Disconnect Plaid from your bank in three places
To fully disconnect your bank account from Plaid, you need to revoke access in three separate locations: your bank's website, the app or service that uses Plaid, and Plaid's own account settings. Plaid is a middleman that connects your bank to other financial apps—removing it from just one place leaves the connection partially open. The order matters: start with your bank, then the app, then Plaid itself.
Most people only disconnect from their bank or the app and think they're done. That leaves Plaid's permission token still active, which means the app could theoretically reconnect without asking you again. A full disconnect takes about ten minutes across all three locations.
Key Takeaways
- Disconnecting from your bank's website is the fastest step and stops Plaid from pulling new data immediately.
- You must also revoke access in the app or service itself, because disconnecting at your bank does not automatically notify the app.
- Plaid's own account settings hold a record of every app you connected; removing apps there ensures Plaid cannot reconnect without your permission.
- If you cannot find the disconnect option in your bank's settings, contact your bank's customer service—the location varies by institution.
Step 1: Revoke Plaid access at your bank's website
Log into your bank's website or mobile app and look for a section called "Connected Apps," "Third-Party Access," "Authorized Apps," or "App Permissions." The exact name depends on your bank. Chase calls it "Third-Party Access," Bank of America uses "Connected Services," and Wells Fargo labels it "Third-Party Authorization." If you cannot find it in the main settings menu, search the help section for "Plaid" or "third-party apps."
Once you find the section, locate Plaid in the list of connected apps and select the option to revoke, disconnect, or remove access. Your bank will ask you to confirm. After you confirm, Plaid loses permission to pull data from your account. This step stops the immediate flow of information but does not notify the app or service you were using.
Some banks, including smaller regional banks and credit unions, do not use Plaid at all or do not show a third-party access section. If your bank has no such section, Plaid was never connected at your bank level—move to Step 2.
Step 2: Disconnect Plaid from the app or service
Open the app or website where you originally connected your bank through Plaid. This might be a budgeting app like Mint or YNAB, an investment app, a bill-pay service, or a loan application. Look for a settings or account menu, then find a section for "Connected Accounts," "Linked Banks," "Bank Connections," or "Financial Institutions."
Find your bank in the list and select the option to unlink, disconnect, or remove it. The app will usually ask you to confirm and may warn you that you will lose access to your account data within the app. Confirm the disconnection. This step tells the app to stop requesting data from Plaid and removes the app from your Plaid account on their end.
If you connected multiple banks through Plaid to the same app, repeat this step for each one. Some apps show you which bank is connected through Plaid and which are connected directly—only disconnect the ones that say "Plaid" or "via Plaid."
Step 3: Remove the app from your Plaid account
Go to plaid.com and log into your Plaid account. If you do not remember creating a Plaid account, you likely do not have one—Plaid sometimes works invisibly in the background. If you can log in, click on "Connected Apps" or "Apps & Websites" in your account settings.
You will see a list of every app or service you connected through Plaid. Find the app you want to disconnect and click the option to remove, revoke, or disconnect it. Plaid will ask you to confirm. After you confirm, Plaid deletes the permission token that app was using and removes it from your account entirely.
This step is the most thorough because it ensures Plaid has no record of that app's permission. If you skip this step and only disconnect at your bank and the app, Plaid still holds the token. In theory, the app could use it to reconnect without asking you again, though most reputable apps do not do this.
What happens after you disconnect
Once you complete all three steps, the app will no longer see your bank account data. If the app relied on real-time account information—like a budgeting app that tracks your balance—that feature will stop working. The app may show an error message or ask you to reconnect. You can ignore these prompts.
Your bank account itself is not affected. You can still log into your bank directly, make transfers, and use your debit card. Disconnecting Plaid only removes the bridge between your bank and the third-party app.
If you reconnect the same app later, you will have to go through the full Plaid connection process again. Your bank will ask for permission, Plaid will ask for permission, and the app will ask for permission. This is normal and expected.
If you cannot find the disconnect option
Some banks hide the third-party access section or label it differently. Call your bank's customer service number on the back of your card and ask: "How do I revoke access for a third-party app called Plaid?" They can walk you through the exact steps for your bank or do it for you over the phone.
If the app does not have a disconnect option, contact the app's support team. Provide them with your bank name and account type (checking, savings, etc.) and ask them to remove your bank from their system. They can usually do this without you having to log in again.
If you cannot access your Plaid account to complete Step 3, you can contact Plaid's support team through their website. Explain that you want to remove a connected app and provide the name of the app. Plaid can remove it from your account on their end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to disconnect from all three places?
Technically, disconnecting at your bank stops the data flow immediately. However, disconnecting from all three places is more secure because it removes Plaid's permission token entirely. If you only disconnect at your bank and the app reconnects later, Plaid could theoretically use the old token to access your account again without asking.
Will disconnecting Plaid affect my credit score?
No. Plaid only reads your account data; it does not report to credit bureaus or make changes to your account. Disconnecting has no impact on your credit score or credit history.
What if I disconnect but the app keeps asking me to reconnect?
The app may have a reminder or notification set to prompt you to reconnect. Log into the app's settings and look for notifications or reminders related to bank connections. Turn off any notifications about reconnecting your bank. If the prompts continue, contact the app's support team.
Can I disconnect just one bank if I connected multiple banks through Plaid?
Yes. In the app, find the bank you want to disconnect and remove only that one. The other banks will remain connected. At your bank's website, you can revoke Plaid's access entirely, which disconnects all apps using Plaid at that bank—so only do this if you want to disconnect all of them.
Is Plaid safe to use?
Plaid is a legitimate company used by thousands of apps and banks. It does not store your login credentials—it only reads account data. However, like any third-party connection, it carries some risk. If you are uncomfortable with any app having access to your bank account, disconnecting is the right choice.