How to Delete a PayPal Account

Close your PayPal account with a computer or a mobile device

Bubble caption with the word delete in it

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by Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire. Her writing has appeared in Newsweek, International Business Times, and others.
Updated June 05, 2019

PayPal has been the go-to service for online payments for many years, but recently a host of alternative methods (some of which come preinstalled on smartphones) for submitting payments over the internet have been introduced. PayPal now has competition, even with an app of its own. If you've moved to a different service, you may want to delete your PayPal account.

The instructions in this article apply to any computer or mobile device.

Before You Close a PayPal Account

There are a few things you should do before deleting a PayPal account.

  1. Change your payment method. Closing an account cancels all recurring transactions. If you have recurring transactions that are paid with your PayPal account, change the payment method to another account.

  2. Ensure all transactions are confirmed and completed. Closing an account cancels any transactions that are in progress. Pending transactions appear at the top of your Account Activity.

    Make sure you don't have any transactions in progress, as closing an account before a transaction is confirmed will cancel the transaction.

  3. Withdraw any available balance from your account. Transfer the money to your bank account or send it to another person.

    Withdraw any available balance from your account by transferring the money to your bank account or sending it to another person.
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Once a PayPal account is closed, it cannot be reopened. To use PayPal again, register a new account, which can be done using the same email address you previously used.

How to Delete a PayPal Account on a Computer

To delete a PayPal account, open a web browser on a computer and follow these instructions:

  1. Go to PayPal and log in to your PayPal account.

    Login on PayPal website

  2. Select the gear in the upper-right corner to open your account settings.

    Paypal account settings Gear icon

  3. Scroll down and select Close your account.

    Close your account link on PayPal website

  4. Select Close account again to confirm.

    If you have PayPal Credit, you must contact PayPal before closing your account.

    If you have PayPal Credit, then you must first contact PayPal before you can close your account.

  5. You'll receive an email confirming your PayPal account has been closed.

How to Delete a PayPal Account on a Mobile Device

PayPal doesn't allow users to close accounts directly from the mobile app. To close an account on a smartphone, access PayPal.com from a web browser such as Google Chrome or Apple Safari and follow the same steps as above.