iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
An approved authorization is not money in your account. It is a temporary reservation of the customer’s funds, and it stays a reservation until you capture it (collect it) or cancel it (release it). Any authorization left in between is a payment you have not finished, and it can expire, fail later, or create a reconciliation mismatch. This guide gives you a repeatable process for finding those payments, deciding what to do with each one, and confirming the processor’s final result. The examples use Stripe PaymentIntents and Adyen manual capture. Timing rules differ by processor, payment method, and card network, so treat every duration below as specific to its source.
What an authorization does and does not do
An authorization tells you the issuer or acquirer has approved the transaction and set aside the amount. The customer’s available balance may drop, but the merchant has not yet been paid. Capture is the separate, later request that asks the processor to collect the reserved funds. Adyen’s payments lifecycle documentation describes the same split: an authorized payment holds funds, and the funds only move when the payment is captured.
Two consequences follow. First, an approval message is not proof of collection. Second, an authorization is not permanent. If nothing happens to it, it eventually lapses, and the window depends on the card scheme, the transaction type, and the processor’s own rules.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Know which capture model you are using
Before you can find uncaptured payments, you need to know how your integration captures them. Capture models differ by processor and payment method, and the same account can use more than one.
#1 Best Overall
- With Square Terminal, you can ring up sales, accept payments, and print receipts, all with one device. Use it at the counter or ring up customers anywhere in your store.
- Accept all major credit and debit cards and pay one low rate with no hidden fees and no long-term contracts.
- Process chip cards in just two seconds.
- Get your money as soon as the next business day.
- Use it cordlessly with the built-in battery, designed to last all day.
| Model | What happens | What you must do |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic capture (Adyen) | The payment is captured as part of the authorization flow. | Monitor the final status, but no separate capture request is needed. |
| Delayed automatic capture (Adyen) | The processor captures on its own schedule after authorization. | Confirm the delay fits your fulfilment timing and cancel before it runs if the order is void. |
| Manual capture (Adyen) | Authorization only. Nothing is collected until you send a capture request. | Send a separate capture request, or cancel. Leaving it untouched is the failure this guide addresses. |
| Manual capture (Stripe PaymentIntents) | The PaymentIntent stops at requires_capture after authorization. |
Capture the PaymentIntent, or cancel it. It is cancelled automatically after the configured period, seven days by default, according to Stripe’s PaymentIntent capture reference. |
Not every card or wallet supports separate capture, partial capture, or the same expiry rules. Check your payment method’s documentation before assuming a model applies to all transactions.
How to find outstanding authorizations
Run this check on a schedule, not only when someone notices a problem. Use the processor’s view and your own order records together, because a payment that was never captured on the processor side may show as completed in your application, or the reverse.
- Stripe Dashboard. Open the Payments page and filter for
uncaptured. Stripe’s support documentation describes this filter for payments awaiting capture. - Stripe API. List or retrieve PaymentIntents and select those with status
requires_capture. Record the PaymentIntent ID, amount, and creation date. - Adyen. In the Customer Area, search for payments in an authorised, not-yet-captured state, or query your integration’s payment records for the matching status. Confirm the exact label in your current Adyen Customer Area, since labels change between releases.
- Your database. Compare the processor list with your orders. Flag any order marked paid or shipped that has no capture on the processor side, and any processor authorization with no matching order.
Decide: capture, cancel, or escalate
Each open authorization needs one of three outcomes. Use the checks below before you act.
Rank #2
- With Square Handheld, you can accept payments, take tableside orders, or scan barcodes anywhere. With a slim design and comfortable grip, the POS is easy to carry in your palm or pocket. Square Handheld is designed to withstand water splashes and dust. Add an optional protective case for accidental drops. A long-lasting battery and offline payments let you keep selling.
- Slim, pocketable, and lightweight so you can accept payments wherever your customers are.
- Take tableside orders, bust lines, or use the built-in barcode scanner, all with one sleek device.
- A battery that can power through your shift and offline payments let you keep selling, even if your internet is down.
- Accept all major credit and debit cards and pay one simple rate with no hidden fees and no long-term contracts required.
- Capture when the goods or service have been delivered or completed, and the amount is final. Adyen’s lifecycle guidance is direct on this point: “Wait for the payment to be captured before delivering goods or services.” Confirm any authorization adjustment first. Adyen’s POS guidance says to complete needed adjustments before capture.
- Cancel when the order will not be fulfilled, the customer withdrew, or the amount was entered in error and should not be collected. Cancelling releases the reservation so the customer’s funds are no longer held for that payment.
- Escalate when the authorization is past its validity period, the processor returns an error, or fulfilment is blocked by something outside your control. Decide whether to request a fresh authorization or contact the customer. Do not assume the old authorization can still be captured.
The decision needs to be made per payment, not per batch. A single day’s queue often mixes delivered orders that should be captured with cancelled orders that should be released.
How to capture an authorized payment
Stripe PaymentIntents
Capture applies only to a PaymentIntent in requires_capture. The amount you request cannot exceed the original amount. If you omit an amount, Stripe captures the full capturable amount. Partial capture is available through the capture call’s amount parameter, and Stripe’s reference also documents a multicapture option; check the reference for your account’s configuration before relying on multiple captures against one authorization.
- Retrieve the PaymentIntent and confirm its status is
requires_capture. - Confirm the final amount against the order.
- Call capture on the PaymentIntent, with an amount only if the final charge differs from the authorized amount.
- Store the response and move to the result check described below. Do not mark the order paid on the basis of the call alone.
