> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.meld.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Manage Connections

Over its lifetime, a connection may need to be **refreshed**, **repaired**, **updated**, **deleted**, or **imported**. This section is for developers building lifecycle handling on top of Meld bank linking. The four most-confused operations — refresh, repair, update, and import — all mutate the connection in different ways. The terminology matters: using the wrong endpoint will either no-op or charge for an operation that wasn't needed.

## Refresh vs. repair vs. update vs. delete vs. import

| Operation   | What it does                                                                                                                                                       | When to use it                                                                                                                                    | Customer involved?                                | Status before                                                                                                           | Status after                                   | Endpoint                                                                                         |
| :---------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------ | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :--------------------------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Refresh** | Pulls the latest balances and transactions from the underlying provider for an existing, healthy connection.                                                       | The customer just took an action in your app and you want up-to-the-minute data. Don't use for routine polling — background refresh handles that. | No                                                | `ACTIVE`, `PARTIALLY_ACTIVE`, `DEGRADED`, `UNDETERMINED`                                                                | Same status; new aggregation webhooks          | [Refreshing Connections](/docs/bank-linking/manage-connection-status/refreshing-connections)     |
| **Repair**  | Generates a new connect token that takes the customer straight to the institution login so they can re-authenticate. Brings a broken connection back online.       | The customer changed their bank password, MFA changed, or the provider consent expired. The connection moved to `RECONNECT_REQUIRED`.             | **Yes** — they go through the widget again        | `RECONNECT_REQUIRED`, `DEGRADED`, `UNRECOVERABLE`, or `ACTIVE` (when `ACCESS_EXPIRING_SOON` / `NEW_ACCOUNTS_AVAILABLE`) | `ACTIVE`                                       | [Repairing Connections](/docs/bank-linking/manage-connection-status/repairing-connections)       |
| **Update**  | Adds new **products** (e.g., `INVESTMENT_HOLDINGS`) to an existing connection. New products are added as `optionalProducts` and aggregated on a best-effort basis. | You initially requested `BALANCES` and `TRANSACTIONS`, and now you want investment data on the same connection without a fresh widget flow.       | No (provider-dependent — may require repair flow) | Any non-terminal                                                                                                        | Same status; new product aggregation kicks off | [Updating Connection Products](/docs/bank-linking/manage-connection-status/updating-connections) |
| **Delete**  | Severs the connection on Meld and the underlying provider. No more webhooks, no more billing. Cannot be undone.                                                    | The customer no longer wants this account linked, or you are cleaning up duplicates.                                                              | No                                                | Any                                                                                                                     | `DELETED`                                      | [Deleting Connections](/docs/bank-linking/manage-connection-status/deleting-connections)         |
| **Import**  | Brings an existing provider connection into Meld without sending the customer through the widget.                                                                  | You already have Plaid or Akoya connections and you are migrating to Meld.                                                                        | No                                                | n/a (new in Meld)                                                                                                       | `ACTIVE`                                       | [Importing Connections](/docs/bank-linking/manage-connection-status/importing-connections)       |

## Quick guide

1. [Refresh a connection.](/docs/bank-linking/manage-connection-status/refreshing-connections) Use for one-off data pulls. Background refreshes run automatically; do not refresh on a schedule from your code.
2. [Repair a connection.](/docs/bank-linking/manage-connection-status/repairing-connections) Use when the connection is in `RECONNECT_REQUIRED` (or `DEGRADED` with a customer-actionable reason).
3. [Update a connection's products.](/docs/bank-linking/manage-connection-status/updating-connections) Use to add `BALANCES`, `INVESTMENT_HOLDINGS`, etc. retroactively without re-prompting the customer.
4. [Delete a connection.](/docs/bank-linking/manage-connection-status/deleting-connections) Use when the customer revokes, when cleaning up duplicates, or when the institution is no longer supported.
5. [Import a connection.](/docs/bank-linking/manage-connection-status/importing-connections) Use to migrate existing Plaid or Akoya connections into Meld.

<Warning>
  **Terminology matters.** "Refresh" pulls new data on a working connection. "Repair" (sometimes called "reconnect") fixes a broken connection by re-authenticating the customer. "Update" adds new products. These are distinct endpoints with distinct billing implications.
</Warning>