You put a fresh sheet of checks in the printer, click print, and the payee name sits above the line. Or the amount spills into the memo. Or the top check is fine and the two below it slide lower. Check stock isn’t cheap, and every bad print is another check you have to void.
QuickBooks check alignment problems almost always come from one of three places: the check style picked in QuickBooks, the printer’s scaling, or an alignment setting that never saved. Below, we walk through each fix for QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Online and Mac. We also cover the questions people run into after the basic fix, like a memo line that won’t move or an address that hides behind the envelope window.
Key takeaways
- Most QuickBooks check alignment problems are fixed by matching the check style (Voucher, Standard or Wallet) to your stock and printing at 100% scale.
- In QuickBooks Desktop, use File > Printer Setup > Check/PayCheck > Align. In QuickBooks Online, use Print setup on the Print checks screen.
- Always test on plain paper first. Hold it over a real check against a light to see exactly how far off it is.
- If alignment keeps resetting, run QuickBooks as an administrator and reset the QBPrint.qbp file.
What Causes QuickBooks Check Alignment Problems?
QuickBooks check alignment problems are usually caused by a wrong check style, printer scaling below 100%, or a change of printer or driver. Each one shifts the text in a different way, which helps you find the cause quickly.
Here are the usual culprits:
- The wrong check style. If QuickBooks is set to Standard but you load Voucher checks, every field lands in the wrong spot.
- Printer scaling. Options like “Fit to page” or “Shrink oversized pages” squeeze the layout, so text drifts more the further down the page it goes.
- A new printer or driver. Every printer feeds paper a little differently, so settings from your old printer won’t match the new one exactly.
- Printing things that are already on the check. A logo or company address printed on top of preprinted stock can crowd nearby fields.
- PDF and browser settings. QuickBooks Online prints through a PDF, and the browser can resize it without telling you.
- Check stock that isn’t QuickBooks-compatible. Generic checks don’t follow QuickBooks’ layout, so no setting will line them up.
How to Tell Which QuickBooks Check Alignment Problem You Have
Look at a misprinted check and match it to the pattern below. The way the text is off tells you where the fix is.
| What you see on the check | Likely cause | Where to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| All text shifted the same distance up, down, left or right | Offset is off | Fine alignment |
| Text gets smaller or drifts more toward the bottom of the page | Scaling isn’t 100% | Printer or PDF settings |
| Fields land in completely different boxes | Wrong check style | Check style in Printer Setup |
| Only the memo, amount or address is off | Font size or stock layout | Font settings, or new stock |
| Full sheets print fine, single checks don’t | Partial page setting | Partial Page tab |
| Paychecks fine, vendor checks off (or the reverse) | Separate print setups | Align each check type |
| Alignment resets after you close QuickBooks | Setting not saving | Admin rights, QBPrint.qbp |
Test Your QuickBooks Check Alignment on Plain Paper First
The safest way to fix check alignment is to test on plain paper, never on real checks. Print a sample, hold it on top of a blank check against a window or lamp, and see where each field lands.
Use a ruler to measure the gap. If the date sits a quarter inch too high, you’ll know the exact amount to move it. A pencil arrow on the plain sheet showing which edge went into the printer first also saves you from guessing later.
How to Fix QuickBooks Check Alignment in QuickBooks Desktop
These steps work for QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier and Enterprise on Windows. Work through them in order, because the later steps assume the earlier ones are right.
Step 1: Pick the Right Check Style and Printer
- Go to File > Printer Setup.
- In the Form Name list, choose Check/PayCheck.
- On the Settings tab, select the printer you actually use for checks.
- Set Printer type to Page-oriented (Single sheets) for most office printers.
- Under Check Style, choose Voucher, Standard or Wallet to match your stock.
Not sure which style you have? Voucher pages have one check and two stubs. Standard pages have three checks and no stubs. Wallet checks are smaller, with a stub on the left side.
Step 2: Turn Off Anything Already Printed on Your Checks
On the same Settings tab, look at these boxes:
- Print company name and address
- Use logo
- Print Signature Image
If your checks came with your business name or logo printed on them, uncheck the matching option. Printing them twice looks sloppy and can push other text out of place.
