PayPal Not Working: Login Problems, Declined Payments and Checkout
When PayPal is not working, first work out which part is failing: signing in, a payment method being declined, or PayPal itself. Open Activity to see the status of the payment, then check PayPal’s status page and our live PayPal status page. A declined payment is often a decision by your bank or card issuer, and PayPal’s help center says to ask the issuer for the reason rather than retrying.
Is PayPal down or is it my account?
An outage affects many people at once, while an account or card problem follows you from device to device. These checks tell the two apart.
- Check PayPal’s status page. PayPal’s help center points to its PayPal Status page for system status and network issues, and explains that you choose an environment: Production (live) or Sandbox (test). Look at Production. You can also subscribe there for email notices. The page is built mainly for merchants and developers, so its component names describe PayPal products and services rather than app screens.
- Compare with live reports. Our PayPal status page shows whether other people are reporting problems right now. Our guide on reading a status page explains labels like Investigating and Monitoring.
- Try the app and the website. If paypal.com works in a browser and the app does not, update the app from the App Store or Google Play and restart your phone.
- Switch networks. Try mobile data instead of Wi-Fi.
- Clear your browser’s cache and cookies. PayPal’s sign-in help suggests this when you still cannot log in after resetting your password.
Why was my PayPal payment declined?
PayPal’s help article Why was my payment declined? and the related articles it links describe several separate causes. The wording on your screen usually points to one of them.
| What you see or check | What PayPal’s help says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Card payment declined by the card issuer | The issuer refused it; PayPal suggests asking the issuer why | Call the number on the back of the card |
| This payment method can’t be used at the moment | PayPal has declined that card or bank account for now | Pay with another method, such as your bank account or PayPal balance |
| The payment amount might be over your spending limit | A bank account payment is above your current limit | Use a different method or a smaller amount |
| Confirm Card link next to a card in your Wallet | The card must be confirmed before PayPal will use it | Confirm the card; PayPal says this can take 2–3 business days if you already started |
| Card details out of date | An old expiration date or billing address can cause declines | Update the card in your Wallet to match your statement |
| Security check or verification request | Some payments are blocked until you confirm your identity | Complete the check inside PayPal, not from an email link |
Retrying the same declined card several times rarely changes the result. Find out which cause applies, fix it or switch payment methods, then try once.
What do PayPal payment statuses mean?
Each payment in Activity carries a status. PayPal’s help article on payment and money request statuses defines them like this:
| Status | Meaning, per PayPal |
|---|---|
| Pending | PayPal is reviewing the transaction, or the money in a request has not been paid yet |
| Completed | The payment went through and the money reached the other party |
| Unclaimed | The recipient has not accepted the payment yet; unclaimed payments are cancelled automatically after 30 days |
| Denied | The recipient rejected the payment and the money went back to the sender |
| Held | PayPal is reviewing the transaction and has paused the funds; check the Resolution Center |
PayPal’s help article on pending and unclaimed payments says a payment often stays this way when it went to an email address or phone number that is not tied to a verified PayPal account, so the recipient may need to set up or verify one. You can usually cancel one yourself: open Activity, select the payment and choose Cancel. If nobody claims it, PayPal cancels it after 30 days and returns the money. PayPal says refunds to a bank account can take up to 5 business days and refunds to a card up to 30 days.
A Completed payment cannot be cancelled this way. That is why it matters to check Activity before you pay again after an error.
Why can’t I log in to PayPal?
Most sign-in problems come down to a forgotten password, an old phone number or a security check. PayPal’s help pages cover each one:
- Reset the password. PayPal cannot show you your current password. Choose Forgot password on the login page, enter your PayPal email and complete the security check.
- Check where your code goes. If you use 2-step verification and changed your mobile number, PayPal still sends the code to the old number. Follow PayPal’s help article for a changed mobile number to regain access.
- Expect a security check on a new device. PayPal may ask you to confirm your identity when it sees a new device or location. PayPal notes that this can fail if the phone number is not billed in your name, for example on a family plan. Try another number registered to you.
- If you are locked out, contact PayPal from its Contact Us page. PayPal says to have your phone number, the email you registered with, and a statement from a linked card or bank account ready.
What should I do if PayPal fails at a store’s checkout?
A PayPal button that errors out on one shop’s website may be that shop’s problem, especially if PayPal works everywhere else. Check your PayPal Activity first: if the payment shows as Completed or Pending, the store may have the order even though its page failed.
- Look for an order confirmation email from the store before trying again.
- Try PayPal on another site or in the app. If it works there, contact the store.
- If the PayPal Status page or our status page shows a problem, wait for it to clear rather than paying with a second method straight away.
How do I contact PayPal and avoid fake support?
Use the contact options inside your account. PayPal’s help center describes these routes:
- On the website, log in, open Message Center and choose New Message.
- In the app, tap your profile photo, tap Message Center, then tap contact us and select your issue.
- The Contact Us page shows options to message, call or use the PayPal Assistant chat, depending on your issue and whether you are logged in.
Scammers copy PayPal’s look in emails and texts. PayPal’s page on reporting suspicious messages says to forward the whole email to [email protected] without changing the subject line or sending it as an attachment. PayPal says it will not ask for passwords, Social Security numbers or bank account details by email, and real PayPal emails address you by your first and last name or business name. Do not call a phone number from a suspicious message or a search result.
Bottom line
Check Activity before you pay again, read the decline message to find the real cause, and look at PayPal’s status page and ours to rule out an outage. Sign-in trouble is usually fixed with a password reset or an updated phone number. Contact PayPal only through Message Center or the Contact Us page. For Venmo and Cash App, see safe checks when payment apps are down.
FAQ
Does PayPal have a status page?
Yes. PayPal’s help center points to its PayPal Status page at paypal-status.com, where you pick the Production environment for live service. It is aimed mainly at merchants and developers.
Why does PayPal say my payment method can’t be used at the moment?
PayPal has declined that card or bank account for this payment. Try another payment method, such as your bank account or PayPal balance, or check your Wallet for a card that needs confirming.
Can I cancel a PayPal payment that is pending?
Usually, if it is pending or unclaimed. Open Activity, select the payment and choose Cancel; PayPal cancels unclaimed payments automatically after 30 days.
Is an email saying my PayPal account is limited real?
Do not click its links. Log in to PayPal directly to see real notices, and forward the email to [email protected] if it looks fake.