Managing Shopify POS updates with Mobile Device Management

If your business uses Mobile Device Management (MDM) to manage your Shopify POS devices, then you can control when new versions of Shopify POS are installed. This gives you the flexibility to test updates before rolling them out company-wide, reduce interruptions during peak sales periods, and resolve problems more efficiently if an update causes issues.

This guide explains how Shopify POS updates work, how to configure your MDM for phased rollouts, and best practices for maintaining stable devices.

Understanding Shopify POS updates

A new version of Shopify POS releases every 2 weeks. New versions of Shopify POS include new features and bug fixes that ensure you have the most up-to-date functionality. Updates might also impact your daily workflows and require additional staff training. Planning for updates, especially with large fleets of devices, can help avoid disruptions to your business operations.

Best practice is to update Shopify POS on all devices as soon as possible, to ensure you have the most recently tested version of the app.

Most MDMs manage operating system updates separately from Shopify POS app updates. When configuring your MDM, confirm that both types of updates are covered, so that an operating system update doesn't roll out automatically before you finish testing a new Shopify POS version.

Using MDM for update control with Shopify POS

Review the following steps to learn how MDM can stage, schedule, and monitor Shopify POS updates on your managed iOS or Android devices. For support with your MDM software, you need to contact the support teams for your MDM.

You can't roll back to a previous Shopify POS version. After you update Shopify POS, your devices stay on that version until the next update releases and you deploy it.

Step 1: Creating device test groups

Most MDM configurations let you create device groups, so you can manage groups of devices differently. Creating a group of test devices lets you deploy updates to a controlled number of devices, so you can test new features and changes to workflows before updating your entire fleet of devices.

Plan for 2-3 business days of testing on the test group before rolling out to the rest of your fleet. Before peak sales periods, extend the testing window to a full week.

Step 2: Configuring your devices' update settings

How you configure update settings depends on your device type:

• iOS devices: Configure your MDM to deactivate automatic app updates for Shopify POS on most device groups. Your test group should have automatic updates activated so it always receives new versions first. You can then activate automatic updates for each group when you're ready to roll out.

• Android devices: Configure Shopify POS update mode in your MDM's "Managed Google Play" settings. Set your test group to "Default" or "High Priority" to receive updates immediately. Set other groups to "Postpone" to delay updates for up to 90 days, then switch them to "Default" when you're ready to roll out.

If your iOS devices run iOS 17.2 or later, are supervised, and are enrolled through Apple Business Manager, then your MDM might support pinning Shopify POS to a specific version through declarative app management. Support depends on your MDM vendor. Confirm version pinning capabilities with your MDM vendor before relying on it for phased rollouts. If your MDM doesn't support pinning, then activating automatic updates installs the latest version available in the App Store at that time, which might be newer than the version you tested.

Step 3: Updating your devices

Consider the following tips for updating your devices with minimal disruption to your business:

• Choose low-traffic update times to prevent disruptions to your business's daily operations.
• Configure your MDM to deploy updates before your stores open or after your stores close.
• If you have locations across multiple timezones, then you might need to stagger your rollout schedule so each location receives updates during their local overnight hours. This prevents all devices from updating simultaneously and allows your support team to handle issues during timezone-appropriate store hours if problems occur.

Shopify POS app updates don't include firmware for hardware such as your card reader or Shopify POS Hub. Manage hardware firmware updates separately through the hardware's own update process.

Before you update your devices you should notify store managers, including for overnight updates. This prepares store managers for potential workflow changes. Provide your manager with the following details about the Shopify POS update:

• Update date and time, in their local timezone
• Brief description of what's changing from the Retail Release Roundup
• Testing instructions, such as processing a test sale before the store opens.
• Who to contact if an issue occurs

Store managers might need to arrive 15-30 minutes before their store opens on update days to verify POS devices are functioning correctly.

Step 4: Planning for busy periods

Before major sales periods such as holidays or promotional events, ensure all devices are updated to the latest stable and tested Shopify POS version. To reduce disruptions, avoid deploying updates you haven’t tested right before or during these high-transaction days.

Use the following best practices to plan for busy periods:

• Test new Shopify POS updates on your test group of devices several weeks ahead of peak times.
• Verify all workflows, integrations, and hardware with the new version before updating remaining devices.
• Schedule the rollout so all locations are running the latest approved version before sales spikes.

Validating a Shopify POS update

After your test devices receive a new Shopify POS version, run through the following checks before rolling out to the rest of your fleet:

• Process a card payment to confirm that your card reader connects and completes the transaction.
• Process a cash sale to confirm that your cash drawer opens.
• Process a return.
• Apply a discount.
• Print a receipt.
• Scan a barcode.
• Open each Shopify POS user interface (UI) extension that your staff uses.
• Check third-party app integrations such as loyalty or inventory apps.

If every check passes, then continue the rollout to the rest of your fleet. If any check doesn't work as expected, then stop the rollout and refer to Troubleshooting update deployments.

Troubleshooting update deployments

You can resolve most update deployment issues using the following troubleshooting steps. If you can't resolve the issue, then contact your MDM vendor for additional troubleshooting support.

Report an issue with an update

By testing on a few devices first, you can identify problems before updating all of your devices. If you notice an issue during or after your testing process, then take the following steps:

• If you haven't completed the update's deployment, then don't update your remaining devices.
• Report the issue by submitting POS logs from the affected devices. In Shopify POS, go to > Support > Report a Bug.
• Decide whether or not to continue deploying the update. If the issue impacts your daily workflows, then you can pause deployment until the issue is fixed.