Step 3: Use Fine Alignment to Move the Text
- Still in Printer Setup, click Align.
- Choose Fine. Some forms also offer a Coarse option for big shifts, but Fine is what you want for small corrections.
- Click Print Sample and print on plain paper.
- Compare the sample with your blank check.
- Type adjustments in the Vertical and Horizontal boxes. Each unit is 1/100 of an inch, so 25 moves the text about a quarter inch.
- Print another sample and keep adjusting until everything lines up.
- Click OK, then OK again to save.
If you can’t remember which direction a positive number moves the text, change it by 10 and print again. One test answers the question.
[Image: QuickBooks Desktop Fine Alignment window with vertical and horizontal fields — alt=”Fine Alignment window used to fix QuickBooks check alignment problems in Desktop”]
Step 4: Fix Partial Pages and “Checks on 1st Page”
Standard and Wallet checks come three to a sheet, so you’ll often print just one or two. That leftover sheet feeds differently from a full one.
- Go to File > Printer Setup > Check/PayCheck and open the Partial Page tab.
- Choose how your printer takes a single check: Side, Center or Portrait.
- When you print, look at Checks on 1st page in the Print Checks window and set it to the number of checks left on the sheet.
If full sheets print well but partial sheets don’t, one of these two settings is almost always the cause.
How to Fix QuickBooks Check Alignment in QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online builds a PDF of your checks and lets your browser print it. That’s why most Online alignment problems are really scaling problems, not QuickBooks settings.
Step 1: Open Print Setup
- Select + New, then Print checks. In newer layouts, you’ll also find it under Expenses & Bills.
- Click Print setup near the bottom.
- Choose your check type. As Intuit explains, Standard checks come three per page and Voucher checks come one per page with stubs.
- Click View preview and print sample, and print it on plain paper.
Step 2: Adjust the Alignment Grid
- When asked if the sample lines up, select No, continue setup.
- Select No, continue setup a second time. This opens the fine-tuning screen, which many people never reach.
- Drag the grid to match where text printed on your sample, or type vertical and horizontal adjustments.
- Print another sample and repeat.
- Select Finish setup once it lines up.
[Image: QuickBooks Online Print setup screen with the alignment grid — alt=”QuickBooks Online print setup grid for fixing check alignment”]
Step 3: Set the PDF and Browser to Actual Size
Before printing, check the print dialog:
- Scale: 100%. Never “Fit” or “Shrink to fit.”
- Margins: None, if you print from Chrome.
- Paper size: Letter.
- Adobe Reader: Choose Actual size, and keep Reader updated. Intuit’s community team points out that Reader controls how QuickBooks Online checks print.
If the preview looks perfect but the paper copy is smaller, scaling is the cause. Fix it in the print dialog, not the alignment grid.
Fixing QuickBooks Check Alignment on a Mac
Check alignment on a Mac takes a bit more care, because the Mac’s printer driver sits between QuickBooks and the printer.
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac. Alignment is set from the check printing window. Look for the align option, print a sample on plain paper, and adjust. Button names change a little between versions, but the process is the same: sample, compare, adjust, repeat.
Windows QuickBooks on a Mac (Parallels or similar). Users on the Parallels forum report that Fine Alignment changes don’t always pass through to the Mac printer. A workaround that often helps is to print checks to PDF first, then print that PDF from Preview at 100% scale.
Driver orientation settings. One QuickBooks for Mac user found checks shifted 2.5 inches left on partial pages because of how the printer driver handled reversed feeding. If only partial pages are off on a Mac, check the driver’s page orientation options as well as QuickBooks.
When Only the Memo, Amount, Signature or Address Is Off
Sometimes most of the check lines up and one field doesn’t. This usually isn’t an offset problem, because offsets move every field together.
Memo or amount too low. Large fonts push text down. In QuickBooks Desktop, go to File > Printer Setup > Check/PayCheck and click Font to try a smaller size. If the field is still off, the check stock layout may not match QuickBooks.
Payee address hidden by the envelope window. QuickBooks prints whatever is in the Address box on the check. If that box is empty or has extra lines, the address won’t sit in the window. Fill in the vendor’s address and keep it to four lines or fewer.
