Almost every online service people use has a half-dozen accounts sitting idle. Leaving an old Netflix account open typically doesn’t cause any problems, but banking platforms and payment apps are a different story. That includes PayPal, a popular payment service.
Wondering how to close PayPal accounts permanently? Our guide can help you accomplish that. Plus, we’ll tell you what happens if you decide to pull the plug and delete PayPal.
With so many ways to easily send and receive money, it might make spending just a little too convenient. If you are trying to build your bank account instead of depleting it, sometimes you must take the temptation away through how you pay. Whether you want to change your spending habits or just have found a payment platform you prefer, deleting your personal PayPal account can be done in three simple steps.
Essential steps to take before you delete your PayPal account
If you’ve decided to close your PayPal account, here are some steps you should take. Remember — once the account has been deleted, you cannot restore it or retrieve transaction history.
Withdraw your money. You can only close your personal PayPal account if you don’t have money. Transfer your remaining balance to your other PayPal or bank account, or contact customer service to have a check issued for the remaining balance.
Pay off balances. If you still have pending payments or other unresolved issues in your account, resolve them. PayPal customer support may help you here.
Cancel recurring payments. If you have regular payments or subscriptions from your PayPal account, suspend them.
Duplicate your PayPal transaction history. Please make a copy of your past PayPal transactions in case you need them. The transaction history will be deleted once you close the account.
How to close a PayPal account?
You can close it if you no longer need or want your PayPal account.
However, before doing that, you should ensure that you have no unresolved issues, pending transactions, or remaining balances in your account.
Otherwise, you won’t be able to close it. Here’s how to complete your PayPal account:
Log in to your PayPal account on a web browser. You can’t close your account from the PayPal app.
Click on the gear icon in the top-right corner to access your settings.
Click on the Account tab and scroll down to the Account options section.
Click on Close your account and follow the instructions. You may need to enter your bank account number if you have one linked to your PayPal account.
Confirm that you want to close your account and click on Close Account. You will receive an email confirmation of the action.
Once you close your PayPal account, it can’t be reopened. You will lose access to all your PayPal history and features. If you change your mind later, you must create a new account with a different email address.
PayPal from the web
To close your PayPal account on the web:
Sign in to your PayPal account.
Go to Settings (following to Log out).
Click Close your account under “Account options.”
Enter your bank account if requested.
Click Close Account.
PayPal mobile app
To close your PayPal account on the app:
Sign in to the PayPal app.
Tap the profile icon (in the corner).
Tap Close your account.
Why can’t I delete my PayPal account?
If you’re having trouble deleting your account, it may be because there are some loose ends you need to tie up. PayPal warns you won’t be able to delete your account if there are unresolved issues or a balance. PayPal also sometimes places limitations on accounts if they detect suspicious Activity, rendering a user unable to delete their account.
Common reasons for limitations placed on accounts:
An unauthorized person is using your account.
You should have complied with regulatory requirements, like providing proper documentation.
You’re not following PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy.
There’s a high number of buyer claims and chargebacks on your account.
PayPal needs to review a sudden change in what or how much you sell.
What happens once you delete your PayPal account?
It’s important to note that terminating your PayPal account leads to the automatic cancellation of any unpaid money requests. Individuals or businesses that may have sent you payment requests will be notified that these requests are no longer valid.
In addition, any coupons, discount codes, or promotional offers provided by PayPal will become inaccessible and unusable post-deletion. If you have taken advantage of these benefits, consider using them before closing your account.
Furthermore, if you have been using PayPal Smart Connect, PayPal’s dedicated line of credit, you need to be aware that account deletion will render this line of credit unusable. Any existing balance would need to be paid off according to the terms of the credit agreement, and you would not be able to make any further purchases through Smart Connect.
Tips for an Easy, No-Stress Transition
If you’ve done business with PayPal for a while, you know that changing things through the platform can take time. Be patient. It may take a few days to process your request to close and delete your PayPal account.
You can use the same email address to reopen or open a new PayPal account once you close your existing account.
Closing a PayPal account is easy. But if you run into issues closing your PayPal account, ensure you don’t have Pending payments. If that’s not the problem, try clicking Activity> Open Cases. Then, under the Resolution Center submenu, look for anything outstanding on that screen. Finally, while you’re there, you can click on the big blue button that says Report a Problem if there is a transaction with an issue that’s holding you up.
Still can’t close your PayPal business account and want to get ahold of a customer service agent in person? That can be tough, but here’s where you do that.