Essential steps to recover a broken POS tablet

by POSable Support Team | January 5, 2026 1:36 pm

Your data is safe on Android & Windows devices and POSable servers.

1. remove it from your dashboard
2. install POSable on a replacement device
3. sign in
   

Your products, settings and staff accounts download automatically on Android or Windows, and you can be trading again in minutes.

How POSable protects your data

Four layers protect your data automatically. Moreover, there is nothing to set up in the dashboard and nothing to remember to back up for Android or Windows.

• Automatic cloud sync after every sale. When the till is online, each sale uploads to the cloud as soon as payment completes. Your sales history, reports and stock levels are stored centrally, not on the device.
• Offline mode. If your internet drops, POSable keeps trading. Sales are saved on the device and upload automatically as soon as the connection returns.
• Regular incremental backups. POSable’s infrastructure takes incremental backups at regular intervals, capturing changes to your data over time to ensure long-term data retention.
• Multiple off-site backup services. Backups are copied to several separate off-site backup services. If data in one location were ever corrupted, it’s very unlikely the same problem would affect another, so there’s always a clean copy to restore from.

What’s stored in the cloud and what’s on the Android/Windows device

Stored in the POSable cloud	Kept on the device
Sales history and reports	A working copy of products, prices and settings, so the till is fast and works offline
Products, categories, variants and stock	Sales taken offline that haven’t uploaded yet
VAT settings and accounts data
Staff accounts and PINs
Loyalty customers, points and offers
Printer profiles and device names

However, because the cloud holds the master copy, replacing an Android or Windows device doesn’t mean rebuilding anything.

How to replace a broken tablet or till

1. Log in to your POSable dashboard from any computer, tablet or phone.
2. Open App Devices from the dashboard menu. You’ll see each registered device with its name, status and when it was last seen.
3. Delete the broken device. This frees up a slot in your subscription plan. POSable won’t let you go over your plan’s device limit, so remove the old device before signing in on the new one.
4. Install POSable on your replacement Android tablet or Windows till.
5. Sign in with your POSable login details. There’s no need to add the device in the dashboard, because it registers automatically the first time you sign in.
6. Let it sync. POSable downloads your:
   • categories
   • product options (attributes)
   • products and variants
   • settings
   • printer profiles
   • staff accounts
7. Rename the device in App Devices, for example “Counter 1” or “Bar Till”, so it’s easy to recognise.
8. Reconnect your card terminal. Dojo terminals are assigned to devices automatically. For Gravity card readers, assign the reader to the new device in App Devices.
9. Check your printer. Printer profiles download automatically, but you may need to pair a Bluetooth printer or plug in a USB printer again on the new device.
10. Make a test sale to confirm payments, receipts and stock are all working.

Keep trading while you sort out a replacement

• Use another device. If you have more than one till, keep trading on the others. All devices share the same cloud data.
• Keep a spare tablet. Having a spare set up with POSable is the quickest way to get back up and running.
• Offline sign-in. Staff can sign in with their PIN without internet for up to 5 days after the device last synced. That keeps you trading through connection problems.

Tip: make sure offline sales have uploaded

When an Android or Windows device is offline, it stores sales on that device until it reconnects. However, POSable cannot include them in its cloud backups until they are uploaded. To keep your records complete:

• keep your tills connected to reliable Wi-Fi or mobile data
• if you’ve been trading offline, reconnect and tap Sync Data before closing for the day
• check Last seen in App Devices to confirm each till has recently connected

Your card payment provider records card payments, so you can check them against your provider’s statement if needed on Android or Windows.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my sales if my POS tablet breaks?

No. Sales upload to the cloud straight after payment when the device is online, and POSable’s data is protected by regular incremental backups copied to several off-site locations. The only exception is sales taken offline that hadn’t uploaded before the device broke.

Do I need to re-enter my products on a replacement device?

No. Products, categories, variants, prices and settings download automatically when you sign in on the new device.

Do I need to add the new device in the POSable dashboard?

No. The device registers automatically the first time you sign in. Just delete the old device first to free up a slot.

What if I’ve reached my POSable device limit?

Delete the broken device in the dashboard to free up a slot, or upgrade your plan if you need more devices.

Do I need to back up my POSable data myself?

No. Backups are handled automatically by POSable’s infrastructure, so there’s nothing to set up or run.

Can I replace an Android tablet with a Windows till?

Yes. POSable runs on both Android tablets and Windows tills, and your data syncs to either.

Related Guides

• Does POSable work offline?[1]
• What hardware do I need?[2]
• Kitchen printing[3] (printer profiles re-sync)
• How much does POSable cost?[4] (device limits)

Source URL: https://posable.co.uk/posable-docs/what-if-my-tablet-breaks/

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