How to Void or Delete a Check in QuickBooks Desktop (Guide)

To void a check in QuickBooks Desktop, open it in the register (Banking > Use Register), go to Edit > Void Check, and click Record. To delete, choose Edit > Delete Check instead. Voiding zeroes the amount but keeps the record; deleting removes it entirely.

You wrote a check. Then the vendor called and said, "Actually, don't send it — we'll invoice you next month." Or you printed check #1042 and the printer ate it. Or you entered the wrong amount. Whatever happened, now there's a check in QuickBooks that shouldn't be there.

So — do you void it or delete it? Most people guess. And guessing wrong can quietly mess up your books.

Here's the difference, when to use each one, and exactly how to do both.

Void vs. delete — what’s the difference?

This is the part that matters most:

Voiding changes the check amount to zero, but QuickBooks keeps the record. The check number, payee, and date stay in your books with "VOID" stamped on it. Your audit trail stays intact — anyone reviewing later can see the check existed and was voided.
Deleting removes the check completely, like it never happened. The check number disappears from the register. No trail, no record.

Rule of thumb: Void when you want the paper trail. Delete only when the check was entered by mistake and never existed in the real world — a duplicate entry, a typo'd test, something like that.

For anything that's been printed, sent, or could come up in an audit — void. Always.

Before you start: check two things

1. Has the check cleared the bank?

If the check already cleared your bank account, voiding it in QuickBooks creates a mismatch — QuickBooks says zero, the bank says the money left. In that case, don't void or delete. Instead, enter the returned funds as a deposit and reconcile normally.

2. Is the check part of a reconciled period?

Voiding a check from a period you've already reconciled will throw your reconciliation off. You'll need to re-reconcile or make an adjusting entry. If it's a prior closed period, consider voiding with the current date and adjusting instead.

How to void or delete a check, step by step

Step 1: Open the check register

Go to the Banking menu at the top.
Select Use Register.
Choose the bank account the check was written from, and click OK.
Your check register opens, showing every check written from that account.

Step 2: Find the check

Scroll through the register to find the check you need to change.
Double-click it to open the check in its full window.
Take a second to confirm it's the right one — check number, payee, amount. Wrong check, wrong fix.

Step 3: Void the check

With the check open, go to the Edit menu at the top.
Select Void Check.
QuickBooks sets the amount to zero and stamps "VOID" in the memo.
Click Save & Close (or Record).
Confirm the change when QuickBooks asks. Done — the check is voided but still visible in your register with a zero balance.

Step 4 (alternative): Delete the check

With the check open, go to the Edit menu.
Select Delete Check.
QuickBooks will warn you that the check will be removed permanently. Confirm only if you're sure — there's no undo.
The check disappears from the register entirely.

What about bill payment checks?

Checks written through Vendors > Pay Bills work a little differently:

Open the bill payment check (find it in the vendor's transaction history or through Banking > Use Register).
Go to Edit, then Delete Bill/Bill Pmt-Check.
From the dropdown, choose Void to void it or Delete to delete it.
Click Save & Close and confirm.

Important: deleting a bill payment check returns the bill to an *unpaid* status in QuickBooks. That's correct behavior — the bill still needs paying — but make sure you actually mean to do that before confirming.

Common mistakes to avoid

Deleting instead of voiding. Deletions leave no audit trail. If the check was printed, mailed, or might matter later, void it. Deleting is for pure data-entry mistakes.
Voiding a cleared check. If the money actually left your account, voiding creates a phantom discrepancy. Record the returned funds as a deposit instead.
Forgetting the bill goes back to unpaid. When you void or delete a bill payment check, the bill it paid becomes open again. If you don't reissue payment, you'll miss it — and so will your vendor.
Changing checks in a reconciled period. This silently breaks your reconciliation. If you must do it, re-reconcile that period afterward so your books still tie to the bank.
Voiding instead of issuing a stop payment. QuickBooks doesn't tell your bank anything. If a lost check is floating around out there, voiding in QuickBooks is only half the job — call your bank and stop the payment too.

Conclusion!

That brings us to the end of this guide on voiding or deleting a check in QuickBooks Desktop. We hope the steps explained above helped you cancel checks the right way — without wrecking your audit trail or your reconciliation. If you run into any difficulty while following the steps, consider consulting a qualified and experienced QuickBooks professional for further assistance.

FAQs

Can I un-void a check if I voided the wrong one?

Not with one click — there's no "un-void" button. You'll need to re-enter the check with the original details (date, amount, payee, check number). Check your audit trail report (Reports > Accountant & Taxes > Audit Trail) to find exactly what the original check looked like.

Does voiding a check affect my reports?

A voided check has a zero amount, so it doesn't affect your profit and loss or balance sheet. But it does stay visible in check registers and on some reports, which is the point — the record remains.

What’s the difference between voiding a check and a stop payment?

Voiding is a QuickBooks bookkeeping action — it zeroes the check in your records. A stop payment is a bank action — it tells the bank not to honor the check. They do different things. For a lost check, you usually need both.

Should I void or delete a check that was never printed?

If the check was never printed, never sent, and entered by mistake (a duplicate, a wrong test entry), deleting is fine. But when in doubt, void. The audit trail costs you nothing and saves you headaches.

What happens to the check number when I delete a check?

The number disappears from the sequence, leaving a gap. That's another reason voiding is usually better — a voided check keeps its number in the register, so your check sequence stays complete and traceable. Gaps in check numbers are exactly the kind of thing that raises questions during an audit.

How to Void or Delete a Check in QuickBooks Desktop