> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openwhispr.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# A payment failed

> What happens when a card is declined, what you keep in the meantime, and how to fix it.

Nothing dramatic happens. Your account stays exactly where it is — we move you
to the Free plan's allowance until the payment goes through, and everything
comes back the moment it does.

The app tells you with a banner reading **"We couldn't process your payment"**,
and the button under it takes you where you need to go.

## Fixing it

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Plans & Billing">
    In **Settings**, choose **Plans & Billing** under **Account**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Update Payment Method">
    While a payment is outstanding, the button in the **Plan** section reads
    **Update Payment Method** rather than Manage Billing.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a working card at Stripe">
    That opens your billing page at Stripe. Add or update the card there.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Stripe retries the outstanding payment automatically once there's a card that
works. You don't need to do anything else, and you don't need to resubscribe.

## What you keep in the meantime

* **Local dictation and your own API keys** — unlimited, exactly as before.
  These never depended on the payment.
* **OpenWhispr Cloud** — the Free allowance of 2,000 words per rolling 7 days.
* **All your notes and transcriptions** — untouched. Nothing is deleted over a
  failed payment.

## Why cards get declined

The common ones, in roughly the order we see them:

* The card expired.
* The bank blocked it as an unexpected international or online charge — a
  surprising share of these, and usually fixed by approving it in your banking
  app and retrying.
* Insufficient funds at the moment the charge ran.
* The card was replaced after fraud and the old number is still on file.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Will I lose my subscription if I don't fix it?">
    The subscription eventually ends if the payment never succeeds. Your account
    and data stay, and you can subscribe again whenever you want.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I updated my card but the app still shows the banner.">
    It clears once Stripe confirms the retry. If it's still there after a few
    minutes, close and reopen Settings — and tell us if it persists.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I was charged twice.">
    Email us with the dates and we'll refund the duplicate. See
    [Refunds](/help/account/refunds).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Snippet file="still-need-help.mdx" />

## Related

* [Managing your subscription](/help/account/manage-your-subscription)
* [Invoices and receipts](/help/account/invoices-and-receipts)
* [Refunds](/help/account/refunds)