Where to find your saved cards and change the default one

Go to Your Account (the menu in the top right corner), then select Login & security. Scroll down to the section labeled Login & security and look for Your payments — this is where Amazon stores every card you have saved. From there, you can delete old cards, add new ones, or change which card Amazon charges by default.

The exact wording shifts slightly depending on whether you're on desktop or mobile, but the path is the same: Account menu → Login & security → Your payments. If you're on a phone, the layout may stack differently, but all the same options are there.

Adding a new card to your Amazon account

Click Add a payment method in the Your payments section. Enter the card number, expiration date, CVV (the three-digit code on the back), and the cardholder's name and billing address. Amazon will verify the card with a small charge — usually under $1 — that appears within a few days. Once verified, the card is ready to use.

You don't have to wait for that verification charge to clear before you shop. Amazon will let you use the card immediately for purchases. If the verification fails (for example, if the billing address doesn't match what your bank has on file), Amazon will tell you which field caused the problem, and you can correct it and try again.

Setting a different card as your default payment method

In Your payments, each saved card shows a radio button or checkbox next to it. Click the one next to the card you want to use for future orders. That card becomes your default — Amazon will pre-select it at checkout unless you manually choose a different one.

Changing your default card does not affect past orders or any subscriptions tied to a specific card (like Prime membership or Subscribe & Save). Those keep charging the original card unless you change them separately in their own settings.

Removing an old or unused card

Find the card in Your payments and click Delete or the trash icon next to it. Amazon will ask you to confirm. Once deleted, that card no longer appears in your saved cards, and you cannot use it for new purchases.

If the card you want to delete is currently set as your default, Amazon will prompt you to choose a different default before the deletion goes through. You must always have at least one payment method on file to complete a purchase.

What to do if a card is declined at checkout

If Amazon tries to charge a saved card and it's declined, you'll see an error message at checkout. The most common reasons are: the card has expired, the billing address no longer matches your bank's records, the card issuer blocked the transaction, or the card has been closed.

Go back to Your payments and either update the card's details (expiration date or address) or delete it and add a different card. If you're not sure why the card was declined, contact your card issuer directly — they can tell you whether the block came from them or from Amazon's fraud detection system.

Updating an expiring card without losing your saved information

When your card is about to expire, you don't have to delete it and start over. Go to Your payments, find the card, and click Edit (or the pencil icon). Update the expiration date and CVV, then save. The rest of the card information — the number, name, and address — stays the same.

Some card issuers send Amazon an automatic update when they issue a replacement card with a new expiration date. If that happens, Amazon may update the card for you without you doing anything. You can check Your payments to see if the expiration date has already changed.

Using a different card for a single purchase

At checkout, before you place your order, look for the payment method section. Click Change or the dropdown next to your default card. You'll see all your saved cards listed. Select the one you want to use for that order only. Your default card does not change — the next time you shop, Amazon will offer your default card again.

If you want to use a card that isn't saved yet, click Add a new payment method at checkout. Enter the card details, and Amazon will use it for that purchase. You can choose whether to save it for future orders or use it just this once.

Key Takeaways

  • Your saved cards live in Your Account → Login & security → Your payments, where you can add, delete, or change your default card.
  • When you add a new card, Amazon verifies it with a small charge, but you can use the card immediately while waiting for that charge to post.
  • Changing your default card does not affect subscriptions or past orders — those keep charging the original card unless you change them separately.
  • At checkout, you can use a different card for a single purchase without changing your default, or add a new card without saving it.
  • If a card is declined, check Your payments to update the expiration date or billing address, or delete it and use a different card.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use multiple cards on the same Amazon order?

No. Amazon charges each order to a single payment method. If you want to split a purchase across two cards, you would need to place two separate orders and use a different card for each one.

What happens to my saved cards if I close my Amazon account?

Your saved cards are deleted when your account is closed. If you reopen an Amazon account later using the same email address, you'll need to add your cards again — they are not automatically restored.

Does Amazon store my full credit card number?

Amazon stores a tokenized version of your card, not the full number. This means your actual card number is encrypted and kept separate from the information Amazon uses to process charges. You can see the last four digits of each saved card in Your payments.

Can I change my payment method for an existing order?

Not after the order is placed. Once an order is confirmed, the payment method is locked. If you need to use a different card, you would have to cancel the order and place a new one. Contact Amazon customer service if the order has already shipped.

Why does Amazon ask for my billing address when I add a card?

Amazon uses your billing address to verify that you are the cardholder and to prevent fraud. The address must match what your bank has on file. If it doesn't match, the card will be declined at checkout, and you'll need to update it in Your payments.