How to Delete Your Square Account Without Screwing Anything Up

If you're closing your store, switching POS systems, or just cutting tools you no longer use — deleting your Square account is something you want to get right.

Miss a step, and you could lose important data or keep getting billed even after you're out.

I’ve been through this process myself, and helped other retail and print-on-demand sellers do the same.

This guide breaks down exactly how to shut down your Square account cleanly — from exporting reports, canceling subscriptions, and unlinking bank accounts, to full deactivation and optional data deletion.

Let’s walk through it step by step.

Why You Might Want to Delete Square

Let’s be real. Square’s great for getting started.

I used it when I opened my first in-person pop-up with print-on-demand gear.

It’s plug-and-play, easy to get going, and the hardware works fine. But over time, it starts feeling… limited.

You might want out because:

• Your retail business is shutting down
• You're switching to a better POS like Shopify or Lightspeed
• You’re tired of paying monthly fees for stuff you’re not using
• You sold the business and want to clear your data
• Square’s not fitting your workflow anymore

Whatever the reason — if you’re done, here’s how to do it properly.

I’ve had clients go through this when their business model changed — maybe they moved from brick-and-mortar to fully online, or they just started using tools that played nicer with Shopify.

In a lot of cases, it wasn’t even about Square being “bad,” it just stopped being the right tool for the job. If your POS setup doesn’t work with your business model, it works against it.

There’s also the issue of recurring costs. Square's subscriptions can stack up fast, especially if you’re not actively using all the features.

Between loyalty programs, marketing tools, and payroll, you could be paying hundreds each month just to keep the lights on. That’s money better spent elsewhere if you’ve moved on.

Step 1: Export Everything You Might Need Later

This is the one mistake I see retail owners make again and again.
They hit “deactivate” before pulling their records — then six months later when they’re doing taxes, they’re screwed.

What to download before you do anything:

• Sales reports (monthly/quarterly/yearly)
• Transaction history
• Customer data
• Inventory lists
• Employee timecards (if you used Square Team Management)

How to do it:

• Log in to your Square Dashboard
• Head to Reports > Sales Summary
• Choose your date range
• Export as CSV
• Save that stuff somewhere safe

Do the same for customers, inventory, anything you think you’ll need.
Because once you close it — it’s gone.

It sounds obvious, but when you’re in clean-up mode, you’re not thinking long-term. I’ve seen shop owners panic at audit time because they didn’t have backup records from Square.

You want to export not just what you need now, but what you might need later — better safe than scrambling.

I always recommend storing these files in multiple places — your local hard drive, Google Drive, even Dropbox.

Treat it like closing out a tax year. If you ever need to prove revenue, deal with a refund request, or hand over records to a buyer or accountant, you’ll be glad you kept everything tidy.

Step 2: Cancel All Subscriptions First

This is where people get stuck.

Even if you close your Square account, they’ll keep charging your card if you’ve got active subscriptions.

That includes:

• Square for Retail
• Square Appointments
• Square Payroll
• Square Online
• Team Plus
• Marketing or Loyalty plans

How to cancel:

• Go to your Square Dashboard
• Click on Account & Settings > Subscriptions
• Find each one you’re using
• Hit Cancel

Pro tip: Do this before you deactivate the account — or it might not process correctly.

The tricky thing here is that Square doesn’t bundle your subscriptions. Each service needs to be canceled individually.

Just closing your main account doesn’t auto-cancel everything tied to it. That’s how people end up with surprise charges weeks later.

Make sure you check your billing history too. If anything looks off — like charges for tools you forgot you signed up for — contact support right away. Better to wrap it all up cleanly now than chase down refunds later.

Step 3: Remove Any Linked Hardware or Bank Accounts

If you’ve got a physical Square Reader or Square Register, it’s not tied to your identity — but it’s still smart to reset everything.

And if you’ve linked your bank account, swap it out with something neutral before deactivation. Just in case.

Steps:

• Go to Settings > Hardware — unlink any devices
• Go to Settings > Bank Accounts — remove or replace the linked account

Removing hardware ties and payment info protects you long-term. I’ve heard of people selling or giving away their old Square Readers without logging them out first.

You don’t want someone else transacting under your old business name or messing up your tax records.

Same goes for your bank. If you forget to unlink it, Square could still attempt to bill you or issue a refund — even if your account is closed.

Best case, it’s an annoyance. Worst case, you’re chasing down unexpected bank activity. Pull the plug cleanly.

