The steps to change your payroll bank account in QuickBooks Online
To change the bank account where your payroll deposits go, you log into QuickBooks Online, navigate to the Payroll Settings page, find the bank account section, and update it to your new account details. The change takes effect on your next payroll run, but the timing depends on when you process payroll and how far in advance your bank needs the information.
QuickBooks Online stores one primary bank account for payroll by default. If you want to split payroll across multiple accounts or move all deposits to a different bank entirely, you need to change this setting before you run payroll. The process itself takes about five minutes, but the real work is making sure your new bank account is set up to receive ACH transfers and that you have the correct routing and account numbers.
The change does not affect payroll you have already processed. If you change your bank account on Tuesday but ran payroll on Monday, that Monday deposit still goes to your old account. Only payroll runs that happen after you make the change will use the new account.
Key Takeaways
- You change your payroll bank account in QuickBooks Online under Payroll Settings, not under your general bank connections.
- The new account must be set up to receive ACH transfers before you change it in QuickBooks, or the deposit will fail.
- The change applies only to payroll runs processed after you make the update, not to payroll already sent.
- You need your new bank's routing number and your account number, and they must match exactly or the transfer will bounce.
- If you process payroll on a schedule (weekly, biweekly, monthly), plan the change for at least one payroll cycle before you need the new account active.
Where to find the payroll bank account setting
Open QuickBooks Online and click the gear icon in the top right corner. From the menu that appears, select Payroll Settings — not Company Settings or Bank Connections. This is the payroll-specific area, separate from where you link your general business bank account.
Once you are in Payroll Settings, look for the section labeled Payroll Account or Bank Account for Payroll. The exact label varies slightly depending on your QuickBooks version and subscription level, but it will be clearly marked as the account where payroll deposits are sent. Click on it to edit.
If you do not see a Payroll Settings option, you may not have a payroll subscription active. QuickBooks Online requires an active payroll plan (Core Payroll, Plus, or Premium) to process payroll through the platform. If you use a third-party payroll service connected to QuickBooks, the bank account change happens in that service instead, not in QuickBooks itself.
What information you need from your new bank
Before you make any changes in QuickBooks, contact your new bank or log into your online banking portal and gather two pieces of information: your routing number and your account number. These are not the same as your card number or your online banking login.
The routing number is a nine-digit code that identifies your specific bank branch. Your account number is the unique identifier for your individual account at that bank. Both must be entered exactly as your bank provides them, with no spaces or dashes added or removed. If either number is wrong by even one digit, the ACH transfer will fail and your payroll will not deposit.
You can find both numbers on a check from your new account (routing number is on the left side of the bottom line, account number is in the middle), or you can call your bank's customer service line and ask them to confirm both numbers while you have them on the phone. Some banks also display this information in their mobile app or online banking dashboard under account details.
Confirming your new account is ready for ACH transfers
Not every bank account can receive ACH transfers automatically. Some accounts — particularly savings accounts, money market accounts, or accounts at certain online banks — require you to explicitly enable ACH deposits before they will accept them. If you do not enable this, QuickBooks will attempt the transfer, it will fail, and your employees will not be paid on time.
Contact your new bank and ask: "Is ACH receiving enabled on this account?" If the answer is no, ask them how to enable it. Most banks do this through their online portal or by calling customer service. Some require a form to be signed. This step usually takes less than a day, but it is worth doing before you change anything in QuickBooks.
If your new account is at a different bank than your current payroll account, also ask whether there are any fees for incoming ACH transfers. Most banks do not charge for this, but some do, and you want to know before payroll hits.
The actual steps to update the account in QuickBooks
Once you have your routing number, account number, and confirmation that ACH is enabled, return to Payroll Settings in QuickBooks Online. Click on the Payroll Account section and select Edit or Change Bank Account.
You will see a form with fields for routing number and account number. Enter both exactly as your bank provided them. Do not add dashes, spaces, or leading zeros unless your bank specifically told you to. QuickBooks will ask you to confirm the account holder name — make sure it matches the name on your bank account.
