Remove a card by going to Your Account, then Payment Options

To remove a credit card from Amazon, sign into your account on Amazon.com, go to the Account menu in the top right, and select Your Account. From there, click Login & security or Payment options depending on what you see. You'll find a list of all cards linked to your account. Next to the card you want to remove, select Delete or the trash icon. Amazon will ask you to confirm — once you do, the card is gone from your account.

The whole process takes about two minutes. You don't need to contact Amazon customer service unless something goes wrong during deletion. If you're using the Amazon app on your phone instead of a computer, the steps are the same: tap the menu icon, go to Account, then Payment options, and delete from there.

Key Takeaways

  • You can remove any card from your Amazon account through Your Account > Payment options, and the card stays deleted unless you add it again.
  • Amazon requires at least one valid payment method on file, so you must add a replacement card before deleting your only card.
  • Removing a card from Amazon does not close the card itself or change anything with your bank — it only disconnects it from this one account.
  • If a card is set as your default payment method, you'll need to choose a different default before you can delete it.

What happens if a card is your default payment method

If the card you want to remove is marked as your default, Amazon won't let you delete it until you pick a different card to use instead. This is a safety measure — Amazon always needs at least one working payment method on file so your orders can go through.

To change your default, go back to Payment options and look for the card you want to use instead. Select Set as default next to that card. Once a different card is your default, you can then go back and delete the old one.

Removing a card does not close the card itself

When you remove a card from Amazon, you're only disconnecting it from your Amazon account. The card itself stays open with your bank, your credit limit stays the same, and your credit score is not affected. You're straightforward telling Amazon to stop storing that card number.

If you actually want to close the credit card with your bank, that's a separate step you'd take with your card issuer — calling the number on the back of the card or logging into your bank's website. Removing it from Amazon has nothing to do with closing the account.

Why you might want to remove an old or unused card

People usually remove cards from Amazon for a few reasons: they got a new card and want to clean up old ones, they're closing a card and want to stop storing it anywhere, or they want to reduce the number of payment methods linked to their account for security reasons.

If you're worried about a card being compromised, removing it from Amazon is a good step. It means even if someone got into your Amazon account, they couldn't use that particular card to make purchases. You'd still want to contact your bank to report the card as potentially compromised, but removing it from Amazon adds another layer of protection.

What to do if you can't find the delete option

Sometimes the delete button doesn't show up next to a card. This usually means one of two things: the card is your default payment method (in which case you need to set a different default first), or Amazon is having trouble with that particular card for technical reasons.

If you've already set a different default and the delete option still isn't there, try logging out and back in, or clearing your browser's cache and cookies. If that doesn't work, you can contact Amazon customer service through the Help section of your account — they can remove the card on their end.

Removing a card linked to a Prime membership

If the card you're removing is the one you used to pay for an active Prime membership, your membership will stay active until it's time to renew. When renewal comes due, Amazon will try to charge your default payment method instead. Make sure you have a valid card set as your default, or update your payment method before the renewal date so your membership doesn't get interrupted.

You can check when your Prime membership renews by going to Your Account and selecting Manage Your Prime Membership. If you want to change which card Prime uses before the renewal date, you can do that through the same menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will removing a card from Amazon affect my credit score?

No. Removing a card from Amazon is just disconnecting it from one website. Your credit score is based on your payment history, credit utilization, and other factors with your bank — not on which websites have your card number stored. Your bank won't even know you removed it from Amazon.

Can I remove a card if I have an active order using it?

You can remove the card from your account at any time, but if an active order is still processing or hasn't shipped yet, Amazon may have already charged it. Removing the card won't reverse a charge that already went through. Contact Amazon customer service if you need to change the payment method on an order that hasn't shipped yet.

What if I accidentally deleted the wrong card?

You can add it back anytime. Go to Payment options, select Add a payment method, and enter the card details again. Amazon will recognize it as a card you've used before, and it will be linked to your account again within a few minutes.

Do I need to remove a card before closing my Amazon account?

No. If you close your Amazon account, all linked cards are automatically disconnected. You don't need to remove them first. However, if you're just taking a break from Amazon and might come back, removing old cards before you go is a good security practice.