How To Deactivate Your Square Account Step By Step

With minimal overhead, Square is one of the lowest-risk ways to accept credit and one of the best credit card processing companies out there. Still, there may come a time when you want to delete your Square account, either because you’re closing your business or you’ve found a payment processor more suited to your needs.

Below, we’ll walk you through how to delete a Square account. Note that Square calls this process deactivating your Square account, though we will use “cancel,” “delete,” “close,” and similar language; they all mean the same thing in this context.

It’s important to realize that Square retains your information after you delete your Square account, and there’s currently no way to purge your data from its systems completely.

Do You Need To Delete Your Square Account?

A basic Square account has no monthly fee, so it doesn’t cost you anything to keep your account open in case you need to use it down the road. And since Square does retain user information, deleting your account doesn’t actually do all that much.

Still, some users may get peace of mind from knowing their accounts are deactivated.

What To Do Before You Delete Your Square Account

Before you delete your Square account, you’ll want to make sure you’ve gotten your house in order. Make sure you’ve done or at least thought about the following things before you close your Square account.

How To Delete Your Square Account In 4 Steps

Once you’ve tied up all your account’s loose ends, you’ll be ready to deactivate your Square account.

The actual deactivation process is pretty straightforward, consisting of the following steps:

1. Navigate to the Deactivate Account option
2. Select a reason for deactivation
3. Enter your 2-Step Verification code, or have a verification code emailed to you
4. Confirm deactivation

1. Navigate To The Deactivate Account Option

You can start the deactivation process from the Square Dashboard.

From your user profile in the upper right corner, go to Account Settings->Business Information -> About my business -> Deactivate your business:

2. Select A Reason For Deactivation

After you click on Deactivate Account, you’ll be prompted to select a reason for closing your account. Choose the most relevant option, providing additional comments if you so choose.

3. Enter Your 2-Step Verification Code Or Have A Verification Code Emailed To You

Next, you’ll need to enter your security information to confirm that you have the authority to shut down your account. Depending on how you’ve configured your account, provide the necessary password and/or verification code to move on.

4. Confirm Deactivation

Finally, Square will give you one last chance to reconsider your life choices. Read the accompanying warnings, and, if you aren’t deterred, hit the big red Deactivate button.

And that’s that. Or is it?

What To Do After You Close Your Square Account

Closing your Square account will stop future transactions, but it’s not an escape plan from any existing obligations you might have from when your account was active.

Here are some things you should do after you delete your Square account.

When Is The Right Time To Delete Your Square Account?

Square aims to be a simple, one-stop shop for small businesses, but this approach comes with some pros and cons. Many businesses will eventually outgrow Square, whether due to increased volume, the need for a dedicated merchant account, or expansion into international markets.

While there is little urgency or functionality to deleting your Square account, it’s good to know you have the option to deactivate it.