Why set a cash withdrawal limit at all
A cash withdrawal limit is the maximum amount you can take out of an ATM (a cash machine) with your card in one day. You decide what that limit is, and you can change it any time in your bank's app - the small program on your phone with your bank's logo.
Why bother? If your phone or card is ever stolen, a lower limit means whoever has it cannot pull out a large sum from your account right away. It is a simple, free way to protect yourself.
Don't worry: changing the limit is easy, and you cannot "break" your account by tapping the wrong thing. If something looks off, you can always set the old amount back.
Cash withdrawal limit vs. card payment limit - these are different settings
Your bank's app usually has two separate settings that are easy to mix up:
- ATM cash withdrawal limit - how much cash you can take out at an ATM in one day.
- Card payment limit - how much you can spend with your card in shops and apps in one day, without taking out cash.
If you only change the payment limit, your ATM withdrawal limit stays exactly as it was - and the other way around. Before you go any further, make sure you're in the section called "Cash withdrawal" or "ATM," not "Payments."
Step by step: how to set your cash withdrawal limit
- Open your bank's app on your phone by tapping its icon.
- Log in the way you normally do - fingerprint, face, or a passcode.
- On the home screen, find the picture of your card.
- Tap the card image once to open its settings.
- Look for "Limits" in the card menu - often next to a small lock or slider icon.
- Tap "Limits" to open the list of available limits.
- Find the line labeled "ATM cash withdrawal" - make sure it isn't "Card payments" (see the section above).
- Tap that line to open the amount settings.
- Type in the new daily limit amount using numbers.
- Tap the "Save" or "Confirm" button at the bottom of the screen.
- The app may ask you to confirm the change with a one-time code - a few digits sent to you by text message or as a push notification (a pop-up message inside the app itself). Type that code into the box provided.
- Wait for a message on the screen such as "Limit updated" or "Done."
About the confirmation code: this one-time code is for you alone. Never read it out loud over the phone - even if the caller says they work for your bank. A real bank never asks you to say this code out loud. If someone calls asking for it, that is a scam. Hang up, and if you need to check anything, call your bank back yourself using the number on the back of your card.
How to check the new limit actually took effect
- Close the "Limits" screen by tapping the arrow or X at the top.
- Open your card settings again the same way you did before.
- Go to "Limits" once more.
- Check that the "ATM cash withdrawal" line now shows the exact amount you just entered.
If the number is correct, everything worked. If you still see the old amount, wait a couple of minutes and check again - sometimes the change takes a moment to apply.
When to raise your limit temporarily - and how
Sometimes your daily limit isn't enough - for example, before traveling abroad, for a wedding, or for a large purchase that needs more cash than usual in one day. In that case, you can raise your limit for a short time and then lower it again afterward.
- Go to the same "Limits" section as before.
- Enter a temporarily higher cash withdrawal amount, the same way as in the steps above.
- Confirm the change with a one-time code if the app asks for one.
- After your trip or purchase, go back to this section and set your usual lower amount again - this keeps your account better protected day to day.
Tip: raise your limit a day or two before you travel, not at the last minute at the airport - that way you have time to confirm the change really took effect.
What to do if something goes wrong
If your screen looks different from what's described here, don't worry. Different banks arrange their buttons a little differently. Go slowly, and look for similar words: "Limits," "Card," "Card settings."
- If the app shows an error when saving - try closing the app and opening it again, then repeat the steps.
- If the one-time code never arrives - check that your phone has signal, and wait a minute or two before asking for a new one.
- If you set a new limit and then notice money missing from your account that you didn't spend, that is not related to changing your limit. Call your bank right away using the number on the back of your card and report the suspicious transaction.
- Never share your one-time confirmation code with anyone - not on the phone, not by text, not in a chat app. Your bank never asks for it.
If you can't work it out on your own, contact your bank's customer support - the number is usually on the back of your card or in the app's "Help" section.
Quick recap
If you're still choosing which bank to open an account with before setting up limits like this, you can browse a ranking of the best personal accounts.