Some versions of QuickBooks will run a verification step at this point. This is a small test deposit (usually under one dollar) sent to your new account to confirm it exists and is set up correctly. If the verification succeeds, the account is confirmed. If it fails, QuickBooks will tell you the routing or account number does not match a real account, and you need to double-check both numbers with your bank.
Once verified, click Save. The change is now live in your QuickBooks account. Your next payroll run will deposit to the new account.
Timing: when the change takes effect
The bank account change takes effect when ready in QuickBooks, but the actual deposit timing depends on when you process payroll. If you change your account on Wednesday and process payroll on Thursday, Thursday's payroll goes to the new account. If you already processed payroll on Wednesday, that deposit still goes to the old account.
Most banks process ACH transfers overnight, so a payroll deposit initiated on Thursday typically arrives in the employee's account on Friday or Monday, depending on the bank and whether Friday is a business day. If you are switching banks and want to avoid any gap in deposits, plan the change for the payroll cycle before you need the new account active.
If you process payroll on a fixed schedule (every other Friday, for example), make the QuickBooks change at least one full payroll cycle before the date you want the new account to receive money. This gives you time to confirm the first test deposit worked and to catch any problems before your employees are counting on the deposit.
What happens if the new account information is wrong
If you enter an incorrect routing number or account number, QuickBooks will attempt the ACH transfer anyway. The transfer will fail, and the money will bounce back to QuickBooks within one to three business days. Your employees will not be paid on the scheduled date, and you will need to reprocess payroll to the correct account or manually pay them.
If the verification step caught the error (which it usually does), you will know before payroll is processed and can fix it. If verification was skipped or did not catch the error, you will find out when the transfer fails. Check your QuickBooks Payroll History or Reports section to see the status of any failed transfers.
To fix a failed transfer, go back to Payroll Settings, correct the routing or account number, and reprocess that payroll run. QuickBooks will let you re-send the same payroll to the corrected account. This usually takes one to two business days to reach your employees' accounts.
Changing accounts if you use a third-party payroll service
If you use a payroll service connected to QuickBooks (such as Gusto, Rippling, or ADP) rather than QuickBooks' built-in payroll, the bank account change happens in that service, not in QuickBooks. The connection between QuickBooks and the payroll service is for data sync only — the actual payroll processing and bank transfers are handled by the third-party service.
Log into your payroll service's portal directly, find the bank account or payment settings section, and update it there. The process is similar (routing number, account number, verification), but the exact steps vary by service. If you are not sure which service you use, check your QuickBooks Payroll Settings page — it will show the name of any connected payroll provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have payroll deposit to two different bank accounts at the same time?
QuickBooks Online's standard payroll feature deposits all payroll to a single account. If you need to split payroll across multiple accounts (for example, some employees to one bank and others to another), you would need to either run payroll twice with different account settings, or use a payroll service that supports split deposits. Check your payroll subscription level — some higher tiers offer this feature.
What if I change the bank account but forget to tell my employees?
The payroll will still process and deposit to the new account you entered in QuickBooks. Your employees will receive their pay in the new account as long as the account information is correct. However, if they are expecting a deposit to their old account and do not know it is coming to a new one, they may think the payment failed. It is good practice to notify employees before you change payroll accounts, especially if it is a different bank.
How long does it take for a payroll deposit to show up after I change the account?
Once you process payroll in QuickBooks, the ACH transfer is initiated that day. Most banks process ACH transfers overnight, so the deposit typically appears in the employee's account the next business day. If payroll is processed on a Friday, the deposit may not appear until Monday, depending on the receiving bank's processing schedule.
Do I need to update anything else in QuickBooks when I change the payroll bank account?
No. Changing the payroll bank account in Payroll Settings is the only change needed in QuickBooks. Your general business bank account (used for invoices, expenses, and other transactions) is separate and does not need to be updated. The payroll account change affects only where payroll deposits are sent.
What if my new bank rejects the ACH transfer?
If your new bank rejects the transfer, it will bounce back to QuickBooks within one to three business days. This usually happens because the account number or routing number is incorrect, or because ACH receiving is not enabled on the account. Check with your bank to confirm both pieces of information are correct and that ACH is enabled, then reprocess the payroll with the corrected account details.