How Do I Unfreeze My Venmo Account?

In a nutshell: Venmo accounts are frozen due to failed payments or violations of the User Agreement. Users receive an email explaining the reason for the freeze. For failed payments, log into the Venmo app to resolve the issue, with options for full or partial payment. Account freezes due

Nov 20, 2025

Introduction

Venmo accounts are primarily frozen for two reasons: failed payment or account activity that goes against Venmo's User Agreement. You should have received an email when your account was frozen that describes why it happened. The steps you need to take to unfreeze your account will depend on the reason it was frozen. Keep reading for a step-by-step breakdown on what you need to do to unfreeze your Venmo account now.

1. Failed Payment Temporary Account Suspension: Check Your Email to See More Details About Your Account Freeze

When Venmo freezes an account, they send an email to alert the user why they took this action. Check your email to confirm that your account has been frozen due to insufficient funds, which triggered a failed payment.

An account freeze due to payment issues is just a temporary freeze and can be undone.

1. Failed Payment Temporary Account Suspension: Go to the Venmo App and Login To Your Account

Log in with your email, phone number, or username, and password combination.

2. Failed Payment Temporary Account Suspension: Follow the In-App Prompts to Fix Your Payment and Unfreeze Your Account

When you log into the app, you'll immediately be prompted to fix your failed payment. You won't be able to take any other actions in the app until you follow these steps.

Using a debit card to process the recovery payment is the fastest way to unfreeze your account. If you process your recovery payment with a bank account, it can take up to five business days to process the transaction.

If you cannot fund the entire failed payment right now, you can make a partial payment. To make a partial payment, tap the payment amount and edit it to relect the amount you want to pay, then press "Pay."  

Your account will stay frozen until the recovery payment is fully funded.

If you receive any payments to your Venmo account while it's frozen, those funds will be automatically applied to your outstanding balance.

Venmo will send you a confirmation when your account is successfully unfrozen.

1. User Agreement Suspension: Check Your Email

Venmo always sends its users an email that explains why their account has been suspended. Check your email to confirm that your account has been frozen due to user agreement violations. Usually, the email will state that your account was frozen due to "recent activity that triggered some security alerts."

2. User Agreement Suspension: Contact Venmo Support

You cannot fix an account freeze that's related to a User Agreement issue. Instead, you'll need to contact Vemo's customer support team for help. Venmo's customer support team is available Mon-Fri 10am-6pm EST. You can find contact information for the support team here, as well as answers to common questions related to support.

3. User Agreement Suspension: Follow Instructions Provided By Venmo Support

The customer service representative will be able to tell you what steps you need to take to unfreeze your account, as well as provide more details as to why exactly your account was flagged.

If your account was frozen due to illegal activities, you may not be able to unfreeze your account and it may result in a permanent suspension.

Conclusion

If you run into any issues fixing your Vemo account freeze, your best course of action is to contact Venmo customer support for further help.

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Adam has been tirelessly trying to help customers find the best tips and tricks to get through phone trees and writing many guides for prickly customer service problems. He's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Inside Edition and Bloomberg.

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