How to Link a PayPal Prepaid Card to Your PayPal Account in 3 Steps (with Photos)

When talking about online shopping, we instantly think of PayPal as our preferred payment option. With over 220 million active users, PayPal has become one of the leading online transaction services worldwide.

You just have to link your PayPal prepaid card to your PayPal account and add it to the e-store you want to buy stuff from. Then, choose it as your preferred payment method at checkout. Finally, hit the pay button, and you’re done!

Besides a PayPal prepaid Mastercard, you can also add other prepaid cards, credit or debit cards, or bank accounts to your PayPal account. Fortunately, connecting any type of card to your PayPal account is straightforward. PayPal may take some time to verify your added card. Meanwhile, the company deducts a specific amount from your card but refunds it once the confirmation process ends.

Let’s learn how to link a PayPal prepaid card to your PayPal account, along with some other essential things.

3 Steps to Register or Link a PayPal Prepaid Card to Your PayPal Account

To use your PayPal prepaid Mastercard for online purchases, you must first register it to your PayPal account. Here is how to do it!

Step 1: Visit the PayPal Prepaid Page

First, visit the PayPal Prepaid page here on your web browser and select Activate your Card Account here.

Step 2: Provide the Required Information

On the next screen, enter your PayPal prepaid card’s 16-digit number and the 3-digit security code. Ensure you’re typing them correctly in the right fields to avoid any chances of failure in the following steps.

Once finished, hit Continue to proceed.

Step 3: Fill in the Missing Details

PayPal may ask you to enter the missing account information, so provide everything required. It will include your name, street address, ZIP code, and email address. The next screen will require you to input your card’s CVC2 number and PIN. Then, select the Continue button to finish the process. 

You’re done; that’s all you need to do to link your PayPal prepaid card to your PayPal account. Now you can shop at your favorite e-stores with your prepaid card without any worries!

How to Link a Debit or Credit Card to a PayPal Account

We have talked about how to add the PayPal prepaid Mastercard to your PayPal account, but what about debit or credit cards? Can you link them to your PayPal account? Of course, you can do that in just a few steps through both PayPal’s website and app.

Here is how the process on PayPal goes.

1. First, log in to your PayPal account with your credentials.
2. Head to your PayPal Wallet.
3. Then, select the Link a debit or credit card option.
4. Follow the on-screen prompt about your card’s details. You will be done in no time!

Here is a step-by-step video for further reference:

Follow the below steps to link your PayPal debit or credit card to your account via the app:

1. Launch the PayPal app and log in to your account.
2. Then, tap on the Wallet icon.
3. Choose the + icon next to the Add Banks and Cards option.
4. Select Debit and Credit Cards.
5. Tap Link your card manually and enter the correct card details in the app. You can also scan your card to avoid any chances of error. Alternatively, you can connect your PayPal account to the bank account.

Note: PayPal allows you to link only 4 cards to your account. However, this limit can reach a maximum of 24 cards once you verify your account. 

How to Confirm Your PayPal Debit or Credit Card

PayPal requires users to confirm their debit or credit card before letting them use it for online purchases. The Confirm Card option is next to your PayPal account’s debit or credit details. Just open the link to complete the action. This step is vital as it ensures the card’s authenticity and your ownership over it. 

After you link your PayPal prepaid card to your PayPal account, follow the below steps to confirm your debit or credit card.

1. Log in to your PayPal account and open your Wallet.
2. Choose the debit or credit card you wish to verify.
3. Open the Confirm Card link present next to your chosen card. If there is no link, it means PayPal automatically confirmed it, so you don’t need to do anything else.
4. Check the entered information before clicking OK.

When confirming your debit or credit card, you will see a $1.95 deduction from your card. That’s PayPal’s standard charge for a debit or credit card confirmation. This fee and a 4-digit code will be visible on your debit or credit card statement in the next 2 to 3 business days.

Remember, PayPal may charge you double if you request the code two times. If you do that, always use the latest code for the confirmation. But what if you can’t access your card’s statement online? In that case, you should wait for the statement to appear in the mail for code retrieval.

Once you get the code, visit PayPal’s official website and open your Wallet again. Then, select the card you wish to confirm, enter the 4-digit code, and tap Confirm to complete the process. The company will refund the fee once the card is verified, which you will receive within the next 30 days. 

Is It Possible to Update a Card on PayPal?

Suppose you have to change a card’s information down the road. Does PayPal allow you to make changes to your linked cards? Yes, it does!

Not only can you link a PayPal prepaid card to your account, but you can also update it later. The same applies to debit and credit cards. 

Follow the below steps to update your card through PayPal’s official website.

1. Log in to your PayPal account and open your Wallet.
2. Choose the card you wish to update.
3. Hit the Update Card option and change the information with the new details.

If you’re using the PayPal app, you can update your card information in the following way.

1. Log in to your PayPal account in the app.
2. Tap Wallet.
3. Choose the card you want to update and hit the Edit button.

While updating your card on PayPal, you must remember to make the most of your time and effort. PayPal does apply some restrictions in this regard, so it’s good to be aware of them before going this way. Here is what you need to know:

• PayPal automatically updates the new card number or expiration date for those cards eligible for this feature. The company may also remove those cards that are closed or turned unusable.
• After updating your debit or credit card information, any automatic payments linked to your previous card will automatically transfer to your new card.

Can’t Link PayPal Prepaid Card or Credit or Debit Card To Your Account? Try These Solutions

While the PayPal card linking process is generally smooth, you may face a few errors in different instances. It’s normal, and many people encounter them, so don’t start sweating yet.

To make it easy, we have listed some possible reasons and their solutions below.

Incorrect Billing Address

You may be unable to link your PayPal prepaid card or credit or debit card to your account if you have entered different billing addresses. So, your first troubleshooting method is to go through your card statement to find the billing address. Once you access it, cross-check it with the one entered in your PayPal account. 

If the address in both places is similar, call your debit or credit card provider to see the address on record. That’s because information updates may take more time in PayPal, so contacting the card issuer will clear the air.

Wrong Card Security Code

Linking the card to your PayPal account while being distracted can result in entering the wrong card security code (CSC). If it has happened to you, contact PayPal Support here to connect with a representative. They will listen to your issue and ask for some information to finish the card-linking process for you.

Decline Authorization Charge

PayPal sends a maximum of $1 or equivalent local currency to the new debit or credit card you add to your account. That’s important for the card authorization process as it ensures the card is currently in use. But unfortunately, the card’s provider may decline this verification charge, resulting in a failure.

In this case, get in touch with your card issuer to find the real reason for the issue. Once they give the green light, you can try adding your debit or credit card again.

Exceeding the Card Limit

PayPal allows you to add up to 8 cards to your account, including prepaid, debit, and credit cards. In this situation, try removing at least one or two cards and link PayPal prepaid card, debit, or credit card to your account.  

Card is Linked to Multiple PayPal Accounts

You can only link a card to one PayPal account at once. If your card is already added to another account, remove it and try connecting it to the new account again. 

Wrap Up

To use your PayPal prepaid Mastercard, you must register or link it to your PayPal account. For that, visit the PayPal Prepaid page, click Activate Your Card, enter the required information, and hit Register Now to complete the process. You may also have to confirm your card from the Wallet tab. 

You can also update your credit or debit added to your PayPal account. However, if your card isn’t eligible for automatic updates, PayPal will do it on your behalf. If you encounter any errors during the process, follow some of our solutions to resolve them.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Jirapong Manustrong/Shutterstock.com.