Easy Tech TutsHow to Print Single Check from QuickBooks Online Easily 2026
By Impran M NLast checked against official docs
QuickBooks Online prints checks from a queue. You write the check, mark it to print, and then print whatever you tick in the queue, which can be a single check.
There's no separate single-check mode to find. This guide walks through writing the check, the one-time alignment setup that keeps the amount inside the right box, and the confirmation screen at the end. That last screen matters more than it looks: telling QuickBooks a check printed badly is how it keeps the check in the queue and the numbering straight.
Before you start
- Printable check stock: standard (three checks per page) or voucher (one check per page with stubs)
- Adobe Reader installed and set as your browser's PDF viewer, which Intuit lists as a requirement for check printing
- A few sheets of plain paper for the alignment test, so you don't waste real checks
01Start a new check
Click + Create at the top of the left rail and choose Check from the Vendors column. The same column also lists Print checks, which opens the print queue for checks you've already written, not a blank check.
For a new payment, start with Check. Intuit's current help pages reach the queue through All apps → Expenses & Bills → Expense transactions → Print checks. The Create menu route in the recording still leads to the same place.
02Fill in payee, account, category and amount
Pick the Payee. If a mailing address is on file it fills in automatically, and that's the address that shows through a windowed envelope.
Choose the Bank Account the money comes from; its balance appears beside the dropdown. Set the Payment date.
In the table below, choose a Category for the account the payment posts to and enter the Amount. Add a Description if the category alone won't explain it later.
The Total at the bottom should match the large amount at the top right. If they differ, a line is wrong.
03Tick Print later
Tick Print later under Check no. The number field changes to "To print", which means QuickBooks assigns the number when the check comes out of the printer.
If you type a number yourself and leave Print later unticked, the check won't appear in the print queue. From here, click Print check at the bottom of the form to print straight away, or Save and close to leave it in the queue and print later.
04Run the alignment setup the first time
Before the first real check, open Print checks and select Print setup. Choose voucher or standard to match your stock, then View preview and print sample, and print it on plain paper.
Hold the sample over a blank check against a light. If the text doesn't sit in the boxes, select No, continue setup twice, then drag the grid (or adjust it manually) to line up with your sample. Print again and repeat until it fits, then click Finish setup.
05Print the one check
In the print window, make sure the bank account dropdown shows the account you wrote the check from. In Starting check number, enter the number printed on the first check loaded in your printer.
Tick only the check you want and click Preview and print, then Print. When QuickBooks asks how it went, answer honestly.
Yes, they all printed correctly removes the check from the queue with that number. Some checks need reprinting asks for the first check number that needs fixing and keeps it in the queue, so you can load a new check and print again. Click Done to finish.
When it doesn't work
The check isn't in the Print checks list
Why: Either Print later wasn't ticked when the check was saved, or the Print checks window is showing a different bank account.
Fix: Switch the account dropdown to the right bank account. If it's still missing, open the check from Expense transactions, tick Print later and save.
Text prints outside the boxes on the check
Why: The alignment hasn't been set for this printer and stock, or the PDF viewer or printer driver is scaling the page.
Fix: Rerun Print setup and adjust the grid. If it's still off, Intuit suggests checking the print scale settings in Adobe Reader or your printer's driver.
The printer jammed or the check came out damaged
Why: A physical misprint that QuickBooks has no way to detect on its own.
Fix: At the confirmation prompt, choose Some checks need reprinting and enter that check's number. It stays in the queue for a fresh check.
Frequently asked questions
Can I print just one check without printing everything in the queue?
Yes. Tick only that check in the print window before you click Preview and print. Unticked checks stay in the queue.
What's the difference between Check and Print checks in the Create menu?
Check opens a blank check to write a new payment. Print checks opens the print queue, where checks already saved with Print later ticked wait to be printed.
Standard or voucher checks: which do I need?
Match whatever stock you bought. Standard stock has three checks per page; voucher stock has one check per page plus stubs. You pick the type during Print setup.
Where does the check number come from?
From the Starting check number you enter in the print window, which should match the number on the first check in your printer. That's why the form shows "To print" until then.
Sources and last check
The Create menu and check form come from the original screen recording. The print queue, alignment setup, Starting check number and reprint confirmation were re-checked against Intuit's official QuickBooks Online help articles in September 2026. That check corrected the earlier advice to start from Print checks (it opens the queue, not a new check) and added the alignment and confirmation steps.
About the author
Impran M N
I've been hooked on technology for as long as I can remember — especially the new tools and AI apps that seem to land every other week. Easy Tech Tuts is where I write up whatever I've just worked out: I do the task in the real product, record the screen, and turn it into the guide I wish I'd found first.
