How to Change Your Bank Card PIN in the App
Your bank card has a PIN – a secret, usually four-digit number you enter when paying in a shop or using a cash machine. If you want to change this number, you no longer need to visit a bank branch to do it. Most banks now let you do this directly in the app – a small program on your smartphone that lets you handle your banking.
This guide shows you every single step. You do not need to worry about doing anything wrong. You cannot break anything by tapping the wrong button – you can always go back and try again.
Step by step: changing your PIN in the app
- Open your bank's app on your smartphone. The icon for it is usually on your home screen – it often shows your bank's logo.
- Log in to the app the way you normally do – for example with your fingerprint, your face, or a password.
- Look for the section of the app for your cards. It is often called "Cards" or "Card management", and you can usually reach it through a menu icon with three horizontal lines or a card icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the card whose PIN you want to change. Usually a picture of the card is shown, often with the last four digits of the card number.
- On the card's page, look for the option "Change PIN" or "View/change PIN". Tap it.
- Confirm that it is really you. This is usually done with your fingerprint, your face, or a short code the app sends you. This code is called a TAN – a number that is valid only once and only for this one action.
- Enter your new PIN. Choose four digits you can remember easily, but that nobody else could easily guess – avoid using your birth year, for example.
- Enter the same new PIN a second time to confirm it. This is a simple safety check, to make sure you did not make a typing mistake.
- Tap "Confirm" or "Save" to complete the change.
- Wait for the confirmation message in the app. It usually says something like "PIN changed successfully".
Your new PIN takes effect immediately – both at cash machines and when paying in shops.
An important safety note
Your bank will never call you and ask you to say your PIN over the phone, or to enter it into a text message or app that someone else sent you. A call that starts with something like: "This is your bank, we need to unlock your card because of a security problem, please tell us your PIN" is always a scam. Hang up immediately if this happens. Afterwards, if you are unsure, call your bank using the phone number printed on the back of your card – never a number the caller gave you.
What to do if something goes wrong
Stay calm – most problems are easy to fix.
- The new PIN is not accepted: Some banks do not allow certain combinations, such as "0000" or "1234". Try a different number.
- The app asks for a TAN confirmation, but you have not received one: Check that your smartphone has a good internet connection, and wait a minute. If you still do not receive a TAN, start the process again.
- The card first needs to be activated online: Some banks show an extra step in the app for this, usually called "Activate card". Simply follow the instructions on the screen.
- The "Change PIN" option is not visible: Not every bank offers this feature in its app. In that case, you can still change your PIN the traditional way, at a cash machine, usually through a "Change PIN" menu option there.
- You are unsure about a step: Do not simply put the app away and guess. Call your bank's customer service line – you will find the number on your card or in the app under "Help" or "Contact".
If you do not yet have an account with a bank that offers an app like this, you can take your time to look through different personal accounts and compare which one suits you best.