How to improve your credit score
Focus on the factors that count most: pay on time, use less of your available credit, and avoid unnecessary new accounts.
Sourced from official pages · Updated September 30, 2026💡 Key takeaways
- Pay on time, every time — payment history is the biggest factor (35% of a FICO Score).
- Lower your balances: a smaller share of your credit limits in use is generally better.
- Keep older accounts open when it makes sense and apply for new credit selectively.
- Check your reports and dispute errors for free.
Start with the biggest factors
- Pay on time, every time (35% of a FICO Score). Set up autopay for at least the minimum, and pay as much as you can afford.
- Lower the amount you owe (30%). Paying down card balances reduces the share of your credit limits you are using; lower is generally better.
- Keep older accounts in good standing (15% for length of history). Closing an old card can shorten your history and reduce your available credit.
- Be selective with new credit (10%). Several applications in a short time can hurt.
Check your file
Get your free credit reports and dispute any errors. Mistakes can drag down a score.
If you are building credit from scratch
Options include a secured credit card, a credit-builder loan, or becoming an authorized user on someone else’s account. Make sure the lender reports to the credit bureaus, and keep balances low.
Patience
Scores respond to your behavior over months and years. Negative items age off over time; see how long negative information stays.
A 90-day plan
- Week 1: pull your free reports and list every account and balance.
- Week 2: set up autopay for at least the minimum on every account.
- Weeks 3–6: dispute any errors with the bureau and the lender.
- Weeks 6–12: pay down the card with the highest utilization first (or use the avalanche or snowball method).
- Ongoing: avoid new applications unless you need the credit.
Building credit from scratch
A secured card, a credit-builder loan or being an authorized user can help if the account is reported to the bureaus and you keep balances low and pay on time. Ask the issuer whether it reports to all three bureaus.
What not to expect
There is no legitimate quick fix. Negative items age off over time (see how long negative information stays), and your score improves as positive history builds.
🔤 Key terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Credit utilization | The share of your available credit that you are using |
| Secured card | A card backed by a cash deposit |
| Authorized user | Someone added to another person’s card account |
| Credit-builder loan | A loan where the money is held while you make payments |
⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid
- Missing a payment because of a due-date mix-up.
- Carrying high balances near the limit.
- Closing an old card and losing history and available credit.
- Paying a credit repair company for services you can do free.
- Applying for many accounts at once.
🛠️ Try it yourself
❓ Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to improve a score?
It depends on your file; consistent on-time payments and lower balances build improvement over months.
Does paying off a card raise my score?
Lower balances generally help; how much depends on your whole file.
Should I close unused cards?
Closing can shorten your history and cut available credit; think it through first.
Does paying rent help?
Only if it is reported to the credit bureaus.
📚 Sources
This guide is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Rules and limits change; confirm with the sources above or a licensed professional.