How to Change Your Payment Card PIN in the Bank App
Lost the piece of paper where your PIN was written down? Or maybe you would simply like to set a number that is easier for you to remember? Good news — you do not need to go to a bank branch or call the helpline for this. You can change your payment card PIN yourself, in the bank app, in just a few minutes. This guide will take you through this task step by step. Do not worry — you cannot break anything by tapping the wrong button. If you make a mistake, you simply start again.
What is a PIN, and why does it matter so much?
A PIN is short for "Personal Identification Number". It is usually four digits that you type into a cash machine or a payment terminal in a shop, to confirm that it really is you paying with your card. A PIN works a bit like a key to your home — nobody except you should know it.
Never write your PIN on a piece of paper kept together with your card in your wallet. Also never tell it to anyone — not in a shop, not on the phone, and not to someone who claims to be calling "from the bank". No real bank employee will ever ask you for your PIN — not by phone, not by text message, not by email. If someone asks for it, they are almost always a scammer. In that situation, simply hang up the phone.
Before you start
To change your PIN you will need two things: your phone with the bank app on it, and the payment card whose PIN you want to change. Keep the card nearby — sometimes the app will ask you to type in the last few digits of the card number, to make sure you are choosing the right card.
Step by step — how to change your card PIN in the app
- Unlock your phone the way you usually do.
- Find your bank app icon on the screen.
- Tap that icon once with your finger to open the app.
- Log in to the app as you always do — with your fingerprint, your face, or your password.
- On the main screen, find the word "Cards" — this is usually one of the icons at the bottom of the screen, or an item in a side menu.
- Tap "Cards" to see the list of your payment cards.
- Tap the card whose PIN you want to change — it should show your bank's name and the last few digits of the card number.
- Find the words "Change PIN" or "Set PIN" on the card's screen.
- If you do not see these words straight away, tap the three-dot icon or the padlock icon in the corner of the screen, to open a list of extra options.
- Tap "Change PIN".
- If the app asks you to confirm your identity, for example by placing your finger on the reader again, do this now.
- Type the new PIN you want to set — usually four digits.
- Type the same new PIN again, to confirm it.
- Tap the blue or green "Confirm" or "Save" button.
- Wait for a message such as "Your PIN has been changed".
All done. From now on, you use your new PIN at the cash machine and at payment terminals in shops.
How to choose a good new PIN
- Do not choose your birth year or four identical digits, such as 1111 — these are the numbers a scammer will guess first.
- Do not choose a number you already use somewhere else, for example as a door entry code.
- Choose a number that is easy for you to remember, without writing it down on paper.
What to do if something goes wrong
If the screen on your phone looks different from this description, do not worry. Different banks' apps look different from one another, and the words can be in slightly different places. Calmly look around for similar words: "Cards", "Change PIN", "Set PIN".
If you make a mistake while typing your new PIN, simply close that screen and try again from the beginning — nothing bad will happen.
If your card stops working at the cash machine after you change your PIN, do not try typing different numbers at random — after a few wrong attempts, the cash machine may keep your card for safety. Instead, call your bank on the helpline number printed on the back of your card.
Remember: if someone calls you and asks you to tell them your PIN "for verification" or "to reverse a suspicious transaction", this is a scam. A real bank will never ask you for this. Hang up the phone. If you want to make sure, call your bank back yourself, using the number printed on the back of your card.
Summary — remember these steps
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