How to use a virtual card from Capital One

You may already be familiar with the concept of a virtual card—a randomly generated credit card number that’s linked to your account. Using a virtual card, you can make purchases online without sharing your actual credit card number with stores, which can help protect your account information.

As a Capital One cardholder, you may be eligible to use virtual cards to shop online. Use this guide to learn more about how to set up and use virtual cards from Capital One.

What you’ll learn:

• Eligible Capital One cardholders can access virtual cards in a few ways: through the Capital One Mobile app or website, through Chrome or Android apps at checkout, or through the Eno browser extension.

• Using a virtual card from Capital One enables you to make online purchases without sharing your actual credit card number or having your physical card on hand.

• Virtual cards provide speedy checkout when using Chrome’s autofill feature in your browser or in Android apps, and they earn rewards or cash back the same way your Capital One card normally would.

If you have an eligible Capital One credit card, you can start using virtual cards a few different ways: by accessing your virtual card through the Capital One Mobile app, shopping online on Google Chrome or in some Android apps, or downloading the Capital One Eno browser extension.

Here’s a closer look at each method.

To access your virtual card on the Capital One Mobile app, sign in and select Get Your Virtual Card—you’ll see this on the tile showing your balance for an eligible credit card account. You may need to verify your identity first. Then you can access your virtual card details, including the virtual card number, security code and expiration date.

You can also access your Capital One virtual card by signing in to your account online.

The virtual card you access in the Capital One Mobile app or online is a general virtual card number that can be used at multiple stores. Customers can create multiple virtual cards, including virtual cards for “one-time” purchases.

How to use it: To make a purchase with your Capital One virtual card, use the virtual card number instead of your physical card’s number at checkout.

Autofill is a quick, convenient way to check out on Chrome and in Android apps. With autofill, you can pay in just a few clicks instead of typing in your payment information. Your saved cards are available with autofill on any device where you’re signed into Google—this includes your Chrome browser, Chrome for iOS and Android apps. 

Virtual cards with Google Pay are merchant specific, meaning each store has a designated virtual card number that can be used repeatedly only at that merchant. You can have multiple store-specific virtual cards at the same time. 

How to use it: After you’ve added your Capital One credit card to your Google Account, you can choose to pay with a virtual card when you check out through your Chrome browser or in some Android apps. Just select the virtual card option from the drop-down, and your virtual card details will be automatically filled in.

You can also get a virtual card with the Eno browser extension. Start by downloading the Eno Extension from the browser store, then sign in using your Capital One account credentials and enroll your qualifying Capital One credit card. Virtual cards generated by Eno are also merchant specific.

How to use it: Eno automatically pops up during checkout, and you can use the extension to generate a unique virtual card for each merchant. Eno will even save the virtual card for future transactions, making it easier to complete a purchase online the next time you shop at that site. 

Here are a few of the benefits you can enjoy when shopping online with virtual cards from Capital One. 

• Added security: When you use a virtual card number to check out online, your actual card number is replaced with a unique number called a token. That means stores—and potential fraudsters—don’t see your actual card number.

• Convenience: Virtual cards from Capital One allow you to make purchases without your physical credit card on hand. Plus, virtual cards continue to work even if your actual credit card number changes. So you can still use your existing virtual cards to make online purchases if your physical card has been lost or stolen.

• The same card benefits: When you use a virtual card that’s linked to your Capital One credit card account, you will continue to enjoy the same card benefits you normally would, such as earning cash back or miles on qualifying purchases. 

• Quick checkouts: If you use a virtual card on Chrome or in some Android apps, your virtual card number is automatically filled in for faster checkout. 

• Controlled spending: You can lock individual virtual cards at any time without impacting your physical card, create virtual cards for single-use purchases, or create virtual cards for specific merchants like recurring payments and subscriptions. 

Still have questions about using virtual cards? Here are answers to a few commonly asked questions.

Shopping with virtual cards from Capital One comes with several benefits, including flexibility, convenience and added security. And with so many ways to use a virtual card with your Capital One credit card, you can have more control over the way you make online purchases.

Download the Capital One Mobile app for easy, on-the-go virtual card management.