Disconnect your bank account in three steps
To disconnect a bank account from QuickBooks Online, go to the Gear icon in the top left, select Bank Feeds, find the account you want to remove, and click the menu button (three dots) next to it. Choose Disconnect, then confirm. The account stays in your chart of accounts, but QuickBooks stops pulling transactions from your bank.
The process takes less than a minute. Your historical transactions remain in QuickBooks — disconnecting only stops the automatic feed going forward. If you reconnect the same account later, you'll start receiving new transactions from that point onward.
Key Takeaways
- Disconnecting removes the automatic transaction feed but keeps all past transactions and the account itself in your books.
- You can disconnect from the Bank Feeds settings menu without affecting your chart of accounts or financial records.
- If you reconnect later, QuickBooks will resume pulling transactions from the date you reconnect, not from where you left off.
- Disconnecting does not delete the bank account from QuickBooks — it only stops the live data sync.
- All transactions already imported into QuickBooks remain permanently, even after you disconnect the feed.
Where to find the disconnect option
Open QuickBooks Online and click the Gear icon in the top left corner. From the menu that appears, select Bank Feeds under the Tools section. You'll see a list of all connected bank accounts with their institution names and account numbers.
Locate the account you want to disconnect. To the right of each account, you'll see a three-dot menu icon. Click it and select Disconnect from the dropdown. A confirmation message will appear asking you to verify the action. Click Disconnect again to confirm.
The confirmation step prevents accidental disconnections. Once you confirm, the bank feed stops immediately, but you remain logged into QuickBooks and can continue working with your other accounts.
What happens to your transactions after disconnecting
All transactions that QuickBooks has already downloaded and imported stay in your account. Disconnecting does not erase historical data. Your bank account itself remains in your chart of accounts and continues to show the balance as of your last transaction.
After disconnecting, you can still manually enter transactions into that account if needed. You can also reconcile the account normally using your bank statements. The only change is that new transactions from your bank will no longer appear automatically in QuickBooks.
If you had pending transactions waiting to be reviewed when you disconnected, those will not be imported. You'll need to enter them manually or reconnect the account to pull them in.
Reconnecting the same account later
If you disconnect an account and later decide to reconnect it, you can do so through the same Bank Feeds menu. Click Add Account, search for your bank, and log in with your banking credentials again. QuickBooks will begin pulling transactions from the date you reconnect forward.
You will not receive duplicate transactions for the period when the account was disconnected. QuickBooks treats a reconnection as a fresh start, so make sure any transactions from the disconnected period are entered manually if you need them in your books.
The reconnection process typically takes a few minutes. Your bank may require you to verify your identity through a security code or two-factor authentication before the feed resumes.
Reasons to disconnect a bank account
You might disconnect if you're closing the account at your bank, switching to a different accounting system, or no longer need automatic transaction imports for that account. Some businesses disconnect seasonal accounts that they only use during certain times of year.
You may also disconnect if you're having trouble with the bank feed — for example, if transactions are importing incorrectly or your bank changed its login requirements. Disconnecting and reconnecting can sometimes resolve sync issues. Additionally, if you're experiencing duplicate transactions or missing data, a fresh disconnect and reconnect often clears the problem.
Difference between disconnecting and deleting
Disconnecting and deleting are not the same. When you disconnect, the account stays in QuickBooks and appears in your chart of accounts. When you delete an account, it's removed entirely from your books — though QuickBooks may prevent deletion if the account has a balance or transactions.
If you want to keep the account but stop the automatic feed, disconnect. If you want to remove the account completely from your records, you'll need to delete it separately through the Chart of Accounts menu, and only after the balance is zero. Disconnecting is the safer choice if you think you might need the account again later.
Troubleshooting a stuck disconnect
Occasionally the disconnect button doesn't respond or the page doesn't update. Try refreshing your browser or logging out of QuickBooks and logging back in. Then return to Bank Feeds and attempt the disconnect again.
If the account still won't disconnect, check whether QuickBooks is currently syncing transactions from that bank. Wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem persists, contact QuickBooks support with the account name and institution — there may be a backend issue preventing the disconnect.
Clear your browser cache if you continue to have trouble. Sometimes stored data can interfere with the disconnect process. After clearing the cache, log back into QuickBooks and try disconnecting once more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disconnecting affect my bank account balance in QuickBooks?
No. The balance shown in QuickBooks will remain exactly as it was at the time of disconnection. Disconnecting only stops new transactions from importing — it does not change any existing data or balances.
Can I disconnect one account without affecting others?
Yes. Each bank account connected to QuickBooks can be disconnected independently. Disconnecting one account has no effect on any other connected accounts or your overall QuickBooks data.
What if I need to reconnect but my bank login has changed?
When you reconnect through Bank Feeds, you'll be prompted to enter your current banking credentials. Use your updated login information. QuickBooks will verify it with your bank and resume the feed if the login is successful.
Do I lose transaction history if I disconnect?
No. All transactions that QuickBooks has already imported remain in your account permanently. Disconnecting only stops future transactions from being pulled — it does not delete anything that's already there.
How long does it take to disconnect an account?
The disconnect itself is instant once you confirm. However, if QuickBooks is in the middle of syncing transactions, it may take a few minutes to complete that sync before the disconnect takes effect. Check back after a few minutes if the disconnect doesn't appear to go through immediately.