How to Send M-PESA Using the *334# USSD Code
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No smartphone? No data bundles? No problem. You can still send M-PESA from any Safaricom line, even the humble “mulika mwizi”, using the USSD code *334#. Here is how to do it step by step, plus a few tips to keep your money from landing in the wrong pocket.
What You Need
- A Safaricom line registered for M-PESA.
- Your M-PESA PIN.
- Enough money in your M-PESA account to cover the amount and the transaction charge.
How to Send Money Using *334#
- Dial *334# on your Safaricom line. The M-PESA menu opens. USSD works without mobile data or internet.
- Select Send Money.
- Choose the option to send to a phone number (the menu also lets you send to other mobile money networks).
- Enter the recipient’s phone number. Check it twice.
- Enter the amount you want to send.
- Enter your M-PESA PIN.
- Check the recipient’s name shown on the screen before you confirm. If the name is wrong, cancel.
- Confirm. You will get an SMS confirmation from M-PESA, and so will the recipient.
Menu option numbers sometimes change when Safaricom updates the menu, so read each screen rather than pressing numbers from memory.
Sending to Other Networks
From the same Send Money menu you can send to Airtel Money and Telkom T-Kash users. Safaricom says the minimum amount for sending to another network is KES 101.
Limits and Charges
- The most you can send in one transaction is KES 250,000 (raised by Safaricom in September 2023 after approval by the Central Bank of Kenya).
- The maximum daily transaction value is KES 500,000, and the maximum M-PESA account balance is also KES 500,000.
- Charges depend on the amount you send. Check the current tariff on the official M-PESA charges page before you send.
Other Ways to Send M-PESA
- M-PESA menu on your SIM toolkit (also works without data).
- The M-PESA app or the M-PESA section of the MySafaricom app, if you have a smartphone and data.
Common Problems and What to Do
- Menu doesn’t load or times out: check your signal and dial again. USSD sessions close if you take too long.
- Insufficient funds: check your balance first. Remember the charge is deducted on top of the amount you send.
- Sent to the wrong number: act fast. Forward the M-PESA confirmation SMS to 456 to request a reversal. See our guide on how to reverse an M-PESA transaction.
Never share your M-PESA PIN with anyone, including people who call claiming to be from Safaricom. Safaricom staff will never ask for your PIN.
Want to keep track of what you have sent? Here is how to get your M-PESA statement.
