# Changing an Account Type > Explore the process of changing account types in YNAB noting the implications on your plan when changing between certain types Follow our platformspecific in Source: https://support.ynab.com/en_us/changing-an-account-type-a-guide-HJRnSXWko Last updated: 2026-07-28T20:25:14.392Z Explore the process of changing account types in YNAB, noting the implications on your plan when changing between certain types. Follow our platform-specific instructions to create a new account of the desired type, transfer transaction history from the old account, then delete and replace the old account, relinking the new account if necessary. We have one set of steps for most account types. If you're changing a tracking account to a loan account, the process is slightly different, but we'll cover that, too! #### In This Article [What to Keep in Mind](#mind) [Changing an Account Type](#process) [Loan Account Scenarios](#landing-loan) * * * ## What to Keep in Mind While it’s not possible to change the type of an account once it’s already been created, you can **replace** it with a new account in the desired type. For more on the account types and how to decide which option is best for your scenario, check out: [Account Types (Cash, Credit, Loan, and Tracking): An Overview](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/account-types-an-overview-BkmGM0qCq).  Here are some of the things to be aware of before you make changes: * Any time you’re making changes that involve [Cash or Credit accounts](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/account-types-an-overview-BkmGM0qCq), we recommend [making a Plan Reset or Fresh Start](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/plan-resets-and-fresh-starts-HkXYR_c0q) instead. This will save your current plan and all its history, but will give you a clean slate with a shiny new plan, making it easier to make changes without causing problems in the plan. * If credit card accounts are involved, these can impact your plan because of the way money moves between categories. You may need to [move money](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/moving-money-in-your-plan-a-guide-ryyCKbBJi) in your plan afterwards.  #### If you’re moving from a Cash account to a tracking account: * Changing your account will remove money from your plan. This may appear as a lower or negative Ready to Assign. Review your plan and move money to where it's needed. * The account will no longer have a category field, so you will lose that information. #### If you’re moving from a tracking account to a Cash account: * Money will be added to your plan. * You’ll need to categorize all transactions. **If you're using the web app**, you'll have access to the _Undo_ button in case anything doesn’t go as planned (as long as you haven't logged out or refreshed your plan!). [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Changing an Account Type \*Are you wanting to [change to or from a loan account](#landing-loan)? You'll want to follow that link instead for those scenarios! To change most account types, you'll want to follow these three steps. ### Step One: Create the New Account ### iOS 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Tap _Add Account._ 3. Tap _Add an Unlinked Account._ 4. Choose the desired account type. 5. Give it a nickname (it will need to be slightly different than the original account name).  6. Enter $0 for the balance.  ### Android 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Tap _Add Account._ 3. Tap _Add an Unlinked Account._ 4. Choose the desired account type. 5. Give it a nickname (it will need to be slightly different than the original account name).  6. Enter $0 for the balance.  ### Web 1. From the **web app**, click _Add Account_ in the left sidebar. 2. Tap _Add an Unlinked Account._ 3. Choose the desired account type. 4. Give it a nickname (it will need to be slightly different than the original account name). 5. Enter $0 for the balance. ### Step Two: Move the Transactions From the Old Account to the New Account Skip this step if either account is a [tracking account](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/account-types-an-overview-BkmGM0qCq#track). Moving transactions between tracking accounts and cash/credit accounts will affect your plan starting from the earliest moved transaction. ### iOS 1. From the **mobile app**, tap the old account. 2. Tap _Select_ at the top of the screen to display circles to the left of each transaction.  3. Select all transactions by tapping each circle. 4. Tap the _More_ button (three dot icon) at the bottom of your screen. 5. Tap _Move._  6. Choose the new account you've just created from the list.  #### This is easier from the web app! In the web app, you have the option to **bulk-select transactions all at once**. Log in to your YNAB account on a computer if you run into any difficulty! ### Android 1. From the **mobile app**, tap the old account. 2. Long press on any transaction to display checkboxes to the left of each transaction.  3. Select all transactions by tapping each checkbox. 4. Tap the three dots icon at the bottom of your screen.  5. Tap _Move._  6. Choose the new account you've just created from the list.  #### This is easier from the web app! In the web app, you have the option to **bulk-select transactions all at once**. Log in to your YNAB account on a computer if you run into any difficulty! ### Web 1. In the **web app**, go to the original account. 2. Bulk-select all the transactions in the account by clicking on the checkbox at the top left of the register, above your first transaction. 3. Click More in the action bar. 4. Select _Move to_ > \[New Account Name\]. ### Step Three: Delete and Replace the Old Account, Relinking the New Account If Necessary ### iOS 1. From the **mobile app**, in the original account register, tap the three dots icon at the top of the screen.  2. Select _Edit Account._  3. Tap _Delete Account_ at the bottom.  4. A pop-up window will ask if you're sure, and you can confirm by tapping _Delete._  5. Now, from within the \*new\* account register, you can change the name of the new account, or [link the account](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/linked-accounts-B1991f2Cc#existing) if needed. ### Android 1. From the **mobile app**, in the original account register, tap the vertical three dots icon at the top of the screen.  