Do you want to reclaim control over your financial data? Many of us use popular apps for budgeting, investing, or payment, and these often connect to our bank accounts through services like Plaid. While convenient, there might come a time when you want to sever that connection. If you're a Bank of America customer and are looking to disconnect Plaid, you've come to the right place!
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process step-by-step. Let's get started!
Understanding Plaid and Your Financial Data
Before we dive into the "how-to," let's quickly understand what Plaid is. Plaid is a technology company that acts as an intermediary between your bank and the third-party financial apps you use. When you link your Bank of America account to an app via Plaid, you're essentially giving Plaid permission to securely access certain financial data (like transaction history, account balances, etc.) from your Bank of America account and share it with that specific app.
It's important to remember that Plaid itself does not store your Bank of America login credentials. Instead, it uses secure tokens and encryption to maintain the connection. However, the data Plaid does access is then transmitted to the app you've authorized. Disconnecting Plaid means stopping this flow of data.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Disconnecting Plaid from Bank of America
There are generally two primary avenues to disconnect Plaid: through the Plaid Portal itself, or by managing third-party access within your Bank of America online banking. For the most comprehensive approach, we recommend using the Plaid Portal first, as it's designed specifically for managing these connections.
Step 1: Identify the Apps Connected via Plaid
Hold on a moment! Before we jump into the disconnection process, do you know which apps are currently linked to your Bank of America account through Plaid? Take a moment to think about any budgeting apps, investment platforms, or payment services you've used that required you to connect your bank. This initial identification will help you confirm the disconnections later.
Sub-heading: Why is this important? Knowing which apps are connected will allow you to verify that the disconnection was successful for those specific services. Sometimes, if you disconnect via Plaid, you might still need to take an additional step within the app itself to fully remove the banking information they might have already stored.
Step 2: Utilize the Plaid Portal for Disconnection (Recommended)
The Plaid Portal is your central hub for managing all your Plaid-powered connections. This is the most direct and effective way to revoke Plaid's access to your Bank of America account.
Sub-heading: Accessing the Plaid Portal
- Go to the Plaid Portal website: Open your web browser and navigate to my.plaid.com.
- Log in to your account: If you've used the Plaid Portal before, log in with your existing credentials. If this is your first time, you may need to create an account. Plaid will guide you through a verification process, which might involve sending a code to a phone number or email associated with one of your connected financial institutions. Make sure you have access to the verification method used.
Sub-heading: Navigating the Portal to Disconnect
- Locate "Accounts" or "Connected Apps": Once logged in, you should see an overview or a section specifically dedicated to your connected accounts or applications. This might be labeled "Accounts" or "Connected Apps."
- Select your Bank of America connection: Within this section, you'll see a list of the financial institutions you've linked through Plaid. Find and click on your Bank of America entry.
- Choose "Delete from Plaid" or "Disconnect app":
- "Delete from Plaid": This option will delete your data from Plaid's systems and prevent any connected apps from accessing any additional data from your Bank of America account via Plaid going forward. This is generally the most thorough option if you want to completely sever the connection with Plaid for that specific institution.
- "Disconnect app": If you only want to stop a specific app from accessing your Bank of America data through Plaid, you can usually find an option to "Disconnect app" associated with that particular application. This won't necessarily delete your data from Plaid's overall system but will stop that specific app's access. For a full Bank of America disconnection, aim for "Delete from Plaid."
- Review and confirm: Plaid will present you with important information about what happens when you disconnect or delete your data. Read this carefully. It will often clarify that while Plaid will stop sharing new data, the app itself might retain data it has already received.
- Confirm the action: You will likely be asked to type "delete" or "confirm" to finalize the process. Follow the prompts.
Congratulations! You've taken the primary step to disconnect Plaid from your Bank of America account.
Step 3: Verify within Bank of America Online Banking (Optional, but Recommended for Peace of Mind)
While the Plaid Portal is the most effective way, it's a good practice to check your Bank of America online banking to see if there's a section for managing third-party access. Bank of America has enhanced its security features to give users more control over who accesses their financial information.
Sub-heading: Locating Third-Party Access Settings
- Log in to Bank of America Online Banking: Go to the official Bank of America website (bankofamerica.com) and log in to your account.
- Navigate to Security or Privacy Settings: Look for sections like "Security Center," "Privacy & Security," "Settings," or "Profile." The exact wording might vary slightly.
