Disconnect your bank from Plaid in your app's settings, not through Plaid itself
You disconnect your bank from Plaid by going into the app that connected it — whether that's a budgeting app, investment platform, or loan service — and removing Plaid's permission to access your account. Plaid is the middleman; it does not hold your connection. The app you use holds it, and that is where you revoke it. You cannot disconnect through Plaid's own website because Plaid never stored a direct link to your bank login.
The steps vary slightly by app, but the pattern is the same: find settings or connected accounts, locate Plaid or the bank name, and select disconnect or remove. After you do, Plaid stops receiving new data from your bank, though it may keep historical data it already pulled. If you want Plaid to delete that historical data, you will need to contact Plaid separately.
Key Takeaways
- Disconnect Plaid through the app that uses it — your budgeting app, investment platform, or loan service — not through Plaid's website.
- Look for settings labeled "Connected Accounts," "Linked Banks," "Integrations," or "Security" depending on which app you use.
- After disconnecting, Plaid stops pulling new data but may retain historical data it already collected unless you request deletion.
- If you want Plaid to delete your stored data, contact Plaid's support team directly with your request.
- Disconnecting Plaid does not close your bank account or affect your relationship with your bank.
Find the connected accounts section in your app
Open the app that connected to your bank through Plaid. This might be a budgeting tool like Mint or YNAB, an investment app like Robinhood or Wealthfront, a loan service, or a tax software. Look for a settings menu — usually a gear icon or a menu labeled "Settings," "Account," "Profile," or "Preferences."
Inside settings, search for a section called "Connected Accounts," "Linked Banks," "Integrations," "Security," or "Data Connections." The exact name depends on the app. Some apps bury this deeper; if you cannot find it in the main settings menu, try looking under "Privacy," "Permissions," or "Authorized Apps."
Locate Plaid or your bank name and select disconnect
Once you find the connected accounts section, you will see a list of banks or services you have linked. Plaid may appear by name, or you may see your bank's name directly — both mean Plaid is the connection method. Select the entry for your bank or Plaid.
You will see an option to disconnect, remove, unlink, or revoke access. The button label varies by app. Click it. The app will ask you to confirm; confirm the action. After this step, Plaid no longer has permission to pull data from your bank account through that app.
What happens to your data after you disconnect
Plaid stops pulling new transactions and account information from your bank immediately after you disconnect. However, Plaid typically keeps the historical data it already collected — transactions, balances, and account details from before you disconnected. This data remains in Plaid's system unless you request deletion.
Your bank account itself is unaffected. Disconnecting Plaid does not close your account, change your password, or alter your relationship with your bank. The app you used may stop showing updated balances or recent transactions, but that is because it no longer receives data from Plaid, not because anything changed at the bank.
Request data deletion from Plaid if you want it removed
If you want Plaid to delete the historical data it collected about you, you must contact Plaid directly. Go to Plaid's privacy page or support contact form and request deletion of your data. Plaid will ask you to verify your identity and may ask which specific data you want removed.
Plaid's response time varies, but they typically acknowledge deletion requests within a few business days. Keep in mind that deleting data from Plaid does not affect data the app itself stored — if your budgeting app kept copies of your transactions, those remain in the app's own database.
Reconnect to Plaid later if you change your mind
If you disconnect Plaid and later want to reconnect the same bank to the same app, you can do so through the app's settings. Look for an option to add or link a new account, select your bank, and follow the login steps again. Plaid will ask for your bank credentials or to authorize through your bank's website, depending on your bank's setup.
Reconnecting does not restore deleted data. Plaid will start fresh, pulling transactions from the date you reconnect forward. If you need historical data, check whether the app itself kept a copy before you disconnected.
Disconnect from multiple apps if you linked the same bank to several
If you connected the same bank account to Plaid through multiple apps — say, both a budgeting app and an investment app — you need to disconnect from each app separately. Disconnecting from one app does not disconnect from the others. Go through each app's settings and remove the connection individually.
This matters because each app may have different permissions and access levels. Removing Plaid from your budgeting app does not stop your investment app from pulling data. If you want to cut off all Plaid access to a bank account, disconnect from every app that uses Plaid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disconnecting Plaid affect my credit score?
No. Plaid only reads your account data; it does not report to credit bureaus or affect your credit. Disconnecting changes nothing about your credit history or score. If you were using Plaid through a loan or credit app, disconnecting may cause that app to stop monitoring your account, but the act of disconnecting itself has no credit impact.
Can I disconnect Plaid if I forgot which app I used to connect it?
Yes. Contact Plaid's support team and tell them you want to revoke access to your bank account. Provide your bank name and the email address associated with your Plaid account. Plaid can disconnect you from their end, though this is slower than disconnecting through the app itself. You can also change your bank password, which will force Plaid to re-authenticate the next time it tries to pull data.
Does Plaid keep my bank password after I disconnect?
Plaid does not store your bank password. When you connect through Plaid, you either log in directly to your bank's website (which Plaid never sees) or you authorize Plaid through your bank's OAuth system (which gives Plaid a token, not your password). Disconnecting does not change this; your password was never in Plaid's hands.
What if the app I used to connect Plaid no longer exists?
Contact Plaid directly and request disconnection. Provide your bank name and the email you used. Plaid can revoke the connection from their system even if the original app is gone. You can also change your bank password to force a re-authentication, which will break the old connection.
Can I disconnect Plaid without logging into the app?
Not through the app itself. If you no longer have access to the app or cannot log in, contact Plaid's support team with your bank name and email address. They can disconnect you, though it may take a few business days. Changing your bank password is a faster workaround and will disable Plaid's access immediately.