2. Select _Edit Account._  3. Tap _Close Account_ at the bottom. 4. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 5. Tap _Closed Accounts_. 6. Tap the account you just closed. 7. Tap the vertical three dots icon in the top right corner. 8. Tap _Edit Account_. 9. Tap _Delete Account_.  10. Now, from within the \*new\* account register, you can change the name of the new account, or [link the account](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/linked-accounts-B1991f2Cc#existing) if needed. ### Web 1. In the **web app**, hover your mouse pointer over the name of the **old** account in the left sidebar. 2. Click the edit (pencil) icon that appears. 3. If you have text in the Account Notes field that you'd like to include in the new account, copy that now. 4. Click _Delete Account._ 5. Hover your mouse pointer over the name of the **new** account in the left sidebar. 6. Click the edit (pencil) icon that appears. 7. Now you can change the name of the new account, paste your Account Notes back in, or [link the account](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/linked-accounts-B1991f2Cc#existing) if needed. [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Loan Account Scenarios Loan accounts behave a bit differently, so we have specific instructions for the scenarios you may run into when changing to or from this account type. **Choose Your Loan Account Scenario** [Changing Tracking Accounts to Loan Accounts](#loan) [Changing Other Account Types to a Loan Account](#to-loan) [Changing a Loan Account to Another Account Type](#from-loan) ### Changing Tracking Accounts to Loan Accounts If you’ve been using tracking accounts to track your debt, you can change those accounts to new loan accounts **on the web app on a computer**!  **Note:** You will not be able to migrate an existing liability account to an **existing** loan account—only to a **new** loan account. #### **What's Different? Why Would I Change?** * With the loan account feature, you can add the interest rate and required monthly payment of your loan. This information, along with your loan balance, will let you evaluate, set, and stick to your payoff goal by calculating your ideal payment. * We've also updated the look and feel of loan accounts, putting debt pay-down planning in the forefront. Experiment with increasing your monthly payment to learn how much interest you will save and how much sooner you'll pay off the loan completely. * You can also add your desired payoff date and learn how changing the payoff date will affect your monthly payment and the total interest you'll save over the life of the loan! #### **What to Expect After Updating** When you update a liability tracking account to a new loan account, YNAB will:  * Close your current liability tracking account and adjust its balance to zero. * Add “Original” to the nickname of the tracking account. * Cancel all Scheduled Transactions tied to the tracking account. * Remove the target from the payment category for the loan. * If applicable, it will also unlink any Direct Import connection the tracking account has. #### **(Web Only) How to Update Your Existing Tracking Account to a New Loan Account** 1. First, [reconcile](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/reconciling-accounts-a-guide-BJFE3fHys) the tracking account. This will ensure that the new loan account's balance will be accurate! 2. After you've reconciled, click _Learn More_. You can find this button in two places: 1. On the blue banner across the top of your tracking account register.  2. If a _Learn More_ button **isn't available** at the top of the register, hover over the account name in the left sidebar and click the pencil iconwhen it appears. In the window that pops up, you’ll find a section called **Update to a Loan Account**. Click _Learn More_ under that header. 3. Click _Get Started_. 4. Follow the prompts to enter the details of your loan, including: The account type, balance, interest rate, and monthly amount you're required to pay by your lender. These details will help YNAB project your interest saved and payoff timeline. \*If you have a mortgage account, you'll also be asked if your monthly payment includes escrow or fees.  5. **Re-create your Scheduled Transactions:** If you were using Scheduled Transactions for your payments to the tracking account, you'll need to re-create those for payments to the new loan account. You'll choose the new loan account as the [transfer payee](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/transfer-transactions-a-guide-HJOsZz4Jj). 6. **Create a new debt payment target:** If you were using a target to help you assign money to your loan payment category with the tracking account, you'll want to create a **new** [debt payment target](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/targets-for-categories-paired-with-accounts-an-overview-BJJI8rdC5#debt) for that category after the updating process is complete! We recommend using our update tool because it will allow you to review the balance history from the original tracking account in the new loan account. Alternatively, you may decide to close your existing liability account whenever you'd like and set up a completely new loan account by clicking _Add Account_ and following the prompts.  Enjoy your new loan account! [Back to Loan Scenarios](#landing-loan) * * * ### Changing Other Account Types to a Loan Account While it's not yet possible to change the account type for an existing account, you can create a **new** loan account and close the current account you'd like to switch from. ### iOS #### First, **create the new loan account**: 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Tap _Add Account_. 3. Follow the prompted steps to create a new loan account. Want more detail? Here are [step-by-step instructions for adding a loan account](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/loan-accounts-in-ynab-a-guide-HkNSkPHJi#addaccount). 