How to disconnect your old bank and connect a new one

To change your bank account in QuickBooks Online, you disconnect the old account from your company file, then add the new one through the same connection method you used before. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're switching to a different bank entirely or moving to a new account at the same bank. QuickBooks keeps your old transactions intact—disconnecting doesn't delete anything—but you'll need to set up the new account's connection from scratch.

The process takes about 10 to 15 minutes if you have your new bank's login credentials ready. If your bank uses multi-factor authentication (a code sent to your phone or email), have that method available before you start.

Key Takeaways

  • Disconnecting an old bank account in QuickBooks Online removes only the link, not your transaction history or account records.
  • You must have admin access to your QuickBooks Online company file to change bank connections.
  • The new bank account needs to be fully set up and active at your bank before you can connect it in QuickBooks.
  • After connecting a new account, QuickBooks may download transactions from the past 90 days, which you'll need to review and match to your records.

Steps to disconnect your current bank account

Log into QuickBooks Online with an admin account. Go to the Accounting menu on the left sidebar, then select Chart of Accounts. Find the bank account you want to disconnect and click on its name to open it.

In the account details window, look for the Bank Feeds section on the right side of the screen. You'll see a button or link that says Disconnect or Manage Connection. Click it. QuickBooks will ask you to confirm that you want to disconnect—this is the point where your transaction history stays in QuickBooks, but the live link to your bank closes. Confirm the disconnection.

If you're closing the bank account entirely and don't plan to use it again, you can also mark the account as inactive. In the same account details window, look for a checkbox labeled Make Inactive near the top. This hides the account from your day-to-day lists but keeps the historical data. You don't have to do this step if you're just switching the connection to a new account at the same bank.

Adding your new bank account to QuickBooks

Before you start, make sure your new bank account is open and active at your bank. You'll need the login credentials (username and password) that your bank uses for online banking. Some banks also require a security code or use an app-based authentication method—have that ready.

In QuickBooks Online, go to Accounting > Chart of Accounts again. If you're adding a completely new account, click the New button in the top left. Choose Bank as the account type. Fill in the account name (for example, "Checking - Second Bank"), the account number (the last four digits are usually enough), and the opening balance if this is a new account you're funding from another source. Click Save and Close.

Now you need to connect it to your bank. Find the account you just created in the Chart of Accounts list and click on it. Look for the Connect to Bank button or link in the Bank Feeds section on the right. Click it. QuickBooks will ask you to search for your bank by name. Type your bank's name and select it from the results. You'll then be asked to log in using your bank's online banking credentials. Follow your bank's login process, including any multi-factor authentication steps. Once you're logged in, QuickBooks will show you a list of accounts at that bank—select the one you want to connect and confirm.

What happens after you connect the new account

QuickBooks typically downloads the past 90 days of transactions from your new bank account. These transactions appear in your For Review section under Banking on the left menu. You'll need to review each transaction and match it to an invoice, bill, or expense in your QuickBooks records, or create a new transaction if it doesn't match anything.

This matching process is called categorizing transactions. For each downloaded transaction, QuickBooks may suggest a category based on your past patterns. You can accept the suggestion, change it, or create a new transaction. Once you've reviewed and categorized all the transactions, they move out of the For Review section and into your regular account register.

If you see duplicate transactions—for example, if you manually entered a check before QuickBooks downloaded it from the bank—you can mark one as a duplicate and QuickBooks will hide it. This prevents you from counting the same transaction twice.

Handling transactions from your old account

Your old bank account and all its transactions remain in QuickBooks after you disconnect it. You don't need to do anything with them. They stay in your Chart of Accounts and your reports will still include them if you run reports for a date range that covers when the account was active.

If you want to transfer money from your old account to your new one (for example, if you're moving a balance), you can record a transfer in QuickBooks. Go to + New button and select Transfer. Choose your old account as the source and your new account as the destination, enter the amount, and save. This creates matching transactions in both accounts and keeps your records balanced.

Troubleshooting connection problems

If QuickBooks can't connect to your bank, the most common reason is that your bank's login credentials are incorrect or your bank has changed its security requirements. Try logging into your bank's website directly using the same username and password you entered in QuickBooks. If that works, your credentials are correct and the problem may be temporary—wait a few minutes and try connecting again in QuickBooks.

Some banks require you to set up online banking access separately or to approve third-party connections like QuickBooks before they'll allow the link. Check your bank's website or call their customer service line to ask whether QuickBooks Online is supported and whether you need to take any extra steps to enable it. A few smaller banks or credit unions don't offer direct connections to QuickBooks, in which case you'll need to download transactions manually as a file and import them instead.

If you're still stuck after checking your credentials and your bank's requirements, QuickBooks has a support article for your specific bank. Search "QuickBooks Online [your bank name] connection" in the QuickBooks Help Center, or contact QuickBooks support directly—they can often diagnose connection issues quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my bank account delete my old transactions?

No. Disconnecting a bank account only removes the live link to your bank. All transactions you've recorded in QuickBooks stay in your company file and appear in your reports. Your old account remains in the Chart of Accounts and you can view its history anytime.

Can I connect multiple bank accounts to QuickBooks at the same time?

Yes. You can have as many bank accounts connected as you need. Each one appears as a separate line item in your Chart of Accounts, and you can switch between them or run reports that include all of them together.

What if my new bank isn't showing up when I search for it?

Some smaller banks and credit unions don't have direct connections to QuickBooks. Search the QuickBooks Help Center for your bank's name to see if it's supported. If it's not, you can download transactions as a CSV or OFX file from your bank and import them manually into QuickBooks instead.

Do I need to re-enter my bank login every time I use QuickBooks?

No. Once you connect your bank account, QuickBooks stores the connection securely and updates your transactions automatically in the background. You don't need to log in again unless your bank password changes or QuickBooks loses the connection for some reason.

How often does QuickBooks download new transactions from my bank?

QuickBooks typically downloads new transactions once per day, though the exact timing depends on your bank and QuickBooks' servers. Most transactions appear within 24 hours of posting at your bank, but some banks take longer. You can also manually refresh by going to your account and clicking the refresh button.