{"id":312,"date":"2026-08-28T10:20:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T10:20:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/academy\/hw-drawer\/"},"modified":"2026-09-01T19:18:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T19:18:56","slug":"hw-drawer","status":"publish","type":"academy_article","link":"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/academy\/hw-drawer\/","title":{"rendered":"Connect a cash drawer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Connect the drawer through your receipt printer, or straight into the POS if it has a built-in printer. Cable it up, pick the matching method in EPOS360, and it kicks open on every cash sale.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-step-tags wp-block-epos-academy-step-tags\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"aa-step-tags__tag\">\n\t\t\t1 step\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"aa-step-tags__tag\">\n\t\t\tAbout 3 minutes\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"aa-step-tags__tag\">\n\t\t\tPrinter or Hardware Port\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"aa-step-tags__tag aa-step-tags__tag--muted\">\n\t\t\tUpdated 18 Aug 2026\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-step-images aa-image-showcase aa-image-showcase--float wp-block-epos-academy-image-showcase\">\n\t<div class=\"aa-step-images__row\">\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"aa-step-figure\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step-figure__media\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/hwd-ca7b.png\" alt=\"One cable, two possible homes. The RJ11\/RJ12 cable goes into the DK port on an external receipt printer, or straight into the port on the back of the POS.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"aa-step-figure__cap\"><strong>One cable, two possible homes.<\/strong> The RJ11\/RJ12 cable goes into the DK port on an external receipt printer, or straight into the port on the back of the POS.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<section class=\"aa-audience wp-block-epos-academy-audience-cards\">\n\n\t\n\t<h2 class=\"aa-audience__heading\">WHO THIS IS FOR<\/h2>\n\n\t<div class=\"aa-audience__cards\">\n\t\t\n<div class=\"aa-audience__card wp-block-epos-academy-audience-card\">\n\t<div class=\"aa-audience__card-body\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"aa-audience__card-title\">Whoever sets up the counter<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"aa-audience__card-desc\"><li>\u2014 whether you run an external printer or a POS with one built in.<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-audience__card wp-block-epos-academy-audience-card\">\n\t<div class=\"aa-audience__card-body\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"aa-audience__card-title\">Cash-heavy counters<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"aa-audience__card-desc\"><li>that need the drawer to open by itself at the end of a sale.<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"aa-checklist wp-block-epos-academy-prereq-checklist\">\n\n\t\n\t<h2 class=\"aa-checklist__heading\">BEFORE YOU BEGIN<\/h2>\n\n\t<div class=\"aa-checklist__box\">\n\t\t\n<div class=\"aa-checklist__item wp-block-epos-academy-prereq-item\">\n\t<span class=\"aa-checklist__check\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\">\n\t\t\t\t<polyline points=\"20 6 9 17 4 12\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<p class=\"aa-checklist__item-text\"><strong>Pair the receipt printer first \u2014 if you are using one.<\/strong> The Printer method needs that printer to exist in Hardware already. The Hardware Port method does not.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-checklist__item wp-block-epos-academy-prereq-item\">\n\t<span class=\"aa-checklist__check\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\">\n\t\t\t\t<polyline points=\"20 6 9 17 4 12\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<p class=\"aa-checklist__item-text\"><strong>Know where the cable goes.<\/strong> Into the DK port on an external printer, or into the RJ11\/RJ12 port on the POS if your POS has a built-in printer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-steps wp-block-epos-academy-steps-section\">\n\t<div class=\"aa-steps__head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"aa-steps__heading\">THE STEPS<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"aa-steps__panels\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"aa-steps__panel wp-block-epos-academy-steps-tab\" data-tab-id=\"tab-phone\">\n\t\n<div class=\"aa-step wp-block-epos-academy-setup-step\">\n\t<div class=\"aa-step__grid\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step__main\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step__col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"aa-step__title\">Step 1: Link the cash drawer<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"aa-step-text wp-block-epos-academy-step-text\">Back in <strong>Hardware<\/strong>, open <strong>Cash Drawer<\/strong> and tap <code>Add Cash Drawer<\/code>. Under <strong>Select Connection Method<\/strong> you get two choices \u2014 <strong>Printer<\/strong> or <strong>Hardware Port<\/strong>. Which one you use depends on the equipment in front of you; see below. Pick it, tap <code>Connect<\/code>, and once you see <strong>Connected successfully<\/strong> the drawer kicks open on every cash sale.<\/p>\n<div class=\"aa-step-note wp-block-epos-academy-step-note\" style=\"background:#FDF8EC;border-color:#F0D8A8;\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"aa-step-note__icon\" style=\"color:#9A6B08;\" aria-hidden=\"true\">!<\/span>\n\t\t<p class=\"aa-step-note__text\" style=\"color:#414651;\"><strong>Plug the cable in first.<\/strong> The method you pick in the app must match where the drawer\u2019s RJ11\/RJ12 cable is physically plugged \u2014 into the printer, or into the POS itself.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step-images aa-step-images--cols2 wp-block-epos-academy-step-images\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step-images__row\">\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"aa-step-figure\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step-figure__media\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0da1625a-d68b-4aee-bc07-9028e4a970da.jpg\" alt=\"Open Cash Drawer.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"aa-step-figure__cap\">Open Cash Drawer.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"aa-step-figure\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step-figure__media\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cfc6275e-031a-4774-9d70-80546d6e011a.jpg\" alt=\"Add Cash Drawer.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"aa-step-figure__cap\">Add Cash Drawer.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"aa-step-figure\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step-figure__media\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/3acae414-3f94-458e-9d2d-09ac04bc1681.jpg\" alt=\"Pick the receipt printer.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"aa-step-figure__cap\">Pick the receipt printer.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"aa-step-figure\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step-figure__media\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c73c1c5c-957f-415b-b904-e676e5c259a1.jpg\" alt=\"Connected, plus the right cable.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"aa-step-figure__cap\">Connected, plus the right cable.