To locate QuickBooks Desktop settings, open the Preferences window by navigating to the top menu bar, clicking "Edit," and then selecting "Preferences" from the dropdown menu. This is the direct and only path for QuickBooks Desktop settings, and there is no gear icon in the upper right corner as seen in QuickBooks Online.
Where to find quickbooks desktop settings: the Edit menu
The primary location for all QuickBooks Desktop settings is the Preferences window. You access this window through the Edit menu on the top menu bar. This is a critical distinction from QuickBooks Online, which uses a gear icon in the upper right corner. In QuickBooks Desktop, no such gear icon exists for accessing settings. The Edit > Preferences path is the equivalent of that gear icon and is the only way to configure your software's behavior, including setting up bank feeds to automatically import credit card transactions into quickbooks desktop.
How to open Preferences in QuickBooks Desktop for Windows
Follow these steps to open the Preferences window on a Windows computer:
- Launch QuickBooks Desktop on your computer.
- Open your company file.
- Look at the top menu bar and click the "Edit" tab.
- From the dropdown menu that appears, select "Preferences."
- The Preferences window will open, displaying a list of categories on the left side.
Accessing settings on QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
For QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, the menu path is different. Instead of clicking Edit, you select "QuickBooks" from the menu bar at the top of your screen, and then choose "Preferences." This opens the same Preferences window where you can configure all your settings.
What you can configure in the Preferences window
The Preferences window is organized into categories on the left side. Each category contains settings that control specific areas of the software. Key categories include:
- Company Preferences: Controls overall company file settings, including defaults for inventory, sales tax, time tracking, and multiple currencies.
- Desktop View: Allows you to modify what is displayed on the QuickBooks Desktop home screen, including the icon bar, toolbar, and home page layout.
- Payroll & Employees: Configures payroll tax preferences, employee defaults, and payroll item lists.
- Banking: Manages bank feeds, bank reconciliation, and online banking transaction settings.
- Sales & Customers: Customizes sales forms like invoices and estimates, default payment terms, and sales tax settings.
- Expenses & Vendors: Manages bills, purchase orders, vendor-specific settings, and 1099 tracking.
- Reports & Graphs: Adjusts how reports and graphs are generated, including default date ranges, fonts, and memorized report behavior.
- Time & Expenses: Sets preferences for time tracking formats, billing rate levels, and expense recording.
- Accounting: Configures chart of accounts, budgeting, and advanced accounting features like class tracking and multi-currency.
Each category contains specific settings you can customize. To make changes, select the desired option and click "OK" or "Save" to apply them. Not all settings are available to every user; access depends on your user role and permissions.
Managing user permissions and roles separately
User permissions and roles are not managed within the Preferences window. To control who can access your company file and what they can do, navigate to the top menu bar and select "Company," then "Users," and finally "Setup Users and Roles." This opens a separate window where you can create new users, assign roles, and set specific access rights for each user.
Why you can't find a gear icon in QuickBooks Desktop
The confusion between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online is common. QuickBooks Online prominently features a gear icon in the upper right corner as the main access point for settings and tools. QuickBooks Desktop, however, does not have this icon. The equivalent function is the Edit > Preferences menu path. Some sources mention a gear icon in certain QuickBooks Desktop versions (like 2022 or Pro 2019) used to switch between Business and Accountant views, but this is not the settings menu. An Intuit Community post explicitly confirms there is "not a setting icon in the top right on the 2020 desktop version" and directs users to Edit > Preferences for all settings. Always use the Edit menu to find QuickBooks Desktop settings.
