4 Ways to Activate Your Chase Bank Debit Card (ATM, App…)

Chase Bank is one of the biggest banks in America, having a network of close to 10,000 ATMs and almost 5,000 physical branches. They also have a partnership with VISA, giving their customers access to a Visa Debit Card that can be used just about anywhere debit cards are accepted.

But once you finally get your debit card from Chase Bank, how do you activate it?

As a former banker, I know of the four ways to activate your Chase Bank Debit Card:

1. Enter your PIN at a Chase ATM
2. Call the number on the back of your card
3. Through the Chase Bank Mobile App
4. Through Chase.com/activate

1. How to Activate Your Chase Bank Debit Card at an ATM

Activating your Chase Bank Debit Card at an ATM is one of the easiest ways to do it. Well technically, they’re all easy but this one too! 

To activate your card through this method, all you have to do is:

1. Find a Chase Bank ATM (again, there’s almost 10,000 of them across America)
2. Enter your PIN you created when you opened the account

As soon as you enter your PIN, you’re all set.

Your debit card is now active and can be used for purchases.

You’re at the ATM as well, so your debit card can be used there to deposit funds into your account or withdraw them as cash.

After you enter your PIN into an ATM for the first time, your card will be fully activated.

2. How to Activate Your Chase Bank Debit Card by Calling the Phone Number on the Back of Your Card

Yet another easy way to get your debit card up and running, calling the number on the back of your debit card takes just minutes. Each debit card has a different number depending on the type of debit card it is. 

I have the Darth Vader Disney Debit Card, so my number is tailored to the fact that I have a Disney Card. The Disney Debit Cards come with a variety of benefits related to Disney, like discounts at their theme parks and on food while there. I don’t go to Disneyland very often — I just love Darth Vader!

For my fellow Disney lovers, the number on the back of all Chase Bank Disney Debit Cards is:

• 1-877-388-5726 for domestic
• 1-405-272-9935 for international callers

That number can be used for a variety of things, starting with the activation of your card!

The first time you call the number, they’ll want you to:

• Enter your entire 16 digit credit card number (the number found on the front of the card)
• After you’ve successfully entered your card number, you’ll be asked to enter your four digit PIN as well
• Once you’ve entered the PIN, your card will be fully activated

The phone number can also be used to look into the benefits of having a Disney Debit Card.

If you’re curious to see what these benefits are, but don’t want to call the hotline, the back of the card also has a web address for you to visit: DisneyDebit.com. 

For Chase Bank account holders that have a normal Chase Debit Card, your phone number is:

• 1-800-290-3935

For international activation, the number is the same as above.

3. How to Activate Your Debit Card Through The Chase Bank Mobile App

Now I know I said they’re easy, but this is definitely the easiest way to activate your debit card.

Once you’ve opened your account and received your debit card in the mail, open the Chase Bank Mobile App. Login with the same username and password you made with your banker or you made on your own. 

Once you’re logged in:

1. Click on the checking account connected to your debit card (It should be the first one you see)
2. Once you’ve clicked on it, you’ll see your balance.
3. Scroll beneath that and you’ll see a menu with options related to your debit card.
4. Hit “show more” and your app will give you even more things to do with your debit card.
5. From there, you’ll see a bright and shiny (not really) “activate your card” button.
6. Click on it, and the app will ask if the card is currently in your possession.
7. Hit “yes” and it should be activated for use!

All done without an ATM or having to make a call!

4. How to Activate Your Chase Bank Debit Card Online

This method is fairly similar to the last, with the only real difference coming from the fact that you’re using the website and not the app.

If you have a computer, or a tablet and prefer the website, head to Chase.com/activate.

The website will ask you to enter your normal login information, the same username and password you always use, and run through the same process as the app.

The website will want to confirm the card is in your possession. If you have multiple cards or accounts, it will also verify that it’s activating the right card. 

Again, this method is short and sweet so once you click activate you’re all set!

Can You Deactivate Your Chase Bank Debit Card?

There are many reasons why you may want to turn your debit card off.

Some customers experience fraud, other customers lose their card and want to make sure it isn’t stolen.

Being able to turn your debit card on and off is important to many card holders, and Chase offers a couple of different ways to do it:

Lock Your Debit Card on the Chase Bank Mobile App

You can easily lock and unlock your debit card from the Chase Bank Mobile App.

Right above where you activate your debit card you’ll see a button asking you if you’d like to lock your card. If you click on it, Chase will ask you why you’re locking your card.

This is important as each option has a different implication. If you think you’ve simply misplaced your card, no harm no foul.

Chase will allow you to lock your card for as long as you like while you look for it.

If you think it might have been stolen, or there’s fraud on the card, Chase will recommend closing the card instead of locking it. They’ll then want to know if you have any fraudulent transactions on your account and work to reverse them.

They will also issue you a brand new debit card with new numbers, hopefully stopping the fraud in its tracks. 

Lock Your Debit Card by Calling Chase

Calling Chase Bank is another way of freezing your debit card.

You can either do so by:

• Calling 1-800-935-9935
• Calling your local branch

They will also want to know why you’re freezing your debit card. If there’s fraud, your local bankers will want to stop it just as quickly as the call center. 

Conclusion

There are four different ways to activate your Chase Bank Debit Card.

Each is easy and a one-time activation, meaning after you activate your card once it will be ready to use forever. Unless you turn it off, which can also be done using the same methods you used to activate your card in the first place.

You can activate your card at the ATM, through the phone number on the back of your card, through the mobile app, or through Chase.com. Use whichever method you prefer.

In the same area on the mobile app you go to to activate your card, you’ll see a bunch of other capabilities your card has. You can freeze it like I mentioned earlier, or even set a travel alert for when you’re heading out of town.