How to update your payment method on Amazon
To change the credit card on your Amazon account, sign in to your account, go to Account & Lists, select Your Account, then click Manage payment methods. From there you can add a new card, delete an old one, or set which card Amazon charges by default. The change takes effect immediately for new purchases, but any charge already processed to your old card will stay on that card.
If you're changing the card because the old one is expiring, lost, or compromised, you should also contact your card issuer directly to report the issue. Amazon's payment method change does not cancel or close your card — it only stops Amazon from using it. Your card issuer controls whether the card itself remains active.
Key Takeaways
- You can add, remove, or reorder payment methods from the Manage payment methods page in Your Account settings.
- Changes to your default card take effect immediately for new orders, but charges already sent to your old card will not reverse automatically.
- Removing a card from Amazon does not close the card or affect your credit report — it only stops Amazon from charging it.
- If you have an active subscription or recurring charge set to your old card, you must update the payment method before that card expires or the charge will fail.
- Amazon stores multiple payment methods, so you can keep several cards on file and choose which one to use at checkout.
Step-by-step: adding a new card to your account
Open Amazon and sign in. Click on Account & Lists in the top right corner, then select Your Account from the dropdown menu. Look for the Login & security section and click Manage payment methods. (On some accounts this appears under Your Account directly; if you don't see it in Login & security, scroll down to find it.)
Click the Add a payment method button. Enter your card number, expiration date, CVV, and cardholder name. Amazon will ask for your billing address — this must match what your card issuer has on file. After you enter all details, click Add your card. Amazon will process the information and the card will appear in your payment methods list within seconds.
If Amazon declines the card during this step, the most common reasons are a mismatched billing address, an incorrect CVV, or a card that your issuer has flagged as high-risk. Contact your card issuer to confirm the address they have on file, then try adding the card again with that exact address.
Setting a default payment method
Once you have added a new card, you can make it your default so Amazon charges it automatically for all future purchases. On the Manage payment methods page, look for the card you want to use and click the radio button or checkbox next to it to mark it as default. The page will update immediately, and that card will be charged for your next order unless you choose a different card at checkout.
You do not have to set a default card. If you leave no card marked as default, Amazon will prompt you to choose a payment method when you place an order. This can be useful if you want to decide which card to charge on a purchase-by-purchase basis.
Removing an old card from your account
To remove a card, go to Manage payment methods and find the card you want to delete. Click the Delete button or link next to it. Amazon will ask you to confirm — click Delete again. The card will be removed from your account immediately and Amazon will no longer be able to charge it.
Deleting a card from Amazon does not close the card with your bank or affect your credit report. It only removes the card from your Amazon payment methods list. If you have an active subscription or a recurring charge set to that card, you must add a new payment method and set it as default before the old card expires, or your subscription will fail to renew.
What happens to charges already sent to your old card
If Amazon has already charged your old card for an order, changing your payment method will not reverse that charge. The charge will remain on the old card and will appear on your statement as normal. You cannot move a charge from one card to another through Amazon — you would need to contact your card issuer or Amazon Customer Service to dispute or reverse a charge.
For this reason, do not delete your old card from Amazon immediately if you have recent orders. Wait until you are certain all charges have posted and you have reviewed your statement. Once you confirm there are no pending charges, you can safely remove the card.
Updating payment methods for subscriptions and recurring charges
If you have an Amazon subscription (such as Prime, Kindle Unlimited, or a Subscribe & Save order), the payment method you have set as default will be charged when the subscription renews. If your default card expires or is removed before the renewal date, the charge will fail and your subscription may be paused or cancelled.
To avoid this, update your payment method at least two weeks before your card expires. Go to Manage payment methods, add your new card, and set it as default. Amazon will then charge the new card on the next renewal date. If a subscription charge has already failed because your card expired, you can add a new payment method and manually renew the subscription from your account settings.
Troubleshooting payment method changes
If Amazon will not accept your new card, first check that the cardholder name, card number, expiration date, and CVV are all correct. Then verify that your billing address matches exactly what your card issuer has on file — this is the most common reason for a declined card. If the address has spaces, punctuation, or abbreviations, enter it the same way your issuer does.
If the card is correct and the address matches, contact your card issuer to ask if they have flagged the charge as suspicious. Some issuers block online purchases or purchases from certain merchants until you confirm the transaction. Your issuer can also tell you if the card is active and whether there are any holds or limits on it. Once your issuer confirms the card is clear, try adding it to Amazon again.
If you still cannot add the card after confirming all details with your issuer, contact Amazon Customer Service. Provide them with the exact error message Amazon displayed when you tried to add the card. They can investigate whether the issue is on Amazon's end or whether your issuer is blocking the transaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my payment method on Amazon affect my credit score?
No. Changing which card Amazon charges does not affect your credit score or credit report. Your credit is only affected by whether you pay your bills on time and how much of your available credit you are using. Removing a card from Amazon does not close the card itself, so it will not impact your credit history.
Can I use a debit card or prepaid card on Amazon instead of a credit card?
Yes. Amazon accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover debit cards, as well as most prepaid cards that carry one of those logos. Add them the same way you would add a credit card. Keep in mind that Amazon may place a temporary hold on your debit card account when you place an order, which can reduce your available balance until the charge posts.
What if I want to use a different card for a single purchase?
At checkout, before you click Place Order, look for the payment method section and click Change. You will see all the cards you have saved on your account. Select the card you want to use for that purchase and click Continue. This will charge that specific order to the card you chose, but it will not change your default payment method for future orders.
Do I need to update my payment method if my card is expiring soon?
Yes, especially if you have an active subscription or recurring charge. Add your new card to your account and set it as default at least two weeks before your current card expires. If you wait until after the card expires, your next subscription renewal or recurring charge will fail and may be cancelled.
Can I have multiple payment methods saved on Amazon at the same time?
Yes. You can add as many cards as you want to your account and keep them all active. At checkout, you can choose which card to charge, or you can set one as your default and let Amazon charge that one automatically. This is useful if you want to use different cards for different purchases or if you want a backup card on file.