Remove a card in three steps from your PayPal wallet

To remove a credit card from PayPal, sign into your account, go to your wallet, find the card you want to remove, and select the delete or remove option. The card is gone from your account when ready, though any pending charges using that card will still go through. If you want to stop using a card for future payments, removing it from PayPal is the fastest way.

The process is the same whether you use PayPal on a computer or the mobile app, though the exact button names and menu locations differ slightly between the two. Either way, you control which cards stay in your wallet and which ones you delete.

Key Takeaways

  • Removing a card from PayPal takes less than a minute and happens when ready, so you can stop using that card for payments right away.
  • Any charges that were already approved before you removed the card will still process, even if the card is no longer in your wallet.
  • You can remove a card from either the PayPal website or the mobile app using the same basic steps.
  • If you want to use a different card for future payments, you can add a new card to your wallet before or after removing the old one.

How to remove a card on the PayPal website

Start by going to PayPal.com and signing into your account with your email and password. Once you are logged in, look for the gear icon or menu button in the top right corner of the page and select "Account Settings" or "Settings".

From the settings menu, find and click on "Wallet" or "Payment Methods" — the exact name depends on your account type and region. You will see a list of all the cards and bank accounts linked to your PayPal account. Find the card you want to remove and hover over it or click on it to see the options. Look for a "Remove," "Delete," or three-dot menu icon next to the card. Click that option and confirm when PayPal asks you to verify the removal.

How to remove a card on the PayPal mobile app

Open the PayPal app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right of the screen. Scroll down and tap "Wallet" or "Payment Methods." You will see all your linked cards and accounts in a list.

Swipe left on the card you want to remove (on iPhone) or long-press it (on Android), and a delete or remove button will appear. Tap it and confirm the removal when prompted. On some versions of the app, you may need to tap a three-dot menu next to the card instead. Either way, the card is removed from your account once you confirm.

What happens to pending charges after you remove a card

If you remove a card from PayPal, any charge that PayPal has already approved will still go through, even though the card is no longer in your wallet. This matters most for subscriptions and recurring payments — if you remove a card that is set as the payment method for a monthly subscription, PayPal will try to charge it anyway on the next billing date.

To stop a recurring payment entirely, you need to cancel the subscription itself, not just remove the card. Go to your account settings, find "Subscriptions" or "Recurring Payments," and cancel the subscription there. If you only remove the card, PayPal will either use a backup payment method or the charge will fail, but the subscription will still be active and may try again later.

When to remove a card versus when to replace it

Remove a card when ready if it has been lost, stolen, or compromised — do not wait. If you straightforward want to use a different card going forward, you can add the new card to your wallet first, set it as your default payment method, and then remove the old card. This way you never have a moment when you do not have a payment method on file.

If the card is about to expire, you can remove it once you have added a replacement card. PayPal will not automatically update an expiring card, so you have to do it yourself. Removing the expired card prevents PayPal from trying to charge it and failing.

Removing a card that is set as your default payment method

If the card you want to remove is currently set as your default payment method, PayPal may ask you to choose a different default before you can delete it. If you have other cards or a bank account linked to your account, select one of those as the new default. If the card you want to remove is your only payment method, you will need to add a new card or bank account before you can remove the old one.

This is a safety feature — PayPal wants to make sure you always have at least one way to pay. Once you have set a new default, you can go back and remove the old card without any trouble.

Removing a card linked to a PayPal Credit account

If you have a PayPal Credit account (formerly Bill Me Later), the card you used to set it up may be linked to that account as well as your main wallet. Removing the card from your wallet does not close the PayPal Credit account or change its settings. You can remove the card and keep the credit account active, or you can manage the credit account separately through your account settings.

If you want to close the PayPal Credit account entirely, that is a different process from removing a card. You would need to go to your credit account settings and close it there. Removing the card alone will not close the account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove a card if I have a pending payment using it?

You can remove the card from your wallet, but any payment that has already been approved will still process. If you want to stop a specific payment, contact PayPal customer service or the merchant directly before the charge goes through. Removing the card after the charge is approved will not stop it.

What if I remove a card by mistake?

You can add the card back to your wallet at any time by going to your wallet settings and selecting "Add a Card." You will need to enter the card number, expiration date, and CVV again. There is no waiting period or penalty for re-adding a card you removed.

Does removing a card from PayPal affect my credit score?

No. Removing a card from PayPal is just removing a payment method from your account. It does not close the credit card itself, report anything to credit bureaus, or change your credit history in any way. Your credit score is not affected.

Can I remove a card if it is linked to a subscription?

You can remove the card, but the subscription will not automatically cancel. PayPal will try to charge the subscription using a backup payment method if you have one. To stop the subscription, you need to cancel it separately in your account settings, not just remove the card.

How long does it take for a card to be removed from PayPal?

The card is removed from your wallet when ready after you confirm the removal. You will not be able to use it for new payments right away. However, any charges that were already approved before you removed it will still go through.