Unlinking Plaid takes two steps: disconnect it from the app or service you connected it to, then revoke Plaid's access at your bank
Plaid is a middleman between your bank and apps like budgeting tools, investment platforms, or loan services. When you unlink it, you stop those apps from seeing your account information, and you stop Plaid from acting as a go-between. The process is straightforward but happens in two places — the app side and the bank side — and skipping either one leaves a partial connection behind.
Most people only disconnect from the app they used Plaid to connect to, then wonder why Plaid still shows up in their bank's connected apps list. Doing both steps takes about five minutes total and makes sure nothing is left hanging.
Key Takeaways
- Disconnect Plaid from the specific app or service first — this stops that app from pulling your data.
- Then revoke Plaid's access directly at your bank's website or app, which removes it from your list of connected services.
- Plaid may take 24 to 48 hours to fully process the revocation, even though the disconnect happens right away.
- If you reconnect to the same app later, you will have to go through the full Plaid connection process again.
Disconnect Plaid from the app or service you used it for
Start in the app where you originally connected Plaid — the budgeting app, investment platform, loan service, or whatever else you linked it to. Look for a settings menu, usually labeled "Settings," "Account," or "Connected Accounts." The exact path varies by app, but the option is almost always there.
Once you find the connected accounts section, you will see Plaid listed (or the bank name if the app shows it that way). Select it and choose "Disconnect," "Unlink," or "Remove." The app will ask you to confirm. After you confirm, that app can no longer see your bank data. This step is instant — the connection breaks right away.
If you have connected Plaid to multiple apps (one for budgeting, another for investing, a third for a loan), you need to repeat this step in each app. Disconnecting from one app does not affect the others.
Revoke Plaid's access at your bank
Next, log into your bank's website or mobile app and find the section for connected apps or third-party access. Most banks call this "Connected Services," "App Connections," "Third-Party Access," or "Authorized Apps." It is usually nested under Settings or Security.
Look for Plaid in the list. You may see it listed as "Plaid" or under the name of the app you used it for (for example, "Mint via Plaid" or "Rocket Money via Plaid"). Select it and choose "Revoke," "Disconnect," or "Remove Access." Your bank will ask you to confirm. After you confirm, Plaid no longer has permission to view your account.
This step is where many people stop, thinking they are done. But it is the second half of the job — both steps together make sure the connection is fully severed.
What happens after you unlink
The app you disconnected from will no longer update your account balance or transaction history. If it was a budgeting app, it will stop tracking your spending. If it was an investment platform, it will stop syncing deposits. The app may keep historical data it already collected, but it stops pulling new information.
Plaid's access revocation usually takes 24 to 48 hours to fully process on your bank's end, even though you see the disconnect happen right away. During that window, Plaid may still appear in your bank's connected apps list, but it will show as "pending removal" or "disconnected." This is normal and does not mean the unlink failed.
If you later decide to reconnect the same app to your bank, you will go through the full Plaid connection process again from the start — you cannot simply reactivate an old connection.
If you cannot find the disconnect option in your app
Some apps hide the disconnect option or do not make it obvious. If you have looked in Settings and Connected Accounts and still cannot find it, try searching the app's help section for "disconnect," "unlink," or "remove bank." Most apps have a support article that walks through the exact steps.
If the app genuinely does not offer a way to disconnect, you can still revoke Plaid's access at your bank's end. Your bank's revocation will stop Plaid from pulling data, even if the app still thinks it is connected. The app may show an error the next time it tries to sync, which is a sign the revocation worked.
Contact your bank's customer service if you cannot find the connected apps section. They can tell you exactly where it is in your bank's system and can sometimes revoke third-party access on your behalf if you are having trouble doing it yourself.
Checking that Plaid is fully removed
After 24 to 48 hours, log back into your bank and check the connected apps list again. Plaid should no longer appear there. If it still shows up, try revoking it again — sometimes the first attempt does not stick, especially if your bank's system was slow to process it.
You can also check Plaid's own dashboard at plaid.com. Log in with the email address you used to set up Plaid, and you will see a list of all apps and banks you have connected through Plaid. If the connection is gone, it will no longer appear in that list.
If Plaid still shows access to your bank after you have revoked it twice and waited 48 hours, contact your bank's customer service. There may be a technical issue on their end, or Plaid may need to be revoked through a different method for your specific bank.
Why you might want to unlink Plaid
People unlink Plaid for several reasons. You may have stopped using the app it was connected to, or you may be concerned about data privacy and want to limit which services can see your bank account. Some people unlink it when they switch banks, since the old Plaid connection will no longer work anyway. Others unlink it temporarily if they are troubleshooting a problem with an app — disconnecting and reconnecting Plaid sometimes fixes sync issues.
Unlinking does not affect your bank account itself. Your money stays where it is, your account number does not change, and your bank's security is not compromised. Plaid only had read-only access to see your balance and transactions — it could never move money or make changes to your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will unlinking Plaid delete my data from the app?
No. The app keeps all the historical data it collected while Plaid was connected. It just stops pulling new information. If you reconnect later, the app will start syncing new transactions again, but it will not re-download old ones.
Do I have to unlink from the app first, or can I just revoke it at my bank?
You can revoke it at your bank first if you want. The order does not matter. But doing both steps makes sure the connection is fully broken on both ends. If you only revoke at your bank, the app may still think it is connected and show error messages.
What if I unlinked Plaid but the app still shows my account balance?
The app is showing cached data — information it downloaded before you unlinked. It will not update anymore. If the balance looks wrong or outdated, that is because the app is no longer pulling fresh information from your bank.
Can Plaid still see my account after I unlink it?
No. Once you revoke Plaid's access at your bank, it has no permission to view your account. The revocation takes 24 to 48 hours to fully process, but after that window closes, Plaid cannot see anything.
Do I need to change my bank password after unlinking Plaid?
No. Plaid never had your password — it used a secure token to access your account. Unlinking revokes that token. Changing your password is not necessary and will not affect the unlink process.