Disconnect your bank account from Plaid in your app settings, not through your bank
When you disconnect a bank account from Plaid, you are breaking the link between your bank and whatever app you connected it to — Venmo, Robinhood, a budgeting tool, a loan process. Plaid itself does not hold your money or process transactions. It is the middleman that lets apps read your account information and initiate transfers. Disconnecting means that app can no longer see your balance, transaction history, or move money from your account.
The disconnect happens in two places: first in the app that uses Plaid (Venmo, your budgeting software, whatever it is), and second in your Plaid account settings if you want to fully revoke access. Most people only need the first step. The second step is optional but more thorough.
Key Takeaways
- Disconnect in the app itself first — go to settings or connected accounts and remove the bank link from there.
- If you want to fully revoke Plaid's access to your bank account, log into your Plaid account separately and remove the connection in your security settings.
- Disconnecting does not affect your bank account or any transactions already completed; it only stops future access.
- Some apps may require you to reconnect your bank account if you want to use that feature again later.
- Your bank does not need to be notified — Plaid handles the revocation on its end.
Disconnect through the app that connected to Plaid
Start here. Open the app where you originally linked your bank account — Venmo, a budgeting app, a loan platform, whatever it is. Look for settings, account settings, or a menu labeled "Connected Accounts," "Linked Banks," "Payment Methods," or "Funding Sources." The exact name varies by app.
Find your bank account in that list and select it. You should see an option to remove, disconnect, unlink, or delete. Tap or click that option. Most apps will ask you to confirm — they want to make sure you did not hit the button by accident. Confirm the removal. That app can no longer access your bank account through Plaid.
This is the step most people need. If you use Plaid with multiple apps (one app for bill pay, another for investing, another for budgeting), you will need to repeat this step in each app separately. Disconnecting from one app does not disconnect from the others.
Fully revoke Plaid access in your Plaid account
If you want to go further and remove Plaid's access entirely, you can do that in your Plaid account settings. This is optional — most people do not need this step — but it is useful if you are concerned about data access or if you plan never to use Plaid again.
Go to plaid.com and log into your account. If you do not remember your password, use the "Forgot Password" link. Once logged in, look for Account Settings, Security, or Connected Apps. You should see a list of apps and institutions that have permission to access your bank information through Plaid. Find the bank account you want to disconnect and select it. Look for a "Revoke Access" or "Disconnect" button and confirm.
This step revokes Plaid's permission to access that bank account across all apps at once. If you later want to use Plaid with a different app, you will have to reconnect your bank account and grant permission again.
What happens after you disconnect
Once disconnected, the app can no longer see your account balance, read your transaction history, or initiate transfers from your account. If the app relied on that connection for a core feature — like Venmo needing to pull money from your bank to send to a friend — that feature will stop working until you reconnect.
Any transactions that already went through before you disconnected will remain. Disconnecting does not undo past transfers or reverse payments. It only stops future access.
Your bank account itself is not affected. Your money is still there, your account is still active, and your bank has no record of the disconnection. Plaid handles the revocation on its side.
If you cannot find the disconnect option
Some apps bury the disconnect option or label it differently. If you cannot find it in settings, try searching the app's help documentation for "unlink bank," "remove bank account," or "disconnect Plaid." Most apps have a support article that walks through the exact steps.
If the app has no visible way to disconnect, contact the app's support team directly. They can remove the connection on their end. Provide them with the email address or phone number associated with your account, and ask them to revoke Plaid access for your bank account.
In rare cases, an app may have shut down or become inactive. If you cannot log in to the app anymore, you can still revoke access through your Plaid account settings (the second method above). That will cut off the connection regardless of whether the app still exists.
Reconnecting later if you change your mind
If you disconnect and later decide you want to use that app again, you can reconnect your bank account. Open the app, go to the same settings where you removed it, and look for an option to add or link a bank account. The app will walk you through the Plaid connection process again, and you will need to authenticate with your bank credentials.
Reconnecting is the same process as the original connection. You will see Plaid's login screen, enter your bank username and password, and grant permission for the app to access your account. Once complete, the app will have access again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does disconnecting from Plaid affect my bank account or credit score?
No. Disconnecting only removes an app's permission to access your account. Your bank account remains active and unaffected. Your credit score is not impacted because you are not closing an account or missing a payment — you are just revoking third-party access.
If I disconnect from one app, does it disconnect from all apps?
No. Each app has its own connection to Plaid. Disconnecting from Venmo does not affect your budgeting app or any other service. You must disconnect each app separately, or revoke access entirely through your Plaid account settings.
Can my bank see that I disconnected from Plaid?
Your bank does not receive a notification. Plaid handles the revocation internally. Your bank will not know you disconnected unless you tell them. You do not need to contact your bank — the process is between you, the app, and Plaid.
What if I forgot which apps I connected to Plaid?
Log into your Plaid account and go to your security or connected apps settings. You will see a list of all apps and institutions that currently have access to your bank account. From there you can revoke access to any or all of them.
Do I need to change my bank password after disconnecting from Plaid?
You do not have to, but you can if you want extra security. Disconnecting revokes the app's access, so changing your password is not necessary. If you are concerned about security, changing your password is a reasonable precaution, but it is not required for the disconnection to work.