Remove a card in three steps from your account settings
To remove a credit card from Amazon, go to Your Account in the top right, select Login & security, then scroll to Manage your payment methods and click the card you want to remove. Select Delete and confirm. The card is gone from your account when ready, though Amazon may keep a record of it for fraud prevention.
You do not need to contact Amazon customer service to delete a card. The process takes less than a minute and works the same way whether you are removing a Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover card. If you cannot find the payment methods section, make sure you are logged into the correct account — some people have multiple Amazon accounts without realizing it.
Key Takeaways
- Log into Your Account, go to Login & security, and find Manage your payment methods to see all cards linked to your account.
- Click the card you want to remove and select Delete; Amazon removes it when ready and you cannot undo the action.
- Removing a card does not cancel orders or subscriptions that use that card — you must update those separately or they will fail at the next charge.
- If a card is set as your default payment method, Amazon will ask you to choose a new default before you can delete it.
- Deleted cards remain in Amazon's records for security reasons, but they cannot be used to make new purchases on your account.
What happens to subscriptions and recurring charges when you delete a card
Removing a card does not stop Amazon Prime, Subscribe & Save orders, or any other recurring charge. Instead, those subscriptions stay active and Amazon will try to charge the card at the next billing date. When the card no longer exists, the charge will fail and Amazon will send you an email saying the payment method is invalid.
Before you delete a card, check whether any active subscriptions or recurring orders use it. Go to Your Account, select Memberships and subscriptions, and review what is there. If you have an active Prime membership or Subscribe & Save orders on the card you are removing, update them to a different card first. If you do not, you risk having your subscription paused or cancelled after a failed charge attempt.
If your card is set as the default payment method
Amazon requires you to have at least one payment method on file. If the card you want to remove is marked as your default, Amazon will not let you delete it until you choose a different card as the default first.
When you click Delete on a default card, Amazon will show a message asking you to select a new default payment method from your other cards. Choose one and confirm, then the original card will be removed. If you only have one card on your account, you cannot remove it without adding another card first.
Removing a card that has been compromised or lost
If your card has been lost, stolen, or you suspect fraud, remove it from Amazon right away using the steps above. Deleting it from Amazon does not affect your actual bank account or credit card — you still need to contact your card issuer to cancel the physical card or freeze the account.
After you remove the card from Amazon, check your account for unauthorized purchases. Go to Your Account, select Returns, orders, and accounts, and review your order history. If you see charges you did not make, report them to Amazon customer service and to your card issuer. Amazon can sometimes reverse fraudulent charges, but your bank is the one that can actually cancel the card and issue a replacement.
Why Amazon might not let you delete a card
The most common reason Amazon blocks card deletion is that the card is set as your default payment method. The second reason is that you have an active subscription or recurring order using that card. A third, less common reason is that the card is connected to an active or recent order that is still being processed or shipped.
If you get an error message when trying to delete a card, check whether you have any pending orders, active Prime membership, or Subscribe & Save orders. If none of those explore and you still cannot delete the card, contact Amazon customer service — they can sometimes remove a card manually if there is a technical issue or a dispute with the card issuer.
The difference between removing a card and updating payment information
Removing a card deletes it entirely from your account. Updating a card means you are changing the details of an existing card — for example, if your card number changed because your bank reissued it, or if your expiration date is coming up. To update instead of delete, go to Your Account, select Login & security, find the card, and click Edit. You can then enter the new expiration date or card number.
If your card issuer sent you a replacement card with a new number, you should update the old card in Amazon rather than delete it and add a new one. This keeps your order history and any saved preferences tied to the same payment method. However, if you are switching to a completely different card or card issuer, deletion and adding a new card is the cleaner approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo deleting a card from Amazon?
No. Once you delete a card, it is removed permanently and you cannot restore it. If you need to use that card again, you will have to add it to your account from scratch by entering the full card number, expiration date, and CVV.
Will deleting a card from Amazon affect my credit score?
No. Removing a card from Amazon is just removing it from your account settings. It does not close the credit card itself, does not affect your credit utilization, and does not show up on your credit report. Your bank still has the card active unless you cancel it with them directly.
What if I delete a card and then want to use it again on Amazon?
You can add it back anytime. Go to Your Account, select Login & security, find Manage your payment methods, and click Add a payment method. Enter the card details again and it will be linked to your account. Any previous order history stays in your account.
Do I need to remove a card before I cancel my Amazon account?
No. When you close your Amazon account, all payment methods are removed automatically. You do not need to delete cards individually first. However, if you are just removing a card and keeping your account open, follow the steps in the first section.
Can I remove a card if I have an active Amazon Prime membership?
Only if Prime is using a different card. If Prime is charged to the card you want to delete, you must first update Prime to use a different payment method. Go to Your Account, select Memberships and subscriptions, find Prime, and update the payment method before deleting the card.