Your Venmo Is Public by Default—Here’s How to Change That

Transparency is good when it comes to banking. But when it comes to your personal transactions? Not so much.

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Here’s a surprising stat: in 2018, a privacy researcher was able to download and analyze over 200 million public Venmo transactions—simply because users didn’t change their default settings. Think about that for a second. Every pizza split, every rent payment, every shared Uber ride—visible to the world.

Most people don’t realize this until it’s too late. Venmo defaults to public transactions. That means unless you take action, your payment history is sitting out there for friends, acquaintances, and yes—complete strangers—to scroll through.

But the good news? Fixing it takes less than five minutes.

In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to lock down your Venmo settings, step by step. We’ll cover how to make all future payments private, how to hide your past activity, and how to strengthen your overall privacy inside the app. Because protecting your financial details shouldn’t feel like a scavenger hunt.

Why Privacy on Venmo Matters

At first glance, Venmo’s social feed can feel harmless—even fun. Who doesn’t enjoy seeing a friend’s payment labeled “🍕 + 🍷”?

But here’s the risk:

• Patterns emerge. Consistent payments to a landlord, roommate, or babysitter could reveal personal routines.
• Strangers can track spending habits. Fraudsters and scammers look for breadcrumbs, and public financial activity is an easy source.
• Your financial life should be yours. Privacy is not about hiding—it's about protecting what matters.

As a community bank, we believe your financial activity should be secure, whether it’s in your checking account or your Venmo feed. The control is in your hands—you just need to know where to tap.

Step 1: Change Your Default Privacy Settings

Venmo sets your payments to Public by default. That means every time you send or receive money, the details are open for anyone on the internet to see.

Here’s how to fix it:

1. Open the Venmo app.
2. Tap the profile icon in the bottom-right corner.
3. Go to Settings (gear icon in the top right).
4. Select Privacy.
5. Under “Default Privacy Setting,” choose Private.
   
   

Recommendation: Set your default to Private. You can always adjust individual transactions if you want to share them, but by flipping the default, you keep control.

Step 2: Hide Past Transactions

Changing your default only protects you moving forward. But what about the hundreds of payments you may have already sent?

To fix this:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy.
2. Scroll to Past Transactions.
3. Select Change All to Private.
   
   

In one tap, you’ll hide your entire payment history from public view. That way, you don’t leave behind a trail of old activity for anyone to browse.

Step 3: Manage Friend List Visibility

Here’s a little-known fact: Venmo also makes your friend list public by default. That means anyone can see who you’re connected with—which can be another privacy gap.

To adjust this:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy.
2. Scroll to Friends List.
3. Change it from Public to Private (or Friends if you’re comfortable).

This keeps your network from being exposed.

Step 4: Strengthen Security Beyond Privacy Settings

Privacy is one part of the puzzle. Security is the other. Even if your transactions are hidden, you don’t want unauthorized access.

Here are some quick, practical steps:

• Enable PIN or biometric login. Under Settings > Security, turn on a PIN code or use Face/Touch ID.
• Link to a secure bank account. Avoid keeping a large balance inside Venmo itself. Transfer funds to your bank for safer storage.
• Monitor connected devices. Under Settings > Security > Remembered Devices, review and remove anything unfamiliar.
• Turn on notifications. Instant alerts for transactions mean you’ll know if something suspicious happens.
  
  

Step 5: Review Sharing Habits

Privacy settings help, but personal habits matter too. Ask yourself:

• Do you add detailed notes on payments? (“Rent for 125 Main Street” is more revealing than you might think.)
• Do you connect with people you don’t know well on Venmo?
• Do you leave large balances in the app instead of transferring to your bank?

Small changes in behavior go a long way toward keeping your financial life truly private.

Venmo Privacy Checklist

Here’s a quick recap you can save:

✅ Set default privacy to Private
✅ Change past transactions to Private
✅ Hide your friend list
✅ Enable PIN/biometric login
✅ Review connected devices
✅ Limit details in payment notes
✅ Transfer balances regularly to your bank

Five minutes of adjustments = peace of mind for the long run.

The Bigger Picture: Keeping Control of Your Financial Life

Venmo isn’t just an app—it’s part of how many people handle daily money tasks. But just like with your checking account or savings account, the details should remain secure and under your control.

Privacy settings won’t take away the convenience of Venmo. They just put the power back in your hands.

At Liberty Savings Bank, we believe in giving you the tools and knowledge to protect your financial wellbeing—whether that’s guiding you through digital privacy settings or offering secure, FDIC-insured accounts that keep your money safe.

Your money, your rules, your privacy.