# Capture, cancel, and refund payments

Use Admin payment operations to act on an existing provider reference.
The action depends on the current payment state and gateway capabilities, not just the order's business status.

## Before you begin

Use an authorized Admin connection and your provider's test configuration while implementing the workflow.
Read the current payment, intended and paid amounts, refunded amount, gateway, and `pspReference`.
Check `canCapture` or `canRefund` where applicable.
Use the [Payment reference](/api/admin-graphql/objects/payment) for the available fields.

## 1. Choose one action

| Action | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| Capture | Capture an eligible payment amount |
| Cancel | Cancel a payment in a cancellable provider state |
| Refund | Return an eligible amount from captured funds |

A refund is not an order cancellation or inventory restock.
Keep those operational decisions separate.

## 2. Submit the action

The capture input uses the gateway and provider reference, not a `paymentId` field:


Admin API

```graphql
mutation CapturePayment($input: PaymentCaptureInput!) {
  paymentCapture(input: $input) {
    payment { id pspReference paidAmount { centAmount currencyCode } }
    errors { __typename ... on UserError { message } }
  }
}

```


Variables

```json
{
  "input": {
    "gatewayId": "<gateway-id>",
    "pspReference": "<provider-reference>",
    "amount": {
      "centAmount": 12900,
      "currencyCode": "EUR"
    }
  }
}

```


Replace the amount with the eligible amount you intend to capture.
Do not assume the example EUR amount is the current outstanding balance.
For a refund, use:


Admin API

```graphql
mutation RefundPayment($input: PaymentRefundInput!) {
  paymentRefund(input: $input) {
    payment { id pspReference refundedAmount { centAmount currencyCode } }
    errors { __typename ... on UserError { message } }
  }
}

```


Variables

```json
{
  "input": {
    "gatewayId": "<gateway-id>",
    "pspReference": "<provider-reference>",
    "amount": {
      "centAmount": 1000,
      "currencyCode": "EUR"
    }
  }
}

```


Use no more than the currently refundable balance.
[PaymentCancelInput](/api/admin-graphql/inputs/payment-cancel-input) uses `gatewayId` and `pspReference` without an amount.
Check typed errors before reporting success.

## 3. Handle an uncertain result

Disable duplicate submission while the request is pending.
If the response is lost, read the current payment and order state before repeating the operation.
The provider may have accepted the first action.
Do not assume a generic idempotency header exists for all Thor mutations.

## Verify

Confirm payment amounts, transactions, and the order's `paymentState` after the action.
Test partial and full refunds separately.
Keep a safe correlation reference for support without logging provider secrets or raw payment details.
See [Payments and transactions](/concepts/checkout/payments).