Yes, you can remove your bank account from PayPal at any time
You can disconnect a bank account from your PayPal account in a few minutes through your account settings. PayPal does not require you to keep a bank account linked, and removing one does not close your PayPal account or affect your ability to receive money. If you have a balance in your PayPal wallet, it stays there after you remove the bank account.
The process is straightforward, but the timing matters if you have pending transfers or scheduled payments. If you remove your bank account while money is in transit to it, that transfer may fail and bounce back to your PayPal balance instead.
Key Takeaways
- You can remove a linked bank account from PayPal through Account Settings > Wallet > Banks and Cards without closing your PayPal account.
- Any money already in your PayPal balance stays in your account after you remove the bank account.
- If you have a pending transfer to that bank account, removing it before the transfer completes will send the money back to your PayPal balance.
- You can link a different bank account at any time, and PayPal will verify it with two small test deposits that take one to two business days.
How to remove a bank account through PayPal's website
Log into your PayPal account on a computer or the mobile app. Go to Account Settings (the gear icon in the top right on desktop, or the menu in the bottom right on mobile). Select Wallet, then Banks and Cards. Find the bank account you want to remove and click the three dots or menu icon next to it. Select Remove and confirm.
PayPal will ask you to confirm the removal. Once you do, the account is disconnected when ready. You will no longer be able to transfer money to that account from PayPal, and PayPal will no longer be able to pull money from it for payments or disputes.
What happens to money already on the way to your bank account
If you have started a transfer to your bank account and it has not yet completed, removing the account before the transfer finishes will cause the money to return to your PayPal balance. Standard transfers take one to three business days, and when ready transfers (which cost a small fee) complete within minutes. If you remove the account during that window, the transfer fails.
Check your Activity or Transaction History before removing the account to see if any transfers are in progress. If one is, wait for it to complete first. If a transfer does fail after you remove the account, the money goes back to your PayPal balance and you can transfer it again once you link a new bank account.
Removing an account that has a scheduled payment or subscription tied to it
If you have set up a recurring payment or subscription that pulls money from that bank account, removing the account will not automatically cancel the payment. Instead, the next scheduled charge will fail. The merchant or service may then contact you for a new payment method, or they may cancel the subscription themselves.
Before removing a bank account, check your Automatic Payments section in Account Settings to see what recurring charges are linked to it. If you want to keep the subscription or payment active, either link a new bank account first or update the payment method directly with the merchant.
Linking a new bank account after removal
You can link a different bank account to PayPal at any time. Go back to Wallet > Banks and Cards and select Link a Bank Account. Enter the routing number and account number from your new bank, and PayPal will send two small test deposits (usually between $0.01 and $0.99) to that account.
Check your bank statement for those deposits within one to two business days, then return to PayPal and enter the amounts to verify the account. Once verified, you can transfer money to it or set it as the default account for future transfers. Some banks display these test deposits when ready in their online portal, while others take a full business day to show them.
Why you might want to remove a bank account
Common reasons include closing the bank account itself, switching to a different bank, removing an old account you no longer use, or disconnecting an account for security reasons. If your bank account has been compromised or you suspect fraud, removing it from PayPal prevents unauthorized transfers to that account. You can then link a new account once you have resolved the issue with your bank.
If you are closing a PayPal account entirely, you do not have to remove the bank account first — closing the account will automatically disconnect all linked payment methods. But if you only want to remove the bank account and keep using PayPal, the removal process takes just a few clicks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will removing my bank account close my PayPal account?
No. Removing a linked bank account does not affect your PayPal account. Your account stays open, your balance remains, and you can still send and receive money. You can link a new bank account whenever you want.
What if I remove my bank account and then need to transfer money?
You will need to link a new bank account first. The verification process takes one to two business days. Until then, you can still receive money into your PayPal balance, but you cannot transfer it out to a bank account.
Can I remove a bank account if I have a dispute or chargeback pending?
PayPal may prevent you from removing a bank account if there is an active dispute or chargeback involving that account. Contact PayPal's Resolution Center to check the status. Once the dispute is resolved, you can remove the account.
Does PayPal notify my bank when I remove the account?
No. PayPal straightforward disconnects the link on its end. Your bank has no notification that you removed PayPal access. If you want to revoke PayPal's permission to access your bank account at the bank's level, you can do that through your bank's settings for connected apps and services.