Why isn't PayPal working
PayPal usually isn't working because your bank or card issuer declined the payment, your card details are outdated, your account is limited or unconfirmed, or the app has glitched.
PayPal's help page on declined payments walks through these causes, and the error message you see often points to the cause.
- Bank or card decline: Your bank or card issuer can block a payment without telling PayPal why, so call them to ask about the declined transaction.
- Outdated card details: An expired card date or a billing address that no longer matches can cause failures, so update the card in your PayPal wallet.
- Account limitation: PayPal can place a temporary limit on an account for security reasons, and the Resolution Center shows what you need to do to lift it.
- Unconfirmed details: An email address, bank account or card that has not been confirmed can stop transactions until you follow PayPal's prompts to verify it.
- App or browser problems: Old cached data or a weak internet connection can freeze the app, so clear your browser cookies or restart the PayPal app.
Some of PayPal's limitations only show up as a short error message, so note the exact wording and whether it appeared while sending money, linking a card or logging in before you contact PayPal or your bank.