Polkadot-JS UI: Why Can't I Unstake (Unbond) my DOT? Print
Modified on: Wed, 8 Mar, 2023 at 7:25 PM
Start your staking journey or explore more information about staking on Polkadot's Home Page. Discover the new Staking Dashboard that makes staking much easier and check our extensive article list to help you get started.
There are a couple of reasons why you might not be able to unbond your DOT. Read on to find the solution to the most common issues.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The "Unbond funds" action is disabled
There are generally two accounts involved in staking - the stash and the controller account. You can learn more about them in this article.
In order to unbond, or perform other controller-based actions, the controller account must exist under the Accounts page in Polkadot-JS UI.
If you're unsure which one is the controller account for your stash, you can see all of your stash/controller combinations under Network > Staking > Accounts. Your controller account will be listed to the right of the stash account.
If it is not in your Accounts page, it will display only the raw address of the controller instead of the account's name, and all the controller-based actions will be disabled, as shown below.
In order to resolve this you need to restore you controller account from its mnemonic phase or JSON file or change the controller to another account.
Once that's done, and after refreshing the page, you should see the controller with its name and be able to perform all actions.
Insufficient Funds
Your controller needs to have enough transferable balance to pay for transaction fees. Even 0.1 DOT is enough to pay for multiple transactions.
If your account is inactive, meaning it has zero balance, you need to transfer at least 1.1 DOT to it. The 1 DOT is the Existential Deposit and the additional 0.1 DOT is for the fees.
If your account has balance but all of it is locked, you will need to transfer just a small amount to be able to pay for fees.
‼️ IMPORTANT If your account has a balance of exactly, or very close to, 1 DOT it won't be able to pay for transaction fees and you'll get the same error.
"Insufficient Bond" Error
This error occurs if you try to unbond all of your funds but didn't chill your account first, i.e. stop nominating. To resolve this, click the Stop button first and then you'll be able to unbond successfully. For more information, please read this article.
Did you find it helpful? Yes No
Send feedbackDisclaimer: We always strive to provide you with the best support we can and we take all care to ensure that our instructions are accurate and concise. However, following these instructions properly, as well as the general management of your accounts and funds, is ultimately your responsibility. Web3 Foundation cannot be held liable for any accidental loss of funds or any other damage you might incur.
