How to Void a Check in QuickBooks

A voided check stays on your books at $0 instead of disappearing from your accounting records, which matters for bookkeeping and for keeping an accurate audit trail if a check gets lost, damaged, or written by mistake.

Here's how to void a check in QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop, plus when voiding is the right move over deleting a transaction entirely.

Void a Check From the Expense Transactions List (QuickBooks Online)

The current path for voiding checks, expenses, and bill payment checks in QuickBooks Online runs through the Expense transactions list.

• Go to All apps, then Expenses & Bills, then Expense transactions.
• Find the check in the expense transactions list.
• Select the More actions dropdown.
• Select Void.

QuickBooks keeps the check number on record, drops the amount to $0, and preserves the transaction rather than removing it. This method covers checks, expenses, and bill payment checks. For a bill payment check specifically, voiding it also reopens the associated bill as unpaid, so review your chart of accounts afterward to confirm the balance is correct.

If the check came from Write Checks or the check screen originally, voiding it here updates that same transaction rather than creating a new one. You can confirm the $0 balance afterward by opening your bank account's View register from Chart of Accounts.

How to Void a Payroll Check in QuickBooks Online

Payroll checks follow a separate path:

• Go to All apps, then Payroll, then Employees.
• Select View Paychecks.
• Choose the paycheck, then select the Action dropdown.
• Select Void, confirm, then select Save.

Voiding a payroll check sets the amount to $0 but doesn't cancel a direct deposit or return funds already sent. Tax amounts already withdrawn apply to future payroll runs instead of being refunded. If the paycheck hasn't been sent yet, you may be able to edit or delete it instead.

How to Void a Check in QuickBooks Desktop

Voiding a check in QuickBooks Desktop works through the check register rather than a list view.

• Go to the Banking menu, then select Use Register.
• Choose your bank account, then select OK.
• Find and select the check in the register.
• Go to the Edit menu, then select Void Check.
• Select Record to save the change.

For a bill payment check, go to Lists, then Chart of Accounts, and open your Accounts Payable register. Select the bill payment check, go to the Edit menu, and select Void/Delete Bill/Pmt-Check, then Record.

Voiding a payroll check in Desktop is different. A paycheck already sent through direct deposit needs the Employees menu's Edit/Void Paychecks tool, followed by resending the payroll data so the system cancels it. A paycheck that hasn't been sent yet can typically be edited or deleted directly from the register.

Should You Void or Delete a Check?

Voiding keeps the transaction on your books at $0. The check number stays in your accounting records, which preserves your audit trail and makes it clear why a specific check carries no real dollar amount. This is usually the better call for an uncashed check, an unused check, or one you need to reissue.

Deleting removes the transaction entirely, aside from the audit log. Use it only for genuine duplicates or entries that should never have existed. You can't undo a void, but you can delete a voided check and create a new one to reverse it completely.

Voiding a Check From a Closed or Reconciled Period

Voiding a check in the current period is straightforward. Voiding one from a closed or already-reconciled period is riskier, since it changes a bank account balance you've already reconciled and can throw off a prior month's numbers.

For a check from a past period, a reversing journal entry dated in the current period is usually the safer route instead of voiding the original transaction directly. This keeps your historical reconciliation intact while still zeroing out the check going forward. If you're unsure which fits your situation, loop in your bookkeeper or accountant before making the change.

After You Void a Check

A few small steps keep your records clean: note the reason in the memo field, confirm the check register shows a $0 balance, mark a voided paper check "VOID" across the signature line before filing or destroying it, and include it in your next reconciliation.

Keep Your Bookkeeping Accurate From the Start

Voiding a check is a quick fix, but the fewer checks you need to void, the smoother your bookkeeping stays. Compatible check stock that prints the first time correctly helps avoid the misprints that lead to voided transactions in the first place.

Check Depot's QuickBooks Checks & Forms are guaranteed to work with QuickBooks Online and Desktop, so the fields line up correctly from your first print run. If misalignment is the reason you're voiding checks, our guide on how to align checks in QuickBooks walks through the fix, and our step-by-step guide on how to print checks in QuickBooks Online covers the full setup from starting check number to final print.

Order QuickBooks-compatible business checks from Check Depot, guaranteed to work with your software.

FAQs About Voiding a Check in QuickBooks

How do I void a check in QuickBooks Online?

Go to All apps, then Expenses & Bills, then Expense transactions. Find the check, select the More actions dropdown, then select Void. The check number stays, but the amount changes to $0.

How do I void a payroll check in QuickBooks?

In QuickBooks Online, go to All apps, then Payroll, then Employees, select View Paychecks, and choose Void from the Action dropdown. In Desktop, use Edit/Void Paychecks under the Employees menu for paychecks already sent through direct deposit.

How do I void an uncashed or unused check?

Follow the same voiding steps as a standard check. This keeps a record of the check number without leaving a dollar amount on your books.

Should I void or delete a check in QuickBooks?

Void when you want to keep the transaction and check number on record at $0. Delete only for genuine duplicates or errors, since deleting doesn't preserve the transaction the way voiding does.

Is voiding a payroll check different in QuickBooks Desktop?

Yes. A paycheck already sent through direct deposit needs the Edit/Void Paychecks tool, then resending to Intuit. A paycheck that hasn't been sent yet can typically be edited or deleted from the register instead.

What happens if I void a check from a closed accounting period?

It can change a bank account balance you've already reconciled. A reversing journal entry dated in the current period is usually the safer option for a check from a prior period.