The steps to remove Plaid access to your bank

You disconnect Plaid in two places: first at your bank, then in the app that uses Plaid. Most people only need to do the bank side—that cuts off Plaid's access when ready. The app side is cleanup, but it matters if you plan to reconnect later or want to be thorough.

The bank side is faster. Log into your bank's website or app, find the connected apps or third-party access section (usually under Settings or Security), locate Plaid or the app name, and select Disconnect or Revoke Access. Your bank processes this right away. Plaid no longer sees your account information, can't pull transactions, and can't initiate transfers.

The app side takes a few more clicks but is straightforward. Open the app that connected through Plaid—Mint, YNAB, Venmo, or whatever you use—go to Settings or Account, find the bank connection, and select Remove or Disconnect. This tells the app to stop trying to reach your bank through Plaid. If you skip this step, the app will show an error the next time it tries to sync, but your bank data stays protected because you already revoked access at the bank.

Key Takeaways

  • Disconnect at your bank first—this is the step that actually stops Plaid from accessing your account information.
  • The location varies by bank: look under Settings, Security, Connected Apps, or Third-Party Access, depending on your bank's layout.
  • Disconnecting the app afterward prevents error messages and cleans up your account, but does not add security if you already revoked access at the bank.
  • If you reconnect the same app later, you will need to go through Plaid's login process again—disconnecting does not permanently block reconnection.

Where to find the disconnect option at your bank

The exact location depends on your bank, but the pattern is consistent. Log into your bank's website (not the mobile app, if you have a choice—the web version usually has more options). Look for Settings, Security, Privacy, or Account Management in the main menu or your profile icon.

Inside that section, search for "Connected Apps," "Third-Party Access," "Authorized Apps," or "App Permissions." Some banks call it "Manage Access" or "Connected Services." If you cannot find it, search your bank's help center for "disconnect third-party app" or "revoke app access"—the bank's own documentation will point you to the exact page.

Once you are there, you will see a list of apps or services that have access to your account. Plaid itself may appear as an entry, or you may see the name of the app you connected (Mint, YNAB, Venmo, etc.). Select it and choose Disconnect, Revoke, Remove, or Deny Access. Confirm the action if prompted. The change takes effect when ready.

Disconnecting from the app side

After you disconnect at the bank, open the app that used Plaid to connect. Go to Settings, Account Settings, or Preferences—the location varies by app. Look for a section called "Connected Accounts," "Bank Accounts," "Linked Banks," or "Financial Connections."

You will see your bank listed. Tap or click on it, then select Remove, Disconnect, Delete, or Unlink. Some apps ask you to confirm; others remove it when ready. This step does not affect your bank security—you already cut off Plaid's access—but it stops the app from trying to sync your data and showing error messages.

If the app shows a "Reconnect" or "Fix Connection" button after you disconnect, ignore it unless you plan to reconnect. Clicking it would start the Plaid login flow again, which you do not need to do if you are straightforward removing the connection.

What happens after you disconnect

Once you disconnect at the bank, Plaid cannot see your account balance, transactions, or account details. The app that used Plaid will no longer receive updates. If the app relied on real-time data—like Venmo checking your balance or Mint pulling transactions—those features will stop working.

You will not lose any historical data the app already stored. Mint will keep the transactions it already downloaded; YNAB will keep your budget history. The app straightforward stops pulling new information. If you disconnect and then reconnect the same app later, you will need to log in through Plaid again, and the app will start syncing from that point forward.

Your bank account itself is unaffected. Disconnecting Plaid does not change your account number, password, or any other account details. It only removes one app's permission to access your information.

If you cannot find the disconnect option

Some banks hide the third-party access section or do not label it clearly. If you have searched Settings and Security without success, try these steps: search your bank's website for "Plaid" directly—many banks have a help article about it. Call your bank's customer service and ask how to revoke third-party app access; they can walk you through it or do it for you over the phone.

If your bank does not offer a way to disconnect through their website or app, you can still remove the connection from the app side. Open the app, disconnect your bank account, and contact the app's support team to confirm the connection is fully removed. This is rare, but some smaller banks or credit unions have limited third-party management tools.

Reconnecting later if you change your mind

Disconnecting is not permanent. If you disconnect Plaid and later want to use the same app again, you can reconnect. Open the app, go to Add Bank or Link Account, and log in through Plaid as you did the first time. Your bank will ask you to authorize Plaid again, and the app will resume syncing.

If you reconnect, Plaid will only see data from the reconnection point forward—it will not retrieve transactions from the time you were disconnected. If you need historical data, check whether the app stored it before you disconnected. Most apps do, so your history should still be there even after you reconnect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disconnecting Plaid affect my bank account or password?

No. Disconnecting Plaid removes only the app's permission to access your account. Your password, account number, and all account settings remain unchanged. You can still log into your bank normally.

If I disconnect, will the app delete my data?

No. The app keeps all the data it already downloaded—transactions, budgets, history. It straightforward stops pulling new information. If you reconnect later, the app will resume syncing from that point forward.

Do I have to disconnect from both the bank and the app?

Disconnecting at the bank is the essential step—that cuts off Plaid's access. Disconnecting from the app is optional but recommended to prevent error messages and keep your account clean.

What if my bank does not show a third-party access section?

Call your bank's customer service and ask them to revoke Plaid access for you. You can also disconnect from the app side and contact the app's support team to confirm the connection is fully removed.

Can I disconnect and reconnect the same app multiple times?

Yes. Each time you disconnect and reconnect, you will log in through Plaid again, and the app will start syncing from that point forward. Historical data the app already stored will remain.