Written by Jason Feemster, POS specialist with 15+ years of experience helping restaurants and retailers troubleshoot POS systems, payments, and hardware issues.
Common Issue: Shopify POS freezes, lags, or becomes slow during checkout — screens hang, app crashes, or buttons become unresponsive.
Fast Fixes: Restart the POS app, clear cached data, reboot the iPad, check Wi-Fi stability, update the POS app, and reduce background apps.
Need official help? See our Shopify Customer Service Guide.
Want guided troubleshooting? Try the POSUSA POS Support Assistant (Free).
Shopify POS freezing or running slow usually shows up as laggy screens, delayed product loading, slow checkout performance, unresponsive buttons, or the POS app completely locking up. These issues are extremely common on older iPads, multi-location setups, and stores with large inventories.
If your Shopify POS feels slow or unstable, here’s how to fix it fast.
Table of Contents
Common Reasons Shopify POS Freezes or Runs Slow
- Too many apps open in the background
- Outdated POS app or iPadOS version
- Low device storage or memory issues
- Poor Wi-Fi connection affecting data sync
- Large product catalog slowing down search
- POS app cache data becoming overloaded
How to Fix Shopify POS Freezing & Lag
1. Close All Background Apps on the iPad
When too many apps are open, Shopify POS competes for memory — this is the #1 cause of slowdowns during peak hours.
- Swipe up from the bottom of the iPad
- Swipe all apps upward to close them
- Reopen Shopify POS
This instantly improves speed on most devices.
2. Restart the Shopify POS App
Restarting clears stuck sessions and reloads the product catalog more efficiently.
- Force-close the POS app (swipe up → close)
- Wait 5 seconds
- Reopen Shopify POS
If the app was frozen, this resets the session cleanly.
3. Update the Shopify POS App
Outdated versions frequently freeze, especially after Shopify pushes backend updates.
- Open App Store
- Search “Shopify POS”
- Tap Update
Always update when Shopify releases major fixes.
4. Restart the iPad
A simple reboot refreshes system memory and clears processes that slow down the app.
- Hold power button
- Slide to turn off
- Wait 10 seconds, then power back on
This is the most effective fix for freezing during checkout.
5. Check Your Wi-Fi Stability
Shopify POS relies heavily on the cloud — unstable Wi-Fi causes delays, slow product searches, and freezing screens.
- Move closer to the router
- Use a dedicated POS Wi-Fi network
- Restart your router
Even if internet “looks fine,” latency kills POS performance.
6. Free Up iPad Storage
When storage is full, iPads struggle to run complex apps like Shopify POS.
- Go to Settings → General → iPad Storage
- Delete unused apps/photos
- Ensure at least 2–4GB free
Retail environments with big photo catalogs often trigger this issue.
7. Reload Data Inside Shopify POS
This forces the app to refresh product data, customer info, and cached operations.
- Open Shopify POS
- Tap ≡ → Settings
- Select Reload Data
This fixes lag caused by data corruption or large catalogs.
When to Contact Shopify Support
- POS app freezes multiple times per day
- Device crashes while loading products
- Checkout stalls or fails repeatedly
- POS app won’t open or force reload freezes
Shopify Customer Service – Phone, Chat & Help Center
Shopify POS Freezing or Slow – FAQs
Why is Shopify POS running so slow?
Why does Shopify POS freeze at checkout?
Does Shopify POS need a certain iPad model?
Can slow Wi-Fi cause the POS app to freeze?
Try the POSUSA POS Support Assistant
Need help fixing freezing or lag?
- POSUSA POS Support Assistant
- Select Shopify POS
- Type: “freezing”
- Follow the guided troubleshooting steps
It’s fast, free, and designed for real retail and service environments.
Thinking About Switching POS Systems?
If you’re dealing with repeated POS issues, it might be time to compare more reliable options built for restaurants and retail businesses.
Takes 30 seconds • No sales pressure