Step 4: Deactivate the Account from the Browser (Not the App)

You can’t delete your Square account through the app.
You’ll need to do it from the desktop browser.

Here’s how:

• Go to your Square Account Dashboard
• Click Account & Settings > Business Information
• Scroll to the bottom
• Click Deactivate Account
• Choose your reason
• Confirm

That’s it. You’ll get an email confirming the shutdown.

⚠️ Heads up: If you're the account owner, you're the only one who can do this. Not your staff or admins.

Even if someone else helps you run the business, only the person who originally created the Square account can deactivate it.

This is a security feature — and it’s non-negotiable. So if you’ve sold your store or handed it off to a partner, you’ll need to handle this step yourself or officially transfer account ownership first.

Once deactivated, you can’t reverse it. Square doesn’t let you “pause” or “freeze” accounts — it’s all or nothing. So be absolutely sure you’ve done the previous steps first, especially the data exports.

What Happens After You Close It

Here’s what to expect after your account is gone:

• You won’t be able to log in — so make sure you’ve saved your data
• No one else can access your info — it’s locked
• Your Square hardware still works — it just won’t be connected to anything
• Receipts + transaction records are still sent to your customers if they got emails/SMS at time of sale
• Square holds some data for up to 7 years for legal reasons

If you reopen the same business later, you’ll need to make a new account from scratch.

One thing people don’t always expect — even if you shut down, Square’s systems still remember certain things like tax IDs or merchant info.

So if you ever open another Square account with the same email or EIN, you might hit some duplicate flagging. It’s rare, but it happens.

Also, if you’re using Square hardware, you can sell it, donate it, or reuse it with a new account. Just be sure to factory reset it before handing it off.

You don’t want your old business name showing up on someone else’s receipt.

Thinking About Switching POS Systems?

If you’re not just shutting down — but moving to a better platform — good move.

Square’s great for day one.
But when you need more features, deeper control, or better eCommerce integration… it hits its limits.

Here’s what I recommend checking out:

• Shopify POS — best for omnichannel stores with online + in-person selling
• Lightspeed Retail — solid if you have a larger store or lots of SKUs
• Clover POS — good middle ground, and great hardware options
• SumUp — cheaper alternative if you want to go lightweight

Switching takes a bit of setup, but it’s worth it if you’re scaling or simplifying.

Before switching, think about what you need your POS to actually do. Are you managing multiple SKUs? Do you need deeper analytics?

Are you doing a lot of online sales alongside in-store? The right system can save you hours a week — not just at checkout, but with inventory, fulfillment, and reporting.

If you’re in the print-on-demand space like me, Shopify is a killer option. You can sync it with Printful or Gelato, manage orders seamlessly, and sell both online and in-store without having to duct-tape your tools together.

Bonus Tip: Don’t Forget Team Access

Before deleting, make sure your employees or partners are out of the system.

You don’t want anyone poking around or messing with settings after you’ve shut things down.

Go to:

• Team > Permissions
• Remove access or delete users one by one

I’ve seen team members accidentally log in months later and wonder why things aren’t working — or worse, make changes thinking the account is still active. Clean it out before shutting down.

If your business is changing hands, Square does let you transfer ownership. That way, the new owner can keep the sales history, logins, and account structure — without you needing to delete anything.

But if you’re walking away entirely, it’s best to wipe your tracks and lock it down.

FAQs About Deleting Your Square Account

Can I delete my Square account from the app?

Nope. You have to do it from a desktop browser.

Will I lose all my sales data?

Yes, once the account is deactivated — unless you exported it before deleting.

Do I get a refund on subscriptions I cancel?

Square does not usually refund the remaining balance of a subscription term — but you can ask via Square support.

Can I reactivate later?

No. Once it’s deleted, it’s gone. You’ll need to make a new account from scratch.

Is Square still charging me after I deleted?

If you didn’t cancel subscriptions before deactivation, they might still charge your card. You’ll need to contact support to fix that.

Final Word

If you’re ready to delete your Square account, don’t rush it.

I’ve helped enough retail folks mess this up to know — it’s not just a click-and-done situation.

Cancel your subscriptions. Export your data. Clean your settings. Then shut it down.

That’s how you make sure it’s clean, safe, and future-you doesn’t have a panic moment when tax season rolls around.

Good luck out there.

And if you’re making moves with print-on-demand or scaling your POS setup — keep things tight. Your backend matters.