or sample integrations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![jseok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@jseok](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/jseok)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/connecting-square-handheld-device-with-an-external-android-device/27234/3 "2026-08-18T16:56:44Z")
@Dev-Internetsoft - you can achieve this using the Terminal API. If your integration is using Square’s Orders API, Square can natively support pushing orders (with line items and discounts) to the Square handheld for checkout. See the following documentation: [Take Payments for Orders](https://developer.squareup.com/docs/terminal-api/take-payments-for-orders) . Let me know if you have any specific questions! ---
**Author:** ![Dev-Internetsoft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Dev-Internetsoft](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/Dev-Internetsoft)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 8:29am UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/connecting-square-handheld-device-with-an-external-android-device/27234/4 "2026-08-19T08:29:08Z")
@jseok , Can you confirm if terminal APIs works with Square Register device to connect with external Android device? Also confirm Square Register device also supports Order and Checkout apis as well. from your reply we can confirm Terminal APIs and Orders, Checkout APIs will work with Square Terminal Device and Handheld device. ---
**Author:** ![jseok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@jseok](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/jseok)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/connecting-square-handheld-device-with-an-external-android-device/27234/5 "2026-08-19T16:56:51Z")
@Dev-Internetsoft - the Square Register operates differently from the Handheld and Terminal - it is incompatible with the Terminal and Checkout APIs. For Orders API, an order that is created on the Register can be read via the API, but an order created via API cannot be pushed to the Register to be paid. ---
**Author:** ![Dev-Internetsoft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Dev-Internetsoft](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/Dev-Internetsoft)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2026, 3:09am UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/connecting-square-handheld-device-with-an-external-android-device/27234/6 "2026-08-20T03:09:22Z")
@jseok , Thanks for confirming. Also is there any alternate way to connect Square Register device with external android device rather than Terminal APIs? ---
**Author:** ![jseok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@jseok](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/jseok)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2026, 2:29pm UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/connecting-square-handheld-device-with-an-external-android-device/27234/7 "2026-08-20T14:29:28Z")
@Dev-Internetsoft No, you cannot connect an external Android device to the Square Register through another way. ---
**Author:** ![Dev-Internetsoft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Dev-Internetsoft](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/Dev-Internetsoft)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2026, 3:29am UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/connecting-square-handheld-device-with-an-external-android-device/27234/8 "2026-08-21T03:29:10Z")
@jseok , Thanks for confirming. We are managing to connect external android device to Square Device (Terminal and Handheld). If we will have any query for the we will reach you. Also, can confirm that if we need to test terminal API and Devices API without Square Device then is there any way to check that it replicate the same behaviour like these square devices like any simulator or any specific device-ids? ---
**Author:** ![jseok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@jseok](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/jseok)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2026, 1:31pm UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/connecting-square-handheld-device-with-an-external-android-device/27234/9 "2026-08-21T13:31:05Z")
You can use the sandbox device IDs listed here to test device behavior without a physical device. > **[Test Square APIs in the Sandbox - Test in the Sandbox](https://developer.squareup.com/docs/devtools/sandbox/testing#terminal-api-checkouts)** > > Learn about the Square APIs that use the Sandbox for testing. | A quick reference for walkthroughs for various Square APIs that use the Sandbox for testing. ---
**Author:** ![Dev-Internetsoft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Dev-Internetsoft](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/u/Dev-Internetsoft)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2026, 1:32pm UTC](https://developer.squareup.com/forums/t/connecting-square-handheld-device-with-an-external-android-device/27234/10 "2026-08-21T13:32:10Z")
@jseok , Let we check and confirm