If you sent a payment or made a purchase that is pending or unclaimed, that means the recipient hasn’t accepted it yet. If the payment is completed, you won’t be able to cancel it. You’ll need to contact the recipient (or seller) and request a refund.

Only payments that are sent to unregistered or unconfirmed email addresses and mobile numbers may be canceled. These payments will have a status of “Unclaimed” and will show in the “Pending” section of your PayPal account.

Here's how to cancel a pending payment:

1. On the Activity page locate the pending payment.
2. Click Cancel under the pending payment.
3. Click Cancel Payment.

Note:

• You can only cancel an unclaimed payment that has a "Cancel" link next to it.
• A pending payment is automatically canceled if the recipient doesn’t claim or accept it within 30 days.
• If you paid with a debit or credit card and the payment is canceled, the money will be refunded to that card. It may take up to 30 days for the refund to appear on your card statement.
• If you paid with your bank account and the payment is canceled, that money will be refunded to your PayPal account. It may take up to 3-5 business days for the refund to appear on your PayPal account.

If you want to request a refund for a completed payment, here’s how to find the recipient’s (or seller's) contact information:

1. On the Activity page click the payment you would like refunded.
2. Once you locate the recipient's email address, send them a message and request a refund.

If the recipient doesn’t agree to refund your money, you may be able to open a dispute in the Resolution Center, where you'll be able to communicate directly with the recipient/seller and try to resolve any issues.