Add a savings account in three steps on the Chase app
Open the Chase mobile app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right, and select "Accounts." Tap the plus sign or "Add Account" button. Choose whether the account is at Chase or another bank. If it's a Chase savings account you already own, the app will find it automatically and link it. If it's an external account from a different bank, you'll enter the routing number and account number, then verify the account with two small deposits Chase sends to that bank—this takes two to three business days.
The entire process takes less than five minutes if you're linking an existing Chase account. External accounts require the verification step, so plan for a few days before you can transfer money between them.
Key Takeaways
- Chase accounts you already own appear automatically in the app once you tap "Add Account"—no manual entry needed.
- External savings accounts require you to enter the routing and account number, then wait for two small verification deposits from Chase.
- You must verify external accounts before you can move money between them, which takes two to three business days.
- Once linked, you can transfer money between your Chase account and the new savings account directly from the app.
Linking a Chase savings account you already own
If you have a Chase savings account at the same bank, the app recognizes it automatically. Open the Chase app, tap the menu icon at the bottom right, and select "Accounts." Tap the plus sign or "Add Account" button. The app will show you all Chase accounts registered to your login. Tap the savings account you want to add, and it links immediately—no verification needed.
This is the fastest route because Chase already knows both accounts belong to you. You can start transferring money right away.
Adding a savings account from a different bank
To link a savings account at Bank of America, Wells Fargo, or any other bank, you'll need the routing number and account number for that account. Open the Chase app, go to Accounts, and tap "Add Account." Select "Add External Account" or "Add Account from Another Bank." Enter the bank name, routing number, and account number.
Chase will then send two small deposits (usually under $1 each) to that external account. Check your statement at the other bank, find those two amounts, and enter them back into the Chase app. This confirms you own the account. Once verified, the account appears in your Chase app and you can transfer money between it and your Chase accounts.
The verification deposits arrive within two to three business days. Some banks show them immediately; others take longer. If you don't see them after three business days, contact Chase support—occasionally a deposit fails and needs to be resent.
Where to find your routing and account number
Your account number appears on checks at the bottom right, after the routing number. The routing number is the nine-digit code at the bottom left of a check. If you don't have checks, log into your bank's website or app and look for account details or account information. Most banks display both numbers there.
Some banks hide the routing number in a settings or account details section. If you can't find it, call the bank's customer service line—they can give you the routing number in seconds. Do not guess or use a number you find online, because entering the wrong routing number will cause the verification deposits to go to the wrong place and the linking will fail.
What happens if verification deposits don't arrive
If you don't see the two small deposits in your external account after three business days, the transfer may have failed. This sometimes happens if the routing number was incorrect or if the account is flagged by the other bank's fraud system. Go back into the Chase app and look for an option to "resend verification deposits" or "retry verification." Chase will send the deposits again.
If they still don't arrive after another three days, contact Chase customer service. Have your routing number and account number ready. They can investigate whether the other bank rejected the deposits or whether there's a technical issue on Chase's side. In rare cases, you may need to contact the external bank directly to confirm they're not blocking incoming transfers.
Transferring money between linked accounts
Once your savings account is linked and verified, you can move money between it and your Chase account. Open the Chase app, tap "Transfer," and select the account you want to transfer from and the account you want to transfer to. Enter the amount and confirm. Transfers between Chase accounts happen instantly. Transfers to external accounts take one to three business days, depending on the other bank's processing speed.
You can set up recurring transfers if you want to move money on a schedule—for example, $200 every payday into savings. Tap "Set Up Recurring Transfer" instead of "Transfer Once," choose the frequency, and the app will handle it automatically.
Removing or unlinking an account
If you want to stop seeing an account in your Chase app, open the app, go to Accounts, find the account you want to remove, and tap the menu icon next to it. Select "Remove Account" or "Unlink Account." The account itself is not closed or affected—it simply stops appearing in your Chase app. You can add it back anytime by repeating the linking process.
Removing an account does not cancel any automatic transfers you've set up. If you have recurring transfers to or from that account, you must cancel them separately before removing it, or the transfers will fail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a savings account from a credit union?
Yes. You'll need the credit union's routing number and your account number, just like with any other bank. The verification process is the same—two small deposits arrive, you confirm the amounts, and the account links. Some credit unions process deposits more slowly, so verification may take up to five business days instead of three.
What if I enter the wrong routing number?
The verification deposits will go to the wrong account or fail entirely. You won't see them in your account, and the linking will time out. Go back into the Chase app and request to resend the verification deposits, then enter the correct routing number. Double-check the number before submitting it the second time.
Do I need to verify my identity when adding an external account?
Chase verifies ownership of the external account by sending the two deposits, not by asking for your identity. However, if you're adding an account for the first time or if Chase's fraud system flags the request, you may be asked to confirm your identity through the app or by calling customer service. This is separate from the deposit verification.
Can I add the same external account twice?
No. Once an account is linked to your Chase login, the app won't let you add it again. If you want to see it under a different name or in a different way, you can edit the account nickname in the app settings, but you can't create a duplicate link.
How many external accounts can I link?
Chase does not publish a hard limit, but most users can link 10 to 20 external accounts without issues. If you're linking many accounts, do it over several days rather than all at once—this reduces the chance that Chase's fraud system will block the requests as suspicious activity.