Disconnect your account in Plaid's settings, then revoke Plaid's access at your bank
Removing a bank account from Plaid involves two separate steps: disconnecting it within the Plaid app or website, and then revoking Plaid's permission at your bank itself. Plaid is a connection service that sits between your bank and the apps you use—removing the account from Plaid stops the data flow, but your bank may still have Plaid listed as an authorized third party until you revoke it there too.
The reason both steps matter: disconnecting in Plaid stops new data from syncing, but your bank's records still show Plaid has permission to access your account. Revoking at the bank closes that permission entirely. If you skip the second step, Plaid could theoretically reconnect if another app you use requests it.
Key Takeaways
- Disconnect the account in Plaid first by finding it in your connected accounts list and selecting remove or disconnect.
- Then log into your bank's website or app and revoke Plaid's access in your security or connected apps settings.
- The exact menu location varies by bank—look for "Connected Apps," "Authorized Applications," "Third-Party Access," or "Security Settings."
- After you revoke access at the bank, any app that was using Plaid to pull your data from that account will stop working until you reconnect.
- Removing an account from Plaid does not close the account at your bank or affect your balance.
Disconnect the account in Plaid
Log into Plaid directly—either through the Plaid app on your phone or at plaid.com on a browser. If you do not have a Plaid account set up separately, you may not have a Plaid login; instead, you disconnected through the app that was using Plaid (like a budgeting app or investment tracker). In that case, skip to the bank revocation step.
If you do have a Plaid account, look for a section called "Connected Accounts," "Linked Accounts," or "My Accounts." Find the bank account you want to remove and select the option to disconnect, remove, or delete it. Plaid will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, that account no longer appears in Plaid's system, and any app using Plaid will no longer receive updates from that account.
This step stops Plaid from pulling new data, but it does not revoke Plaid's permission at your bank. Your bank still has Plaid listed as an authorized service.
Revoke Plaid's access at your bank
Log into your bank's website or mobile app using your normal login. Look for a settings menu—usually found by tapping your profile icon, selecting "Settings," or clicking a gear icon. Inside settings, find the section for connected apps, authorized applications, third-party access, or security. The exact name varies by bank.
Scan the list for "Plaid" or the name of the app you were using Plaid with (for example, "Mint," "YNAB," or "Betterment"). Select it and choose the option to revoke, disconnect, remove, or deny access. Your bank will confirm the revocation. After this step, Plaid no longer has permission to access your account at that bank, even if you reconnect later.
Where to find the setting at major banks
| Bank | Menu Path |
|---|---|
| Chase | Settings → Security → Connected Apps & Websites |
| Bank of America | Settings → Security & Access → Authorized Third Parties |
| Wells Fargo | Settings → Security → Third-Party Access |
| Citibank | Settings → Security → Connected Apps |
| Capital One | Settings → Security → Authorized Apps |
| Ally Bank | Settings → Security → Connected Apps |
If your bank is not listed, start in Settings and look for any menu that mentions "apps," "connected," "authorized," "third party," or "security." If you cannot find it, call your bank's customer service line and ask where to revoke third-party access.
What happens after you remove the account
Any app that was using Plaid to read your account will stop working for that bank account. If you use a budgeting app like YNAB or Mint, it will no longer pull your transactions. If you use an investment app or loan tracker, those will stop updating. The app itself does not disappear, but it will show no data for that account and may prompt you to reconnect.
Your bank account itself is not affected. Your money stays where it is, your account remains open, and your balance does not change. You can still log into your bank directly and see everything normally. You have only cut off the bridge that let Plaid (and the apps using Plaid) see your account.
If you later want to reconnect that account to Plaid or to a different app, you can do so at any time by going through the connection process again. Your bank will ask you to authorize Plaid once more.
Removing multiple accounts or all accounts
If you have multiple bank accounts connected through Plaid and want to remove only some of them, repeat the disconnect and revocation steps for each account separately. If you want to remove all accounts at once, you can disconnect them all in Plaid first, then go to your bank and revoke Plaid's access entirely—this is faster than revoking account by account.
Some banks let you revoke access to an entire app (like "Plaid") rather than making you choose individual accounts. If your bank offers this option, it will remove Plaid's permission to access any account you have there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to remove the account from Plaid before revoking it at my bank?
No. You can revoke access at your bank first, and Plaid will automatically disconnect. However, disconnecting in Plaid first is cleaner because it removes the account from Plaid's system when ready, and then revoking at the bank closes the permission loop. Either order works.
Will removing my account from Plaid affect my credit score?
No. Plaid only reads your account data; it does not report to credit bureaus or affect your credit in any way. Removing it has no impact on your credit score or credit history.
Can I remove just one app's access without removing Plaid entirely?
That depends on how you set up the connection. If you connected through the app itself (like Mint or YNAB), you can usually disconnect that app without affecting other apps using Plaid. Log into the app, find its settings, and look for a "Disconnect Bank" or "Remove Account" option. If you connected through Plaid's main account, you will need to disconnect in Plaid itself, which affects all apps using that connection.
What if I cannot find the third-party access menu at my bank?
Call your bank's customer service number on the back of your card or on their website. Tell them you want to revoke access for Plaid or the specific app you were using. They can walk you through the exact steps for your bank or revoke it for you directly.
If I remove my account, will the app delete my transaction history?
No. The app keeps the transaction history it already downloaded. It just stops receiving new transactions. If you reconnect later, the app will resume pulling new data from where it left off.