Troubleshooting Square Payment Errors

Troubleshooting Square Payment Errors in PhotoBiz

Square payment errors can appear for several different reasons during checkout, and the same error code may apply to multiple situations. One of the most common error codes photographers see is s296, which Square uses for many authorization and payment-related issues. Because of this, the full error message shown during checkout is more important than the code itself.

This guide explains the most common Square payment errors, what they mean, and the exact steps to take so your clients can complete payment successfully.

Before You Troubleshoot

When a Square payment fails, start by identifying the full error message shown on the form, invoice, or checkout screen. The message determines whether the issue is related to your Square connection or a card-specific decline.

The steps in this guide apply to Square payments on forms, invoices, and checkout pages.

Check Square System Status

If multiple payments are failing at the same time, Square may be experiencing a temporary outage. In this case, reconnecting Square will not resolve the issue until Square service is restored.

You can check Square’s current system status here:
https://www.issquareup.com

If Square is operating normally, continue with the sections below.

Error: “This request could not be authorized.” (s296)

This error usually indicates that Square needs its connection refreshed.

On forms, this error may appear as:
“There was a problem processing the order (e94): This request could not be authorized. (s296)”

What This Means

Square is blocking the request because the connection between PhotoBiz and Square needs updated permissions.

What to Do

First, reconnect your Square account in PhotoBiz. Reconnecting refreshes permissions and resolves most authorization-related issues.

If the error continues after reconnecting, remove Square from your PhotoBiz account and then add it back as a new merchant using the same Square account.

If the same error appears again after re-adding Square, contact PhotoBiz Support so the issue can be reviewed further.

Error: “The credit card was declined.” 208 (s296)

This message means the payment was declined by Square, not by PhotoBiz.

Why This Happens

Square may decline a card for several reasons, such as:

Insufficient funds
Card restrictions or expiration
Bank authorization issues
Fraud or security checks

The exact decline reason is determined by Square and is not controlled by PhotoBiz.

What to Do

Log into your Square account and review the declined transaction. Square provides a specific decline reason that explains why the payment did not go through.

Once you know the reason, you can determine whether the client needs to use a different card or contact their bank before attempting checkout again.

Important: Client Refresh Required After Fixing Payment Issues

After reconnecting Square, re-adding Square, or resolving a declined payment, your client must refresh the payment page before trying again.

If the page is not refreshed, the form, invoice, or checkout screen may still be using the old Square connection and the payment will continue to fail.

Have your client refresh the page where they are entering payment information, then re-enter their payment details and submit the payment again.

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Troubleshooting Square Payment Errors