Shopify POS / New

Quick nearby device login
Sign a new POS device in by approving it from the device next to it

Adding or swapping a device used to mean typing credentials into the new device at the busiest time of day. Now a nearby device that's already signed in just taps "Approve," and the new device is signed in to your shop and location.

What's on this page
  1. What actually changes (understand it in 30 seconds)
  2. The sign-in flow, illustrated (4 steps)
  3. Two approval paths: Bluetooth and QR code
  4. Session length: "Today only" by default
  5. Permissions required: role plus PIN
  6. Old way vs. new way
  7. 5 points developers should know
  8. 3 practical use cases
  9. A one-line summary you can use in a pitch

1What actually changes

Until now, adding or swapping a POS device meant typing credentials into the new device . And it was always needed at the worst possible moment — right when the store was busiest.
With the new feature, all it takes isapproving from a nearby device that's already signed in, and the new device is signed in to your shop and location.

Old way: type it into the new device

Every time you added or swapped a device, you entered credentials on the new device's screen — and you needed it right at peak hours, the worst possible timing.

New way: tap to approve on the device next to it

A nearby signed-in device detects the new device over Bluetooth. A staff member with the right permission approves, enters a PIN, and the new device is signed in.

2The sign-in flow, illustrated

New device Power it on Proximity detected Bluetooth Signed-in device QR code if Bluetooth isn't available Staff member approves POS Device Setup role Enter the manager PIN Two steps: tap plus PIN Approval happens on the existing device Signed in Shop + location Default: today only Optional: Forever
1

Pick up the new device

Get the device you want to add or replace ready. No credentials required.

2

A nearby device detects it

A signed-in device finds the new device over Bluetooth.

3

Approve + manager PIN

A staff member with the POS Device Setup role taps approve and enters the manager PIN.

4

Into the shop and location

The new device is signed in to that shop and location, ready to use right away.

3Two approval paths: Bluetooth and QR code

Default path

Bluetooth: nearby devices detected automatically

A signed-in device detects the new device over Bluetooth and prompts for approval. Just picking up the device starts the flow.

Fallback

QR code: scan from a signed-in device

Where Bluetooth isn't available, you can scan a QR code shown on an already signed-in device instead.

With either path it's assumed that "a device that's already signed in is on site". The article doesn't cover how to set up the very first device from scratch.

4Session length: "today only" by default

Default: today only Stays signed in through the day's business or event Signs out once the day rolls over (no devices left lingering) End of today Optional: Forever (enabled in POS channel settings) For merchants who need longer sessions. Must be enabled explicitly
Default

Signed in for today only

A newly signed-in device is valid for "today only" by default. The design intent: devices don't stay logged in after an event ends.

Opt-in

Enable Forever

Merchants who want longer sessions can enable "Forever" in the POS channel admin.

Session length is itself a security setting. Turning on Forever gives up the default benefit that "no device lingers after the event." It's safest to limit it to cases where devices are fixed in place, like registers in a permanent store.

5Permissions required: two layers, role and PIN

1. The approver's role

POS Device Setup Only staff with the user role can tap approve.

2. Manager PIN

In addition to tapping to approve, a store manager PIN must be entered. No one can add devices on their own.

3. Turning it on per shop

The Help Center explains how to enable this feature for a shop, along with the required permissions and settings.

physical proximity (Bluetooth or QR) + role + PIN — all three are required before a device can sign in. Removing credential entry doesn't remove the approval gate.

6Old vs. new approach

ItemOldQuick nearby device login
Signing in a new device Manual entry Type credentials into the new device Approval Tap to approve on a nearby device
Trigger The operator works through the steps on the new device Bluetooth automatically detects a nearby device
If Bluetooth is unavailable — QR Scan the QR code on a signed-in device
What backs the authentication Someone who knows the credentials types them in POS Device Setup role + store manager PIN
Signs in to Depends on what was typed The same shop and location as the approving device
Session length Not specified Today only(default) / Forever can be enabled optionally
Where it hurts Typing lands right at peak rush Done in a few taps — no hold-up at the register

7Five points for technical readers

1. The "type credentials into the new device" step disappears entirely

The design removes credential entry on the device and replaces it with approval from an existing device. If your staff have been sharing credentials verbally or on paper, there's now room to stop doing that.

2. Trust is grounded in physical proximity

Both Bluetooth detection and QR scanning are approvals that assumean existing device is right there. They don't create a path for adding devices remotely.

Role PIN

3. Permissions are two-layered (role + PIN)

How you assign the POS Device Setup role is, in effect, your design for who can add devices. Hand the role out too widely and the approval barrier becomes a formality.

4. The default short-lived session is itself a security design

"Today only" is the default so that devices don't stay signed in after an event ends. Forever is an explicit opt-in, so enable it only alongside a risk assessment.

API ?

5. No specs on supported devices, OS, regions, or API/webhooks

All the announcement says is that shop-level enablement, permissions, and settings are covered in the Help Center . There's no mention of which hardware or OS versions Bluetooth detection works on, which countries are supported, or how this is handled from the Admin API or webhooks. Verifying on actual devices before rollout is a given.

8Three ways to put this to work

USE CASE 1

Turn devices for pop-ups, fairs, and events into a "borrow and return" operation

Problem
Every time you add devices for a limited-run fair or event, someone enters credentials on site. After the event, devices go home still signed in, and you only notice at inventory time.
Approach
Sign in one device on site first and make it the "host," then sign in the additional devices via proximity approval. Leave sessions on the "today only" default.
Result
The credential entry step disappears at setup, and after the event devices return to a signed-out state automatically. You avoid a situation where forgetting to collect a device is itself a risk.
Technical note
Enabling Forever wipes out this benefit, so make it an explicit policy not to turn Forever on for event shops.
Swap in a few taps
USE CASE 2

Handle device failures and dead batteries at peak hours with an on-the-spot swap

Problem
A register goes down on sale day or at a weekend peak. You bring out a replacement, but entering credentials stalls things for several minutes while the line keeps growing.
Approach
Keep a spare nearby, approve from a device that's already running, then sign in immediately with the manager PIN. Switch to QR scanning in back rooms where Bluetooth doesn't reach.
Result
Recovery becomes an approval action instead of data entry, cutting downtime at the register. It also frees the manager from having to stand at the device during peak hours.
Technical note
This assumes spares stay charged and that at least one host device is always alive. Proximity approval can't save you if every device goes down at once.
Store A Store B Store C
USE CASE 3

Audit and standardize "device setup permissions" across a multi-store chain

Problem
Each store adds devices its own way. Who's allowed to add a device is an unwritten rule, and credentials get shared on the floor.
Approach
Define per store who gets the POS Device Setup role, and standardize on approvals that always go through a role holder plus the manager PIN. Enable the feature at the shop level.
Result
"Who can add devices" becomes visible as a role, and you can stop sharing credentials on the floor. New store openings follow a single procedure.
Technical note
Shop-level enablement, permissions, and settings are covered in the Help Center. Devices sign in to the same shop and location as the approving device, so the accuracy of your location settings directly determines how correctly devices are associated.

9A one-line summary you can use in a pitch

"Adding or swapping a POS terminal:entering credentials on the new device is nowreplaced by tap-to-approve on a nearby terminal.
Bluetooth discovery (or a QR code when it's unavailable), the POS Device Setup role, and a manager PIN sign the device in all the way down to the shop and location in one go.
The default is "Today only," so terminals don't stay signed in after an event.Turn on Forever only for permanent registers you want signed in long-term."