Disconnecting a dApp vs Revoking Token Approvals on Solana
Pricing and capability evidence checked September 3, 2026.
Wallet interfaces place “Connected Apps” and token permissions close together conceptually, but Solana does not treat them as the same thing. Disconnecting controls whether a website remains linked to your wallet session. Revoking changes an approval recorded inside a token account on-chain.
That distinction matters most after a suspicious signature: doing only one can leave the other relationship untouched.
Does disconnecting a dApp revoke token approvals on Solana?
No. Disconnecting removes the website from your wallet's connected-app list, but it does not clear a delegate already recorded on-chain. Use the wallet setting to end the connection, then run a separate token-approval scan and revoke unrecognized account-level delegates after reviewing them.
Think of the two actions as separate layers:
| Action | Where it lives | What it changes | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disconnect app | Wallet interface and site session | Removes the site's active connection | Does not edit token accounts on-chain |
| Revoke approval | SPL Token or Token-2022 account | Clears its current account-level delegate and remaining allowance | Does not disconnect the website or undo transfers |
A normal connection exposes the wallet's public address and allows the site to request messages or transactions for you to approve. It does not reveal the private key. A later transaction, however, can approve a delegate, and that approval persists in the token account until it is revoked, replaced, or the account is closed.
What should you do after a suspicious dApp interaction?
Use a sequence that covers both layers:
- Close the suspicious page and reject pending prompts. Do not sign a supposed cancellation or security check.
- Disconnect it in your wallet. In Phantom, the current route is Settings → Connected Apps.
- Review the transaction you signed. Open the confirmed signature in a Solana explorer and inspect token balance and authority changes.
- Scan for account-level delegates. Sol Incinerator's Revoke tool checks SPL Token and Token-2022 accounts with a read-only request.
- Revoke only entries you understand. A marketplace, staking service, or vault may use a legitimate delegate.
- Migrate when the risk is broader. If you exposed a recovery phrase or private key, suspect malware, or cannot bound the effect of a signed transaction, move trusted assets to a wallet created with a fresh recovery phrase.
Read the Phantom incident-response guide for the full containment and evidence checklist.
Disconnect and revoke controls cannot reverse a confirmed blockchain transaction. They remove future access paths that are still removable. If assets have already transferred, preserve the signatures and addresses; do not pay someone who promises a guaranteed recovery.
What exactly is an account-level token delegate?
An account-level delegate is an address approved to transfer or burn up to a stated amount from one specific token account. Each account has one current delegate. A Revoke instruction clears that delegate and its remaining allowance without burning tokens, transferring the balance, or closing the account.
The token account owner remains the owner after an ordinary delegate is approved. Revocation does not require you to install a replacement or restore a “correct” delegate; the safe default is simply no delegate. If a trusted app needs one later, approve it again through the app's verified site.
There are important boundaries. The Revoke tool does not clear a Token-2022 PermanentDelegate stored on a mint, because holders cannot revoke that mint-level role. It also does not change token-account ownership, close authority, mint authority, or freeze authority. Read Token Approval vs Mint Authority vs Freeze Authority before treating every authority label as a wallet permission.
Frozen token accounts are another limit. The Token Programs block delegate changes while an account is frozen, so it must be thawed by the relevant authority before an account-level revoke can succeed. Sol Incinerator hides frozen delegated accounts because they are often part of legitimate programmable-NFT or staking behavior.
When should you disconnect without revoking?
Disconnecting alone can be sufficient when you merely finished using a legitimate site and never approved an on-chain delegate. It reduces the number of sites that can initiate new wallet prompts. You can also disconnect proactively as routine wallet hygiene.
Do not infer that every previously connected app has a token approval. Conversely, do not infer that every delegate belongs to a currently connected website. They are separate records with different identifiers and lifecycles.
When should you revoke without disconnecting?
You may revoke an old marketplace or protocol approval even when the original browser session is already gone. Revoking is also useful when you intentionally want to cancel an allowance while keeping the site available for read-only use or future requests.
Removing a legitimate delegate can cancel a listing or interrupt an active position, so verify the delegate and token before signing. The scan is information; selection is your decision.
Does receiving a random token create an approval?
No. An unsolicited token can arrive without your signature, but receipt does not automatically connect a site, create an account-level delegate for the sender, or reveal a private key. The common danger is social: metadata directs you to a site that asks for a malicious signature. Leave unknown links alone and use the scam-token wallet-access guide to assess the situation.
Revoke Approvals
Scan SPL Token and Token-2022 accounts for revocable account-level delegates, review each allowance, and remove only the approvals you select.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Does disconnecting a dApp revoke permissions on Solana?
No. Disconnecting removes the website's active wallet connection and stops that session from making ordinary wallet requests. It does not erase a delegate approval already stored in a token account on-chain. Scan separately for account-level delegates, review each one, and revoke approvals you no longer recognize or need.
What is the difference between connected apps and token approvals?
A connected app relationship lives in the wallet interface and lets a site see the public address and request signatures. A token approval is an on-chain delegate allowance tied to a specific token account. Removing one does not automatically remove the other, so review both after a suspicious interaction.
Does revoking an approval make a compromised wallet safe?
Not by itself. Revoking clears a selected account-level delegate and its remaining allowance. It cannot reverse a confirmed transfer, rotate an exposed recovery phrase, remove every protocol-specific authority, or cancel an off-chain message signature. Move trusted assets to a fresh wallet if the secret or broader wallet control may be compromised.
Does Sol Incinerator charge a fee to revoke token approvals?
No. The Revoke tool charges no platform fee because revoking an approval releases no account rent. The initial approval scan is read-only, and you pay only the Solana network fee for a revoke transaction you choose to sign after reviewing the detected account-level delegates.