4. When YNAB asks for the loan's current balance, enter the balance of the current account type (checking, savings, credit card) account that you're wanting to switch over. #### After you've created the new loan account, you can **close the existing account you're wanting to switch over:** 1. [Reconcile](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/reconciling-accounts-a-guide-BJFE3fHys) the account, entering an adjustment to change the account's balance to $0.00. 2. From within the account register, tap the three dots icon button at the top of the screen. 3. Tap _Edit Account_. 4. Tap _Close Account_. 5. If you're switching from a **credit card account** to a loan account, you'll also want to hide the Credit Card Payment category associated with the card account you just closed: 1. Tap the _Plan_ tab. 2. Enter Edit Plan by tapping the pencil iconat the top of the screen. 3. Tap the category.  4. Tap _Hide_. You may need to scroll down. 5. Tap _Hide Category_ again to confirm. ### Android #### First, **create the new loan account**: 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Tap _Add Account_. 3. Follow the prompted steps to create a new loan account. Want more detail? Here are [step-by-step instructions for adding a loan account](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/loan-accounts-in-ynab-a-guide-HkNSkPHJi#addaccount). 4. When YNAB asks for the loan's current balance, enter the balance of the current account type (checking, savings, credit card) account that you're wanting to switch over. #### After you've created the new loan account, you can **close the existing account you're wanting to switch over:** 1. [Reconcile](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/reconciling-accounts-a-guide-BJFE3fHys) the account, entering an adjustment to change the account's balance to $0.00. 2. Tap the three dots icon button in the top corner. 3. Tap _Close Account_. 4. If you're switching from a **credit card account** to a loan account, you'll also want to hide the Credit Card Payment category associated with the card account you just closed: 1. Tap the _Plan_ tab. 2. Enter Edit Plan by tapping the pencil iconat the top of the screen. 3. Tap the category.  4. Tap _Hide_. You may need to scroll down. 5. Tap _Hide_ again to confirm. ### Web #### First, **create the new loan account**: 1. In the **web app**, click _Add Account_ in the left sidebar. 2. Follow the prompted steps to create a new loan account. Want more detail? Here are [step-by-step instructions for adding a loan account](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/loan-accounts-in-ynab-a-guide-HkNSkPHJi#addaccount). 3. When YNAB asks for the loan's current balance, enter the balance of the current account type (checking, savings, credit card) that you're wanting to switch over. #### After you've created the new loan account, you can **close the existing account that you're wanting to switch over:** 1. [Reconcile](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/reconciling-accounts-a-guide-BJFE3fHys) the account, entering an adjustment to change the account's balance to $0.00. 2. Hover your mouse pointer over the name of the account in the left sidebar.  3. Click the pencil icon when it appears to the left of the account name. 4. Click _Close Account_. 5. If you're switching from a **credit card account** to a loan account, you'll also want to hide the Credit Card Payment category associated with the card account you just closed: 1. Click the _;Plan_ tab in the left sidebar. 2. Right-click on the name of the Credit Card Payment category for the account you just closed. 3. Click _Hide_. [Back to the Loan Scenarios](#landing-loan) * * * ### Changing a Loan Account to Another Account Type It's not yet possible to change the account type for an existing account, but you can create your **new** desired account type and then close the existing loan account. ### iOS #### First, **create the new desired account type**: 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Tap _Add Account_ and follow the prompted steps to create a new account (with the type of your choosing). 3. When YNAB asks for the new account's current balance, enter the balance of the existing loan account. #### After you've created the new account, you can **close the loan account**: 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Select the loan account you're wanting to close.  3. From within the loan account, tap the pencil icon at the top of the screen. 4. Tap _Close Account_. (You may need to scroll down). 5. Follow any additional prompts. ### Android #### First, **create the new desired account type**: 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Tap _Add Account_ and follow the prompted steps to create a new account (with the type of your choosing). 3. When YNAB asks for the new account's current balance, enter the balance of the existing loan account. #### After you've created the new account, you can **close the loan account**: 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Select the loan account you're wanting to close. 3. From within the loan account, tap the three dots icon at the top of the screen. 4. Tap _Close Account_. (You may need to scroll down). 5. Follow any additional prompts. ### Web #### First, **create the new desired account type**: 1. From the **web app**, click _Add Account_ and follow the prompted steps to create a new account in the type you'd like. 2. When YNAB asks for the new account's current balance, enter the balance of the existing loan account. #### After you've created the new account, you can **close the loan account**: 1. Hover your mouse pointer over the name of the account in the left sidebar.  2. Click the pencil icon when it appears to the left of the account name.  3. Click _Close Account_. [Back to Loan Scenarios](#landing-loan) * * * ## Help Us Help You! Our Knowledge Base team reviews article feedback responses weekly, and we actively revise these articles to make them as helpful as possible. That's where you come in! Our articles are scored based on the _Yes_ or _No_ ratings received below. We also collect freeform feedback for any _No_ ratings (so our team can focus in on what you were specifically searching for!). **Success**: Found what you were searching for? It would be super helpful if you click _Yes_ below. **Suggestions**: Didn't find what you're searching for and you'd like to share what terms or topics you wanted? Click _No_ below. 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