Disconnecting a bank account stops syncing but doesn't close the account itself
Removing a bank account from QuickBooks breaks the connection between your bank and QuickBooks, so new transactions stop flowing in automatically. The account stays open at your actual bank—this only removes it from your QuickBooks file. You can reconnect the same account later if you change your mind, or delete the account record entirely if you no longer need it in QuickBooks at all.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop, and whether you want to disconnect the link or remove the account completely from your file.
Key Takeaways
- Disconnecting a bank account in QuickBooks stops automatic transaction downloads but leaves your bank account open and your QuickBooks records intact.
- In QuickBooks Online, go to Settings > Accounts, find the account, and click the menu to disconnect or delete.
- In QuickBooks Desktop, use the Chart of Accounts, right-click the account, and choose Edit to change or remove the bank connection.
- Deleting an account from QuickBooks removes it from your file permanently, but you cannot delete an account that has transactions already recorded in it.
- If you need to remove an account with transactions, you must first move or delete those transactions, or mark the account as inactive instead.
Disconnecting a bank account in QuickBooks Online
Open QuickBooks Online and go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right). Select Accounts from the left menu. Find the bank account you want to remove and click the three-dot menu on the right side of that row. You will see options to Disconnect or Delete.
Click Disconnect if you want to keep the account in QuickBooks but stop the automatic bank feed. The account stays in your Chart of Accounts, and any transactions already downloaded remain. You can manually enter transactions or reconnect the account later. Click Delete only if the account has no transactions recorded in it—if it does, QuickBooks will block the deletion and ask you to move or remove those transactions first.
After you disconnect, the account no longer shows a "connected" status, and you will not see new bank transactions appear automatically. Your bank itself is unaffected.
Removing a bank account in QuickBooks Desktop
In QuickBooks Desktop, open your company file and go to Lists in the menu bar. Select Chart of Accounts. Find the bank account you want to remove and right-click it. Choose Edit Account.
In the account details window, look for the Online Services section. If the account is connected to a bank feed, you will see a button or link to manage the connection. Click it to disconnect the online service. Save the changes. The account remains in your Chart of Accounts but no longer receives automatic downloads.
To delete the account entirely, right-click it again and choose Delete Account. QuickBooks Desktop will only allow deletion if the account has a zero balance and no transactions. If the account has activity, you must either move those transactions to another account or mark the account as inactive instead.
What happens when you mark an account as inactive instead of deleting it
If a bank account has transactions in it, you cannot delete it. Instead, you can mark it as inactive, which hides it from most lists and reports but keeps the historical data intact. In QuickBooks Online, edit the account and toggle the Is active switch to off. In QuickBooks Desktop, open the account, check the Make Inactive box, and save.
Inactive accounts still appear in your Chart of Accounts if you specifically search for them or filter to show inactive items. They do not appear in dropdown menus when you are entering new transactions, which keeps your account lists clean. This is the safest option when you want to stop using an account but need to preserve the transactions already recorded in it.
Moving transactions before you delete an account
If you want to delete a bank account but it contains transactions, you must move those transactions to a different account first. In QuickBooks Online, you can use a batch action to reassign transactions. Go to the Transactions tab, filter for the account you want to delete, select all transactions, and use the bulk edit feature to move them to another account.
In QuickBooks Desktop, open each transaction individually, change the account field to a different account, and save. This is slower but gives you control over each transaction. Alternatively, if the account is old and you do not need the detail anymore, you can delete the transactions themselves—but only if your accountant or tax preparer confirms that doing so will not affect your records or tax filings.
After all transactions are moved or deleted, the account balance will be zero, and you can then delete the account from your Chart of Accounts.
Reconnecting a bank account you disconnected
If you disconnect a bank account and later decide you want the automatic downloads back, you can reconnect it without losing any data. In QuickBooks Online, go back to Settings > Accounts, find the account, and click the menu. Select Connect or Reconnect. You will be asked to log into your bank and authorize the connection again.
In QuickBooks Desktop, go to the Chart of Accounts, edit the account, and look for the Online Services section. Click the option to add or reconnect online services, then follow the bank authorization steps. Once reconnected, new transactions will start downloading automatically again, and QuickBooks will match them to any manual entries you made while the account was disconnected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting a bank account from QuickBooks close my actual bank account?
No. Removing an account from QuickBooks only affects your QuickBooks file. Your bank account remains open and active. You must contact your bank directly if you want to close the actual account.
Can I delete a bank account that has transactions in it?
No. QuickBooks will not allow you to delete an account with a balance or transactions. You must move the transactions to another account, delete them (with your accountant's approval), or mark the account as inactive instead.
What is the difference between disconnecting and deleting a bank account?
Disconnecting stops the automatic bank feed but keeps the account and its transactions in QuickBooks. Deleting removes the account from your file entirely, and is only possible if the account has no transactions or balance.
If I disconnect a bank account, will I lose the transactions already downloaded?
No. Transactions that were already downloaded and recorded in QuickBooks remain in your file. Only future automatic downloads stop. You can still enter transactions manually or reconnect the account later.
How do I hide a bank account without deleting it?
Mark the account as inactive. This hides it from most lists and dropdown menus but preserves all historical transactions and data. You can reactivate it anytime if needed.