Where to change your username in QuickBooks

Your username in QuickBooks lives in your account settings, not in your company file. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop, and whether you are changing your own username or managing another user's account.

If you use QuickBooks Online, you change your username through your Intuit account settings — the same login credentials you use for TurboTax or other Intuit products. If you use QuickBooks Desktop, the username is stored locally on your computer or network, and you change it through the program itself or through your company file settings.

Key Takeaways

  • QuickBooks Online usernames are managed through your Intuit account settings, accessible from the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen.
  • QuickBooks Desktop usernames are changed within the program through the User List, found under the Company menu.
  • You must have administrator access to change another user's username; standard users can only change their own.
  • After changing your username, you will need to log out and log back in with the new username to confirm the change took effect.

Changing your username in QuickBooks Online

Open QuickBooks Online and look for the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen, next to your name. Click it and select Account and Settings from the dropdown menu. On the left side, click Profile, then click the Edit button next to your name.

In the field labeled Email address, enter the new username or email you want to use. This is the address you will type when you log in. Click Save when you are done. QuickBooks will send a confirmation email to both your old and new email address — open the one sent to your new address and click the link to verify the change.

If you are an administrator managing another user's account, go back to Account and Settings, click Users and Roles on the left, find the user in the list, click the three dots next to their name, and select Edit. You can change their email address the same way.

Changing your username in QuickBooks Desktop

Open QuickBooks Desktop and log in with an administrator account. Click the Company menu at the top, then select Users and Set Up User Password and Access. A window will open showing all users in your company file.

Find your name or the name of the user whose username you want to change, click on it to select it, then click Edit User. In the User Name field, type the new username. Click Next and follow the prompts to confirm. If you are changing your own username, you will be asked to log out and log back in with the new username.

If you do not see the Users option in the Company menu, your company file may be set up for single-user mode. In that case, usernames cannot be changed — only the login password can be reset through the File menu.

What happens after you change your username

Once you change your username, your old username stops working when ready. If you are logged in when you make the change, you will be logged out automatically. You must then log back in using your new username.

If other people use QuickBooks with your company file, they will not be affected — only the specific user account you changed will require the new username. Make sure you write down the new username somewhere safe, because you cannot recover it through QuickBooks if you forget it.

If you cannot find the username settings

In QuickBooks Online, if the Account and Settings option does not appear when you click the gear icon, you may not have administrator rights. Ask the account owner or primary administrator to change your username for you.

In QuickBooks Desktop, if the Users option is grayed out or missing, your company file is in single-user mode. You can only change your password in this case, not your username. To switch to multi-user mode and enable usernames, click File, then Utilities, then Convert to Multi-user Mode. This requires administrator access and may take a few minutes.

Usernames versus passwords in QuickBooks

Your username is what you type to log in — it is the name that identifies you in the system. Your password is the secret code that proves you are that person. Changing your username does not change your password, and changing your password does not change your username. Both can be changed separately.

If you forget your QuickBooks Online username, you can recover it by clicking Forgot your username? on the login page and entering the email address associated with your account. QuickBooks will send you a recovery email. For QuickBooks Desktop, you will need to contact your administrator, because usernames cannot be recovered through the program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my username to something that another user already has?

No. Every username in your QuickBooks company file must be unique. If you try to save a username that is already in use, QuickBooks will show an error message and ask you to choose a different one.

Do I need to update my username in other Intuit products?

In QuickBooks Online, your username is tied to your Intuit account, so changing it affects all Intuit products you use with that account — including TurboTax and Intuit Payroll. In QuickBooks Desktop, the username is separate and only affects that program.

What if I change my username but forget to log back in?

Your old username will not work anymore. You must use the new username to log in. If you cannot remember the new username you set, contact your administrator or use the account recovery option on the login screen.

Can I use a username that is different from my email address?

In QuickBooks Online, your username must be an email address — that is how Intuit identifies accounts. In QuickBooks Desktop, you can use any text string as a username, including names that do not look like email addresses.