- Find "Third-Party Access" or "Connected Apps": Within the security or privacy settings, diligently search for an option related to "Third-Party Access," "Data Sharing," "Connected Apps," or similar. Bank of America lists authorized third-party sites and apps that connect through their secure data-sharing protocol.
- Review and revoke: If you find Plaid listed, or any specific app that you know uses Plaid, you should have the option to revoke consent directly from within Bank of America's platform. If you already used the Plaid Portal, Plaid (and any apps connected through it) should no longer appear here as an active connection. However, checking this section provides an extra layer of verification.
Sub-heading: Important Considerations for Bank of America's Third-Party Access
- Direct Login Credential Sharing: If you previously shared your Bank of America login credentials directly with a third-party app (without going through Plaid's secure integration), that app will not be listed in Bank of America's "Third-Party Access" section. In such cases, the only way to stop their access is to change your Bank of America password. This will immediately invalidate any stored credentials.
- Data Retention by Third-Party Apps: Even after disconnecting Plaid, the third-party app may retain data it has already collected from your Bank of America account. To request the deletion of this data from the app's systems, you will need to contact the app's support team directly.
Step 4: Contact the Third-Party App's Support (Crucial for Data Deletion)
This is a frequently overlooked, yet critically important, step. As mentioned, disconnecting Plaid primarily stops new data from flowing. It does not automatically delete the data that an app has already gathered and stored.
Sub-heading: Steps to Contact App Support
- Identify the specific app(s): Refer back to Step 1 and list all the apps you identified that were connected to your Bank of America account via Plaid.
- Find their support contact: Visit each app's official website or look within the app itself for a "Support," "Help," or "Contact Us" section.
- Request data deletion: Clearly state that you have disconnected your Bank of America account (and Plaid access) and that you would like to request the deletion of any financial data they have stored related to that account. Be polite and clear. They may have a specific process for this.
- Follow their instructions: The app's support team will guide you on their data deletion policy and process. Keep a record of your communication for your reference.
Step 5: Monitor Your Bank of America Account
After completing the above steps, it's always wise to monitor your Bank of America account for a few days or weeks.
Sub-heading: What to Look For
- No new transaction imports: Ensure that the apps you disconnected are no longer importing new transaction data from your Bank of America account.
- No unexpected activity: While unlikely if you've followed the steps, always be vigilant for any unusual activity on your Bank of America account.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to check which apps are connected to my Bank of America account through Plaid?
You can check which apps are connected by logging into the Plaid Portal at my.plaid.com. This portal lists all the financial institutions and applications you've linked via Plaid.
How to tell if an app uses Plaid to connect to my bank?
When you're setting up a new financial app and it asks you to connect your bank, you'll often see the Plaid logo or a clear indication that "Plaid" is facilitating the connection during the login process.
How to ensure my data is completely deleted after disconnecting Plaid?
To ensure your data is completely deleted, you must not only disconnect through the Plaid Portal but also contact the support team of each individual third-party app that was connected and explicitly request the deletion of your stored financial data.
How to reconnect Plaid to Bank of America if I change my mind?
If you want to reconnect your Bank of America account to an app via Plaid, you'll need to go back into that specific app and initiate the bank connection process again. You will then re-authorize Plaid to connect to your Bank of America account.
How to manage third-party access directly within Bank of America?
Log in to your Bank of America online banking, navigate to the "Security Center" or "Privacy & Security" section, and look for "Third-Party Access" or "Connected Apps." Here, you might be able to view and revoke access for certain third-party connections.
How to stop an app from accessing my Bank of America account if I shared my login directly?
If you provided your Bank of America login credentials directly to an app (without Plaid), the only way to revoke their access is to change your Bank of America online banking password. This immediately invalidates the old credentials.
How to contact Plaid support for assistance?
You can find support options and a consumer help center on Plaid's official website, typically under a "Support" or "Help" section. Their portal my.plaid.com also has FAQs and contact information.
How to find out what data Plaid collects from my Bank of America account?
Plaid's privacy policy, available on their website (plaid.com), details the types of data they collect. Generally, this includes account and routing numbers, account balances, transaction history, and identity information.
How to know if disconnecting Plaid will affect my app's functionality?
Disconnecting Plaid will likely affect the functionality of the app that relies on that connection. For instance, a budgeting app won't be able to import new transactions, and an investment app might not be able to verify your account balance.
How to protect my financial data when using third-party apps?
Always use strong, unique passwords, enable multi-factor authentication whenever possible, and only connect your bank accounts to reputable and trusted financial applications. Regularly review your connected apps and disconnect those you no longer use or trust.