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<section class=\"aa-options wp-block-epos-academy-options-section\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"aa-options__heading\">Which connection method to use<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"aa-options__intro\">Three situations, and the method each one calls for. <strong>Printer<\/strong> means the drawer cable runs into an external printer; <strong>Hardware Port<\/strong> means it runs straight into the POS.<\/p>\n\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__cards\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__card\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"aa-options__chip\">OPTION 1<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"aa-options__title\">Cash drawer to Printer<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__subtitle\">Use when your POS has no RJ11\/RJ12 socket<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"aa-options__body\">Your POS device has no RJ11\/RJ12 plug, or you would simply rather not run a cable to it. Plug the drawer into the DK port on the back of your external receipt printer, then choose <strong>Printer<\/strong> in the app and pick that printer. Make it the printer that prints your Merchant and Customer copies, so the drawer kicks at the right moment.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__card\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"aa-options__chip\">OPTION 2<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"aa-options__title\">Cash drawer to Hardware Port<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__subtitle\">Use when your POS has a built-in printer<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"aa-options__body\">Your POS device has an internal printer, so there is no external printer to hang the drawer off. Plug the RJ11\/RJ12 cable into the port on the back of the POS itself, then choose <strong>Hardware Port<\/strong> in the app.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__figures\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"aa-step-figure\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step-figure__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/hwd-3ef2.png\" alt=\"Hardware Port, in the app.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"aa-step-figure__cap\">Hardware Port, in the app.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"aa-step-figure\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-step-figure__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/hwd-a4e1.png\" alt=\"The port on the back of the POS.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"aa-step-figure__cap\">The port on the back of the POS.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__card\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"aa-options__chip\">OPTION 3<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"aa-options__title\">Either one<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-options__subtitle\">Use when you have both<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"aa-options__body\">Your POS supports RJ11\/RJ12 <strong>and<\/strong> you run an external printer. Both methods work, so it comes down to preference and how you want the cables to sit at the counter.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-feedback wp-block-epos-academy-feedback-bar\" id=\"support\">\n\t<p class=\"aa-feedback__q\">Does the drawer open on a cash sale?<\/p>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-feedback__btns\">\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"aa-feedback__btn\" data-aa-fb=\"yes\">Yes<\/button>\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"aa-feedback__btn\" data-aa-fb=\"no\">Not yet<\/button>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<span class=\"aa-feedback__thanks\" hidden>Thanks, noted.<\/span>\n\t\t<span class=\"aa-feedback__help\">\n\t\tNeed help?\t\t<a href=\"#support\">Contact support<\/a>\n\t<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-next-steps wp-block-epos-academy-next-steps\" id=\"aa-next-steps-3\">\n\t<h2 class=\"aa-next-steps__heading\">WHERE TO GO NEXT<\/h2>\n\t<div class=\"aa-next-steps__cards\">\n\t\t\n<div class=\"aa-next-steps__card wp-block-epos-academy-next-step-card\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"aa-next-steps__eyebrow\">NEXT<\/span>\n\t\t<p class=\"aa-next-steps__title\">Wi-Fi &amp; LAN printer<\/p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/academy\/hw-network\/\" class=\"aa-next-steps__link\">Read the guide \u2192<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-next-steps__card wp-block-epos-academy-next-step-card\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"aa-next-steps__eyebrow\">NEXT<\/span>\n\t\t<p class=\"aa-next-steps__title\">Build your store<\/p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/academy\/store-setup\/\" class=\"aa-next-steps__link\">Read the guide \u2192<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-troubleshoot wp-block-epos-academy-troubleshoot-list\" id=\"aa-troubleshoot-4\">\n\t<h2 class=\"aa-troubleshoot__heading\">IF IT LOOKS WRONG<\/h2>\n\t<div class=\"aa-troubleshoot__cards\">\n\t\t\n<div class=\"aa-troubleshoot__card wp-block-epos-academy-troubleshoot-card\">\n\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"aa-troubleshoot__title\" aria-expanded=\"true\">\n\t\t<span>The drawer never opens<\/span>\n\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-troubleshoot__body\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"aa-troubleshoot__desc\">Check the cable is in the DK port of the printer you linked, and that this printer is the one printing Receipt copies.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-troubleshoot__card wp-block-epos-academy-troubleshoot-card\">\n\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"aa-troubleshoot__title\" aria-expanded=\"true\">\n\t\t<span>It opens only sometimes<\/span>\n\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-troubleshoot__body\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"aa-troubleshoot__desc\">A drawer linked to a kitchen printer only kicks when that printer fires. Link it to the receipt printer instead.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"aa-troubleshoot__card wp-block-epos-academy-troubleshoot-card\">\n\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"aa-troubleshoot__title\" aria-expanded=\"true\">\n\t\t<span>No printer to choose from<\/span>\n\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aa-troubleshoot__body\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"aa-troubleshoot__desc\">Nothing is paired yet. Either pair the Bluetooth printer first, or use Hardware Port if the drawer is cabled to the POS.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_aa_toc":[{"id":"who-this-is-for","label":"Who this is for"},{"id":"before-you-begin","label":"Before you begin"},{"id":"the-steps","label":"The steps"},{"id":"which-connection-method-to-use","label":"Which connection method to use"},{"id":"if-it-looks-wrong","label":"If it looks wrong"}],"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-312","academy_article","type-academy_article","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/academy_article\/312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/academy_article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/academy_article"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/academy_article\/312\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.epos.com\/my\/merchant-academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}