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How Do You Revoke Token Approvals After Using a dApp?

ERC-20 approvals are on-chain allowances. Disconnecting a dApp session does not erase them; you must submit an on-chain approval change or revoke transaction on the relevant network.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-05.

Key takeaways

• ERC-20 approve allows a spender to use tokens up to an allowance.
• The approval can remain after you close or disconnect the dApp.
• Revocation changes blockchain state and costs gas.
• Verify the spender and token contract before signing a revoke transaction.
• Review stale or unlimited allowances as part of wallet hygiene.

1. Understand what you are revoking

ERC-20 defines approve, allowance and transferFrom. A user authorizes a spender contract for an amount; that spender may later call transferFrom within the approved limit.

This permission is separate from a front-end connection. Closing a tab, logging out or disconnecting WalletConnect does not automatically modify the allowance stored in the token contract.

2. Find the correct allowance

Use the approval-checker feature of a reputable explorer for the exact network or another independently verified allowance tool. Confirm:

• wallet/account address;
• blockchain network;
• token contract;
• spender contract;
• approved amount.

Do not revoke based only on a token symbol or dApp brand name. Contract identity matters.

3. Submit and verify the revocation

A revoke usually sends an on-chain transaction that sets the spender's allowance to zero or another lower amount. Review the network, contract and gas in the wallet before signing. After confirmation, re-check the allowance on-chain.

If several old approvals exist, each may require a separate transaction depending on the tool and network.

When should you revoke?

Consider revoking when you no longer use the dApp, the spender contract has been compromised, the approval is much larger than needed, or you granted an unlimited allowance to an experimental protocol.

Revoking every allowance after every use can create unnecessary gas costs. The right policy depends on balance size, protocol trust, frequency of use and network fees.

Common mistakes

• Disconnecting the dApp and assuming the allowance disappeared.
• Signing a revoke transaction on the wrong chain.
• Trusting an unsolicited “revoke” link after a security incident.
• Confusing an approval to spend one token with control of every asset in the wallet.
• Ignoring old unlimited allowances indefinitely.