Disconnect your bank account in Plaid's settings, not through your bank
To remove a bank account from Plaid, you log into the app or website where you connected it—not Plaid itself. Plaid is the middleman that lets apps like budgeting tools, investment platforms, and payment services read your bank data. When you disconnect, you're telling that app to stop using Plaid to access your account. Your bank account itself stays open and unchanged.
The exact steps depend on which app you used Plaid to connect to. You're looking for a settings menu, usually labeled "Connected Accounts," "Linked Banks," "Financial Institutions," or "Account Connections." Once you find it, you'll see your bank listed and an option to disconnect, remove, or unlink it.
Key Takeaways
- You disconnect through the app that asked you to link your bank, not through Plaid or your bank's website.
- Look for settings pages labeled "Connected Accounts," "Linked Banks," or "Account Connections" in the app you're using.
- Disconnecting stops that app from accessing your bank data but does not close your bank account or affect other apps.
- If you cannot find the disconnect option, the app's help section or customer support can walk you through the exact location.
Steps to disconnect on common apps
Most apps follow a similar pattern. Open the app, go to Settings or Account, find the section for connected banks or financial institutions, and select the bank you want to remove. You'll usually see a "Disconnect," "Remove," or "Unlink" button next to it. Tap or click that button, and the app will ask you to confirm. Once confirmed, Plaid stops passing your data to that app.
If you use multiple apps connected through Plaid—say, a budgeting app and an investment app—disconnecting from one does not affect the other. Each app has its own connection to Plaid, and you control each one separately. You might disconnect your bank from your budgeting tool but keep it connected to your investment app.
Some apps show you the date you connected and what permissions you gave. This can help you remember which app you're in and confirm you're disconnecting the right one. If the app shows a "Last accessed" date that's old, that's a sign you may not be using it anymore and could consider disconnecting.
What happens after you disconnect
Once you disconnect, that app can no longer see your bank balance, transactions, or account details. If the app relied on real-time data—like a budgeting tool that tracked your spending—it will stop updating. Any historical data the app already collected usually stays in the app (you can often delete it manually if you want), but no new information flows in.
Your bank account itself is unaffected. You can still log into your bank directly, make transfers, pay bills, and use your debit card. Disconnecting from Plaid does not close anything or change any of your bank's settings. If you later decide you want that app to see your bank data again, you can reconnect the same way you did the first time.
If you cannot find the disconnect option
Some apps bury the disconnect button or label it differently. Try searching the app's settings for keywords like "bank," "institution," "connection," or "Plaid." If the app has a help section or FAQ, search there for "disconnect" or "remove bank." Many apps have a dedicated support article for this exact question.
If you still cannot locate it, contact the app's customer support directly. Tell them you want to disconnect your bank account and ask them where that option is located. They can either walk you through it or do it on your behalf if you give them permission. This usually takes a few hours to a couple of days depending on the app's support hours.
Disconnecting does not affect Plaid itself
Plaid is not an account you log into or manage directly. It's a service that apps use behind the scenes. When you disconnect your bank from an app, you're not doing anything to your Plaid account because you don't have one. Plaid straightforward stops receiving requests from that app to fetch your data.
If you want to see which apps have access to your bank data through Plaid, you can visit Plaid's website and log in with your bank credentials. Plaid shows you a list of apps that have connected to your account and lets you revoke access from there. This is a backup option if an app's disconnect button is not working or if you want to remove access to multiple apps at once.
Removing your bank from Plaid directly
Go to plaid.com and look for a "Sign In" or "Manage Connections" link. You'll log in using your bank credentials (the same username and password you use to access your bank). Once logged in, you'll see a dashboard showing all the apps that have connected to your account through Plaid. Find the app you want to disconnect and select the option to revoke or remove access.
This method works even if you've forgotten which app you used or if you can no longer access that app. It's also faster if you want to disconnect multiple apps at once. After you revoke access through Plaid, those apps will no longer be able to see your bank data, even if they still show your bank as "connected" in their own settings.
What to do if you think something went wrong
If you disconnected but an app is still showing your bank data, or if you see transactions you don't recognize, contact the app's support team first. Ask them to confirm the disconnection went through on their end. Sometimes there's a delay before the connection fully closes, or the app may be showing cached data from before you disconnected.
If you're concerned about unauthorized access or fraud, contact your bank directly. Tell them which app you were using and ask them to review your account for suspicious activity. Your bank can see which third parties have accessed your account and can revoke access from their side if needed. You can also change your online banking password, which will force any connected apps to re-authenticate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disconnecting close my bank account?
No. Disconnecting from Plaid only stops an app from seeing your bank data. Your bank account remains open and fully functional. You can still use your debit card, make transfers, and access your account through your bank's website or app.
Can I reconnect the same bank to an app after disconnecting?
Yes. You can reconnect at any time by going back to the app's settings and following the link-bank process again. You'll authenticate with your bank credentials just like you did the first time. Any historical data the app collected before you disconnected may or may not still be there, depending on how the app stores it.
If I disconnect from one app, does it affect my other apps?
No. Each app has its own separate connection to Plaid. Disconnecting your bank from your budgeting app does not affect your investment app, payment app, or any other service. You control each connection independently.
What if I disconnect but the app still shows my bank as connected?
This usually means the disconnection is still processing or the app hasn't refreshed yet. Wait a few hours and refresh the app. If it still shows as connected after a day, contact the app's support team and ask them to manually confirm the disconnection on their end.
Can I see which apps have access to my bank data through Plaid?
Yes. Visit plaid.com, sign in with your bank credentials, and you'll see a list of all apps that have connected to your account. You can revoke access to any of them from that dashboard, even if you can't find the disconnect button in the app itself.