Before You Use Venmo and PayPal’s New Transfer Feature, Change This Setting

It’s happening at last. After years of wondering why two of the biggest payment apps on the planet couldn’t talk to each other, PayPal and Venmo are letting you send direct payments between them starting in November.

Yes, you read that right. The payment app feature we’ve been waiting for since PayPal bought Venmo in 2014 is becoming a reality. You’ll be able to search for a Venmo user from your PayPal app (and vice versa) and send cash directly, which is about a decade overdue.

Of course, there are still some details to iron out, like whether they’ll hit you with extra fees for the convenience. Representatives for PayPal and Venmo did not immediately respond to requests for further comment. But for now, let’s just celebrate that this basic, common-sense feature is here.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

Keep your privacy and visibility options in mind

Longtime Venmo users will remember how annoying it was to have Venmo automatically make payment details public to everyone you connect with, something Venmo has improved in recent years, but which can still be a source of frustration. 

We’ll have to wait until November to investigate every detail but there is a critical visibility setting that all users should know about. It looks like PayPal users can find any Venmo user if they have the correct phone number, which could make specific scams easier or lead to spam. 

You can adjust this option by heading into your Venmo app, choosing Settings (the gear icon), then Privacy, then navigating to your Find Me options, where you can restrict who can find you on PayPal. Just don’t do it quite yet: Expect a Venmo update in November to make this option available.