Zelle is a fast, safe and easy way to send money directly between bank accounts in minutes. Once you link your bank account to Zelle, you can easily send money to friends, family and others with a bank account in the U.S.
However, you may need to update or switch the bank account linked to your Zelle profile. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to switch linked bank accounts for Zelle:
Table of Contents
Remove Existing Bank Account From Zelle
Before linking a new account, you first need to remove the existing linked bank account from your Zelle profile:
- Log in to your Zelle app or the Zelle experience within your bank’s mobile app or online banking.
- Go to “Settings” and select “Linked Bank Accounts”.
- Find the bank account you want to remove and select “Remove”.
- Confirm removing the bank account when prompted.
Once removed, that bank account will no longer be available to send or receive money through Zelle.
Add New Bank Account
After removing the old account, you can add a new bank account to use with Zelle:
Through Bank’s Mobile App
- Log in to your bank’s mobile banking app that offers Zelle (enrolled banks include Bank of America, Chase, Capital One and more).
- Go to Zelle within the app and select “Add New Account”.
- Choose the bank account you want to link by providing account details like routing and account numbers.
- Review and agree to the Terms and Conditions.
Through Zelle Standalone App
- In the Zelle app, tap on your profile icon in the top-left corner.
- Select “Linked Accounts”.
- Tap on “Link New Account”.
- Search for your bank or credit union and select it.
- Log in to your bank account through the secure portal.
- Choose the bank account you want to link and confirm.
It make take 1-2 business days for the new account connection to activate after which you can start sending money from the added bank account seamlessly through Zelle.
Switching Default Account
Whichever bank account you most recently linked to Zelle automatically becomes your default account to send money from.
However, you can easily change the default account in Zelle:
On Zelle Mobile App
- In the Zelle app, go to your profile and tap “Default Account”.
- Choose the bank account you want to make the default account.
On Banking App
- In your bank’s mobile app, go to Zelle and select “Settings”.
- Choose “Default Account” and pick the account you want as your new default.
Once changed, the selected bank account will now automatically show as the default account to send money from every time you use Zelle.
Tips For Switching Zelle Accounts
Here are some additional tips when changing linked bank accounts on Zelle:
- You can only link U.S. checking and savings accounts to Zelle. Credit cards or prepaid debit cards cannot be linked.
- If switching between banks, make sure to remove the old account first before linking the new bank account.
- You can link multiple bank accounts to Zelle but only ONE account can be set as the default at a time.
- If you close an account linked to Zelle, make sure to remove it from your profile and switch the default account if needed.
- Adding or removing accounts won’t impact your Zelle payment history or affect scheduled payments.
- For Zelle assistance, you need to contact your bank’s customer service, not Zelle’s customer support.
Troubleshooting Problems
If you run into issues removing, adding or changing bank accounts on Zelle, here is how to troubleshoot:
Account Not Removing
- Check if there are any pending Zelle transactions related to that bank account. Transactions need to fully process before removing an account.
- Contact your bank to remove the account on their end if you continue facing issues.
Unable to Link New Account
- Ensure you have entered the correct account credentials while adding the account. Re-check routing and account numbers.
- Confirm with your bank that the account you want to link is eligible to be added to Zelle.
- If correctly entering account details but still facing problems, contact your bank for assistance.
Default Account Not Switching
- Close and restart the Zelle/banking app and try changing the default account again.
- Remove the old default account and re-add it. Then set it again as the new default account.
- Check for any pending Zelle transactions from the account you want to make the new default account.
