How to Revoke Token Approvals (and Why You Should)

Goal: Find every app that still has permission to move your tokens, and cancel the ones you don’t need.
Who it’s for: Anyone who has used a DeFi app, NFT marketplace or airdrop site with MetaMask or a similar wallet.
Time required: ~10 minutes, plus a few cents to a few dollars in gas fees.

1 • Why This Matters — The Problem in 60 Seconds

Every time you swap on a DEX or list an NFT, the app asks you to “approve” your tokens. That approval is a permission slip: it lets the app’s smart contract move your tokens for you.

The catch? Many approvals are unlimited, and they never expire. It’s like giving a valet your spare house key and never asking for it back. If that app gets hacked, or if you approved a scam site by mistake, the permission can be used to empty your wallet.

Revoking approvals takes the key back. It’s one of the easiest safety habits in crypto, and most beginners have never heard of it.

2 • Pick Your Tool (1 Minute)

This guide covers Ethereum and similar networks (Base, Arbitrum, Polygon, BNB Chain). Solana works differently, so check your Solana wallet’s own security settings.

Type the URL yourself. Fake “revoke” sites are a favorite scam. They trick you into signing a new approval instead of cancelling one.

If a “revoke” link came from a DM, an email or a comment, it’s a trap.

3 • Check Your Approvals (3 Minutes)

1. Open revoke.cash (typed, not clicked).
2. Paste your wallet address into the search bar. You don’t need to connect your wallet just to look.
3. Choose the network at the top (start with Ethereum, then check others you’ve used).
4. Review the list. Each row shows the token, the app (spender) that can move it, and the amount it’s allowed.

Red flags to revoke first:

• Any approval marked Unlimited for an app you no longer use
• Apps you don’t recognize at all
• NFT approvals (“Approval for all”) on marketplaces you’ve stopped using
• Anything you approved on an airdrop, mint or “claim” site

4 • Revoke (5 Minutes)

1. Click Connect Wallet and connect the wallet you just checked.
2. Next to an approval, click Revoke.
3. Your wallet opens a transaction. Check it says revoke or approve 0. Nothing else!
4. Confirm and pay the small gas fee.
5. Repeat for each approval you want to remove. Refresh to check the list is shorter.

NEVER: sign a message you don’t understand on a revoke site. Revoking is always an on-chain transaction that you pay gas for. A pop-up asking for a “signature” to revoke is a scam.

Common Rookie Mistakes

Clicking a “revoke” link from a DM or a reply on X
Revoking on the wrong network and thinking you’re safe
Keeping all your savings in the same wallet you use for new, untested apps

5 • Make It a Habit

• Once a month: check your approvals, and revoke anything you don’t use.
• After every airdrop or mint: revoke that site’s approval straight away.
• Use a “burner” wallet: keep a separate wallet with a small balance for trying new apps. Keep your savings in a wallet that never connects to anything new.

6 • What’s Next?

1. Learn How Wallet Drainers Work
2. Set Up a Hardware Wallet
3. Spot the Scam: 10 Red Flags

7 • FAQ

Q: Does revoking cost money?
A: Yes, a small gas fee, because it changes data on the blockchain. On networks like Base or Polygon it usually costs cents.

Q: Will revoking break the app?
A: No. Next time you use it, the app will simply ask for approval again. Choose a limited amount instead of unlimited if the app lets you.

Q: My wallet was already drained. Will revoking help?
A: It stops further losses from that approval, so do it right away. If your seed phrase was exposed, revoking isn’t enough: move what’s left to a brand-new wallet.

Need Help?

Stuck on a step or want to go further? Join the Web3forDummies Telegram channel for new guides, the Weird Word of the Week and beginner tips, or email [email protected].

Last updated: 27 September 2026