Disconnect your bank account in three steps

To unlink a bank account from QuickBooks Online, go to the Settings menu, select Accounts and Settings, then choose Banking. Find the account you want to remove, click the three-dot menu next to it, and select Disconnect. QuickBooks will stop pulling transactions from that account immediately, but your historical transaction data stays in your file.

The process takes less than a minute. You do not need to contact your bank or QuickBooks support unless the disconnect button does not appear — which usually means the account is already disconnected or you do not have admin permissions in QuickBooks.

Key Takeaways

  • Disconnecting a bank account stops new transactions from syncing but keeps all past transactions you have already imported in QuickBooks.
  • You must have admin or accounting manager permissions in QuickBooks to unlink a bank account.
  • The bank itself does not need to know you disconnected QuickBooks — the link is one-way from QuickBooks to your bank.
  • If you reconnect the same account later, QuickBooks will pick up transactions from where it left off, not from the beginning.

Where to find the disconnect option

Open QuickBooks Online and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select Accounts and Settings. On the left sidebar, click Banking. You will see a list of all connected bank and credit card accounts with their current status.

Find the account you want to unlink. To the right of the account name, you will see a three-dot menu button (sometimes called the action menu). Click it and select Disconnect. A confirmation message will appear asking if you are sure — click Disconnect again to confirm.

What happens to your transactions after you disconnect

All transactions you have already imported into QuickBooks stay in your file. Disconnecting does not delete anything. QuickBooks simply stops checking your bank account for new transactions to import.

If you later reconnect the same account, QuickBooks remembers where it stopped. It will not re-import old transactions or create duplicates. It will start pulling new transactions from the date you reconnected forward.

When you might need to disconnect an account

You may disconnect an account if you are closing that bank account, switching to a different accounting software, or no longer want QuickBooks to track that account. Some businesses disconnect accounts they rarely use to reduce clutter in their Banking tab.

You might also disconnect temporarily if you are troubleshooting a syncing problem — disconnecting and reconnecting can sometimes fix issues where transactions stop appearing. Wait a few minutes after disconnecting before reconnecting to let the change process.

Reconnecting a bank account later

If you disconnect an account and later want to link it again, go back to Banking in Accounts and Settings and click the Add Account button. Search for your bank by name, sign in with your online banking credentials, and select the account you want to reconnect.

QuickBooks will ask you to review and confirm the account details. Once you confirm, it will resume pulling transactions from the date you reconnected. You will not see transactions from the gap between when you disconnected and reconnected.

Troubleshooting: the disconnect button is not there

If you cannot see the three-dot menu or the Disconnect option, check your user permissions. Only QuickBooks users with Admin or Accounting Manager roles can disconnect accounts. If you have a lower permission level, ask an admin to make the change for you.

Another reason the button might not appear is if the account is already disconnected. Refresh your browser and check the account status again. If the account shows as Connected but you still cannot disconnect, sign out of QuickBooks, clear your browser cache, and sign back in.

Disconnecting does not affect your bank's records

Your bank has no record of QuickBooks being connected to your account. Disconnecting in QuickBooks does not change any settings at your bank, revoke any permissions, or affect your account in any way. The connection only works one direction — from QuickBooks to your bank to read transactions.

If you want to fully revoke QuickBooks' access at the bank level, you can do that through your bank's online portal under Connected Apps or Third-Party Access. This step is optional and not required to stop QuickBooks from syncing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disconnecting delete my transaction history?

No. All transactions you imported before disconnecting stay in QuickBooks. Disconnecting only stops new transactions from syncing. Your historical data is safe.

Can I disconnect an account if I am not the QuickBooks admin?

No. Only users with Admin or Accounting Manager permissions can disconnect accounts. Contact your QuickBooks admin to make the change for you.

What happens if I disconnect and reconnect the same account?

QuickBooks remembers where it stopped syncing. When you reconnect, it picks up new transactions from that point forward. It will not re-import old transactions or create duplicates.

Do I need to tell my bank I am disconnecting QuickBooks?

No. Your bank does not know QuickBooks is connected. Disconnecting in QuickBooks does not change anything at your bank. If you want to revoke access at the bank level, you can do that in your bank's app under Connected Apps, but it is not required.

Can I disconnect multiple accounts at once?

No. You must disconnect each account one at a time using the three-dot menu. There is no bulk disconnect option in QuickBooks Online.