While making the minimum payment prevents late fees and keeps your account active, it won’t necessarily boost your credit score quickly. Credit scores are most positively impacted by paying your full balance on time and keeping your credit utilization ratio low—ideally under 30%. If you’re only paying the minimum, your balance remains relatively high, which can increase your utilization and hurt your credit score over time. Moreover, minimum payments can signal financial strain to lenders, especially if they see consistent partial payments without balance reduction. Credit bureaus also monitor how long it takes to pay down balances, and dragging debt over multiple months can work against you. To truly improve your credit score, focus on reducing total debt, making larger payments, and limiting new credit inquiries. These strategies send a stronger signal of creditworthiness than minimum payments alone.