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    4 min read 6 stepsApril 20, 2026Verified April 2026

    How to Freeze Your Credit at All Three Bureaus (Free)

    A credit freeze is the strongest protection against identity theft and it is completely free. Here is how to set one up at all three bureaus.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Online Banking
    Difficulty
    Beginner
    Read Time
    4 min read
    Steps
    6
    Topics covered
    credit freeze
    security freeze
    identity theft
    fraud prevention

    In this guide (6 steps):

    1. 1.Understand freeze vs. lock vs. fraud alert
    2. 2.Freeze your Experian credit report
    3. 3.Freeze your Equifax credit report
    4. 4.Freeze your TransUnion credit report
    5. 5.Thaw temporarily when you need to apply for credit
    6. 6.Protect children and family members too
    1

    Understand freeze vs. lock vs. fraud alert

    ~23s
    A credit freeze is free, federally protected, and blocks new accounts entirely. A credit lock is a paid monthly service from each bureau that does roughly the same thing but with less legal backing. A fraud alert is free but only asks lenders to verify your identity before approving new credit — it does not block applications. For most people, a freeze is the strongest free option.
    2

    Freeze your Experian credit report

    ~16s
    Go to experian.com/freeze. Click "Add a security freeze". Create an account with your email, or log in if you have one. Answer identity verification questions. Save the PIN Experian provides — you need it to thaw the freeze later. The freeze takes effect immediately online.
    3

    Freeze your Equifax credit report

    ~15s
    Go to equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services. Click "Place or manage a freeze". Create a myEquifax account. Verify your identity with security questions. The freeze takes effect immediately. Save your Equifax login credentials securely.
    4

    Freeze your TransUnion credit report

    ~15s
    Go to transunion.com/credit-freeze. Click "Add Freeze". Create a TransUnion account. Verify your identity. The freeze is applied right away. Save your login credentials. Now all three bureaus are frozen.
    5

    Thaw temporarily when you need to apply for credit

    ~25s
    Before applying for a new credit card, loan, apartment, or mortgage, ask the lender which bureau they pull from (most use one or two specific ones). Log into that bureau's site and "thaw" the freeze — you can pick a date range (like 7 days) or a specific creditor. After the thaw period ends, the freeze goes back on automatically. If you do not know which bureau the lender uses, thaw all three.
    6

    Protect children and family members too

    ~19s
    You can freeze a child's credit at each bureau (using their SSN) to protect against child identity theft — this requires a mailed request with proof of guardianship. Family members who have passed away should also have their credit frozen ("deceased alert") to prevent fraud using their identity. Each bureau has a separate process for these.

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    A credit freeze locks your credit report so that lenders cannot pull it when someone applies for a new loan or credit card in your name. It is the single most effective defense against identity theft because most lenders will deny an application outright if they cannot pull credit. And thanks to a 2018 federal law, placing and lifting a credit freeze is completely free at all three bureaus — no fees, no catches.

    A freeze does NOT affect your existing accounts. You can still use your credit cards, pay your mortgage, and your score is not harmed. What it does is block new accounts from being opened by anyone, including you, until you temporarily "thaw" the freeze. You might thaw it before applying for a car loan, a new apartment, a mortgage, or a new credit card — it takes minutes online, and you can set it to thaw for a specific date range or for a specific creditor.

    To be protected, you need to freeze your credit at all three bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — because lenders may check any of the three. Each has its own online account you create, with a password or PIN you will need to thaw the freeze later. Write that PIN down somewhere safe (not in your email). Freezing all three takes about 30 minutes total the first time. Some people also add Innovis and ChexSystems as a fourth and fifth layer for extra safety, though those are optional.

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    How to Freeze Your Credit at All Three Bureaus (Free) — Step-by-Step Guide | TekSure