Adyen manual capture
Adyen’s manual capture is a separate request sent after authorization. It is asynchronous: the request can be accepted and still fail later, so you need to read the outcome rather than the acceptance response.
Rank #3
- Accept all major credit and debit cards and pay one low rate
- No hidden fees and no long-term contracts
- Mobile card reader that accepts payments anywhere & anytime
- Use the free SumUp App on your smartphone or tablet to start accepting transactions
- Simply pay 2.6% +10 per in-person transaction
- Confirm the original payment was made with manual capture enabled. Automatic and delayed automatic payments do not need this step.
- Complete any authorization adjustments the order requires.
- Send the capture request for the amount due, referencing the original authorization.
- Wait for the CAPTURE or CAPTURE_FAILED notification, and inspect the event outcome, before fulfilling or reporting the payment as final.
Confirm the final result
Capture is not finished when your server receives a success response. Treat the processor’s later status or webhook as the record of truth.
Recommended Free Tools
- For Adyen, subscribe to CAPTURE and CAPTURE_FAILED notifications and reconcile each one against the original payment reference.
- For Stripe, check the PaymentIntent status after capture and handle the webhook event your integration subscribes to.
- If a capture fails, read the failure reason in the event. Retry only when the reason indicates a temporary problem. Otherwise, follow the escalation path above.
- Set an alert for any order that has been fulfilled but has no confirmed capture after a set period, so a rejected capture is not discovered at the bank statement stage.
How to cancel an authorization
Cancellation is the correct step when the payment should not be collected. It is not a refund. A refund returns money that was already captured. Cancelling or reversing an uncaptured authorization releases the reservation before any money moves.
- Stripe: Cancel a PaymentIntent that is in
requires_capture. Stripe’s cancellation reference documents that the remaining capturable amount is released. - Adyen: Send a cancellation request for the authorization. Adyen describes cancellation as asynchronous, so confirm it through the cancellation webhook before you treat the reservation as released.
If the payment has already been captured, cancellation is no longer the right tool. Use a refund instead, and track it as a separate reconciliation item.
Rank #4
- An intuitive interface to easily accept payments and manage your sales.
- Strong, reliable Wi-Fi connection. Free SIM card and mobile data so you can process payments anywhere.
- Great battery capability with an additional charging station.
- A truly portable device. Stay in control of your business, wherever you go.
- Support when you need it. Get in touch with our US-based support through phone, email and chat.
How long an authorization lasts
No single deadline applies to every payment. The figures below come from specific providers and contexts, and they should not be combined or applied outside their scope.
| Figure | Source and scope |
|---|---|
| Seven days by default before an uncaptured PaymentIntent is cancelled | Stripe PaymentIntent capture reference. This is a configurable default for Stripe PaymentIntents, not a card-network rule. |
| Seven days in common Visa cases | Adyen documentation on Visa authorization holds, for Adyen-issued cards. Common case, not a guarantee for every merchant. |
| 31 days for listed Visa cases such as cruise, lodging, or vehicle rental | Adyen documentation on Visa authorization holds. Applies only to the listed transaction types. |
| Three days for certain US commuter transport on Visa | Adyen documentation on Visa authorization holds. Applies only to the listed transport cases. |
| 30 days for Mastercard pre-authorizations | Adyen documentation on Mastercard authorization holds. |
| Seven days for Mastercard final or default authorizations | Adyen documentation on Mastercard authorization holds. |
| Usually 28 days for card authorization validity | Adyen payments lifecycle documentation. The same page notes that specific scheme periods apply, so use it as a general orientation, not a deadline. |
The Adyen figures describe issuing-card contexts and network rules, and they are not promises for every acquiring setup, payment method, geography, or merchant category. Check your provider’s transaction-level rules before setting an internal deadline.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallAn expired authorization does not guarantee that the customer’s hold is gone for good. Adyen’s issuing documentation says an issuer may still process a capture request after expiry. That makes a stale authorization a reconciliation risk: a payment you thought was released can still post. Keep expired authorizations on your review list until the processor confirms they are closed.
Best Value
- Pay one transparent rate per swipe for Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
- Works in conjunction with most downloadable Square point-of-sale apps on your device. Customers can pay, tip and sign directly on your device. Track payments in cash, gift cards and more. Also lets you send receipts via e-mail or text message, makes it easy to apply discounts, keeps a data and sales history log and more.
- Accepts magstripe credit card payments, including those from Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express (fees apply).
- App sends deposits to your bank account within 1 to 2 business days, or enjoy instant deposits (fees apply).
Handling expired, failed, or stuck payments
- Expired: Do not attempt capture as a routine step. Contact the customer and request a new payment or authorization, and record the original reference so the old and new payments are not both collected.
- Failed capture: Read the processor’s failure reason. Fix the cause, such as a changed amount or an unsupported partial capture, then request a new capture if the authorization is still valid.
- Stuck in authorized state: Check whether the fulfilment step is complete. If it is, capture. If not, cancel and release the reservation.
- Released but still appearing: Check the processor’s record for a late capture before assuming the reservation is gone. Reconcile against your order.
A simple monthly control
Run the find-and-decide process at least once a day for high-volume accounts and once a week for low-volume accounts. Keep a log of each open authorization, its decision, its processor reference, and the final confirmed result. A payment is closed only when the processor’s final status confirms it as captured, cancelled, or failed.
Adyen’s guidance that goods or services should not be delivered before capture applies just as much to Stripe PaymentIntents and to any platform that holds authorizations on your behalf. The control is the same: an authorization is open until the processor says it is closed.
Authorization and authorisation mean the same thing. Some providers spell it with an “s”, and you will see both in documentation.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
