How to cancel a PayPal payment?

Article updated on January 10, 2025 by Byothe

Want to get back the money you sent to someone on PayPal? In some cases, you can cancel your payment and get your funds back.

Here's what you can try when you've sent money and want to cancel a PayPal payment.

Can I cancel a PayPal payment?

Whether you think you've been scammed or simply sent a payment by accident, It is only possible to cancel a PayPal payment if it has not been claimed by the recipient.. In this case, you just need to click a button on PayPal and your money will be credited back to your account.

Unfortunately, most PayPal payments are instant, meaning they are claimed quickly. This means you don't have many opportunities to cancel your transaction. In this case, there is still something you can do, as I'll explain below.

However, if you accidentally sent money to a email address who does not have a PayPal account, or if the email address associated with the PayPal account is not confirmed, rest assured that PayPal will automatically credit the money back to your account.

Delete an unclaimed payment on PayPal

If a payment has not been claimed by its recipient, it is very easy to cancel it. Here's how to do it:

• In your web browser, go to PayPal and log in to your account on the site.
• On the PayPal dashboard, locate the top menu and click Activity

Note: If you're using the PayPal app for iPhone or Android, tap the tab Portfolio at the bottom of the screen, then on Activity at the top to find your activity history.

• Find the payment you want to cancel and click on the option Cancel.

• On the next page, click the button Cancel a payment

If you were able to cancel the payment, you will see that PayPal has reversed the transaction and the money is back in your account.

If you can't find the "Cancel" option, your payment has been claimed, which means you can't cancel it. But all is not lost yet.

Trying to cancel a payment requested on PayPal

If your payment has been claimed by the recipient and you are unable to cancel it using the above method, all hope is not lost. There are several ways you can try to get your money back.

The first is to (politely) ask the recipient if they can refund your payment. The recipient can refund the payment by going to their PayPal account, choosing the transaction, and selecting the refund option. PayPal will then return the money to your account.

If the recipient refuses to refund the payment and you believe you have been scammed, file a dispute with PayPal for this transaction. PayPal will review your dispute and take appropriate action.

To file a dispute, go to the Dispute Manager from PayPal and click “Report a problem”.

Choose the transaction you need help with and select Continue.

Follow the on-screen instructions to submit your report, then wait for PayPal to contact you.

How long does it take to get a refund?

The time it takes for PayPal to refund you depends on your case. Typically, PayPal's customer service team should respond to you within 2-3 days. Once you provide proof of your decision to cancel the payment, PayPal will respond within a few days. Check your balance regularly to see when your payment is back in your account.

What if my PayPal transaction is a recurring payment?

If your transaction is a recurring payment, PayPal offers an easy way to cancel your subscription payments. You can do this by going to your PayPal account, finding and choosing your recurring payment, selecting “Cancel,” and following the instructions.

Once this is done, PayPal will no longer charge your account for the money corresponding to the chosen subscription.

And there you have it, you know everything about the options available to you in case you want to cancel a PayPal payment.