# NFT operator approvals: what does “approve all” allow? An NFT operator approval can authorize another address to transfer all of your tokens within a particular NFT contract. ERC-721 also supports approval for an individual token; ERC-1155 uses its operator model across token IDs in that contract. The scope is the collection contract, not every asset in the wallet, and disconnecting a website does not revoke it. Evidence: [ERC-721 NFT standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-721); [ERC-1155 multi-token standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-1155) Canonical: https://degreesofsatoshi.com/encyclopedia/nft-operator-approvals/ Published: 2026-10-02 Substantively modified: 2026-10-02 Independently verified by an automated reviewer: 2026-10-02T19:27:58.939Z Data current through: 2026-10-02 AI-assisted research and drafting with a separate automated source-verification pass; no external expert or named human review is implied. ## Key facts - **Collection scope:** setApprovalForAll applies within the contract where it is called. ([ERC-721 NFT standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-721); [ERC-1155 multi-token standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-1155)) - **Single token:** ERC-721 approve can authorize a specific token ID. ([ERC-721 NFT standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-721)) - **Revocation:** An operator can be disabled with setApprovalForAll using false. ([ERC-721 NFT standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-721); [ERC-1155 multi-token standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-1155)) ## Read both the contract and the operator The contract receiving the approval identifies which collection is affected. The operator address identifies who receives transfer authority. A marketplace brand shown by an interface is not a substitute for checking these two values. ERC-1155 can group many token IDs and quantities in one contract, so an operator approval may cover a wider set of holdings than one item displayed on a sale page. Evidence: [ERC-721 NFT standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-721); [ERC-1155 multi-token standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-1155) ## Approving one collection does not approve every NFT Suppose you own three tokens in Collection A and one in Collection B. An operator approval in A can authorize movement of all three A tokens. It does not by that operation authorize B’s separate contract. If you intended to list just one A token, inspect whether the marketplace requires collection-wide approval and how it uses a separately signed sale order. The approval and order impose different boundaries. Evidence: [ERC-721 NFT standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-721) ## Change the onchain permission when it is no longer needed Revoking an operator approval requires changing the relevant contract state. Removing a website from a connected-app list does not call this function. Read the resulting permission on the correct chain after the revocation is included. Revocation cannot reverse transfers already completed. An ERC-721 token-level approval and collection-wide approval are separate permission paths, so inspect both when applicable. Evidence: [ERC-721 NFT standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-721); [ERC-1155 multi-token standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-1155) ## Questions ### Does an NFT approval authorize spending all my ETH? The standard NFT operator permission concerns tokens in that NFT contract. Other transactions or signatures may grant different authority and should be inspected separately. Evidence: [ERC-721 NFT standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-721); [ERC-1155 multi-token standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-1155) ### Will sending one ERC-721 token clear every operator approval? No. The token’s individual approval is cleared on transfer, but collection-wide operator permissions are separate contract state. Evidence: [ERC-721 NFT standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-721) ## Claims and scope ### nft-operator-approvals-quick-answer An NFT operator approval can authorize another address to transfer all of your tokens within a particular NFT contract. ERC-721 also supports approval for an individual token; ERC-1155 uses its operator model across token IDs in that contract. The scope is the collection contract, not every asset in the wallet, and disconnecting a website does not revoke it. Scope: {"collection":"ethereum","dataAsOf":"2026-10-02","blockHeight":null} ### nft-operator-approvals-fact-collection-scope Collection scope: setApprovalForAll applies within the contract where it is called. Scope: {"collection":"ethereum","dataAsOf":"2026-10-02","blockHeight":null} ### nft-operator-approvals-fact-single-token Single token: ERC-721 approve can authorize a specific token ID. Scope: {"collection":"ethereum","dataAsOf":"2026-10-02","blockHeight":null} ### nft-operator-approvals-fact-revocation Revocation: An operator can be disabled with setApprovalForAll using false. Scope: {"collection":"ethereum","dataAsOf":"2026-10-02","blockHeight":null} ## Sources - [ERC-721 NFT standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-721) — Ethereum Improvement Proposals. Ownership, receiver checks, token-level and operator approvals, mint/burn event semantics. Locator: safeTransferFrom; approve; setApprovalForAll; Transfer; metadata. Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:55:25.399Z. - [ERC-1155 multi-token standard](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-1155) — Ethereum Improvement Proposals. Receiver acceptance, collection-wide operators, balance accounting and burn events. Locator: Safe transfer rules; operator approvals; minting and burning. Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:55:25.400Z. ## Revision history - 2026-10-02: First publication after primary-source research and separate automated verification. ## Cite this entry Degrees of Satoshi editorial project. “NFT operator approvals: what does “approve all” allow?.” Published 2026-10-02; updated 2026-10-02. https://degreesofsatoshi.com/encyclopedia/nft-operator-approvals/