Signature image overlapping text. If you use Print Signature Image, a large or badly cropped image can spill onto the line or into the amount. Crop the image tightly around the signature and load it again.
Why QuickBooks Check Alignment Won’t Save
If you fix the alignment and it’s wrong again the next day, QuickBooks probably isn’t saving the setting. Try these in order.
- Run QuickBooks as an administrator. Right-click the QuickBooks icon, select Run as administrator, and redo the alignment. Without the right Windows permissions, print settings may not save.
- Reset the QBPrint.qbp file. QuickBooks Desktop keeps printer settings in this file. Close QuickBooks, rename it (for example, QBPrint.qbp.old), reopen QuickBooks and set up the printer again. Our guide on QuickBooks unable to locate PDF viewer shows where to find the file.
- Fix other print errors first. Errors like a missing PDF component or print preview not working point to a broken print engine. Alignment often sorts itself out once those are fixed.
Paychecks Align but Vendor Checks Don’t
This is a common one: payroll checks print perfectly, but vendor checks put the payee name where the amount should be. It happens because payroll and vendor checks often go through different print setups, especially in QuickBooks Online.
The fix is to align each type on its own. Print a sample vendor check, adjust it, and save. Then print a sample paycheck to make sure you didn’t throw that one off. Our guide on how to print paychecks in QuickBooks covers payroll printing in both Desktop and Online.
What to Do With Checks That Printed Misaligned
A misprinted check needs to be handled properly, or your books won’t match the bank.
- Void it, don’t delete it. Voiding keeps the check number in your records with a zero amount.
- Reprint with a new number. When QuickBooks asks whether checks printed correctly, select the ones that didn’t. QuickBooks will let you reprint them.
- Mark and keep the paper copy. Write “VOID” across the misprinted check and file it, so a gap in check numbers is easy to explain.
- Check your reconciliation. A voided check should never show as cleared. If something looks off, see our guide on how to reconcile a bank account in QuickBooks.
How to Prevent QuickBooks Check Alignment Problems
Once checks print straight, a few habits keep them that way:
- Keep one good sample printout taped near the printer to compare against.
- Test on plain paper every time you change printers, drivers or check suppliers.
- Use the same tray and loading direction for every check run.
- Buy check stock labeled as QuickBooks-compatible.
- Store checks flat and dry, because curled paper feeds unevenly.
- Use a laser printer for checks if you can. It holds position better than most inkjets.
When to Get Help With QuickBooks Check Printing
Most QuickBooks check alignment problems take 10 to 15 minutes to fix with the steps above. If your checks still won’t line up, or payroll is due and you can’t risk another bad batch, it’s worth getting a second pair of eyes on it.
The Data Service Solutions team works with QuickBooks printing and payroll setups every day. Visit our QuickBooks payroll support page or contact us, and we’ll help you get your checks printing correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my QuickBooks checks printing too low?
QuickBooks checks usually print too low because the vertical alignment is off or the printer is scaling the page. Set printing to 100% scale first. Then use Fine alignment in Printer Setup on Desktop, or the Print setup grid in Online, to move the text up.
How do I realign checks in QuickBooks Desktop?
Go to File, then Printer Setup, and choose Check/PayCheck as the form name. Click Align, choose Fine, and print a sample on plain paper. Adjust the vertical and horizontal numbers until the text sits correctly, then click OK to save the change.
Why does only the first check on the page line up?
When only the top check lines up, the printer is almost always scaling the page. A small shrink grows into a bigger error toward the bottom of the sheet. Set scale to 100%, turn off fit-to-page options, and print a new sample to confirm.
Can I print checks on blank check stock in QuickBooks?
QuickBooks is built for preprinted checks that already carry your bank details and MICR line. Printing on fully blank stock needs MICR toner and separate check-printing software. Most small businesses find preprinted, QuickBooks-compatible checks simpler, cheaper to set up and more reliable.
Do I need special checks for QuickBooks?
You need checks made to work with QuickBooks. Their layouts match the field positions QuickBooks prints to, in Voucher, Standard or Wallet styles. Generic check stock may never line up properly, however much you adjust the alignment settings in QuickBooks.
Does changing printers affect check alignment?
Yes. Every printer feeds paper slightly differently, so alignment that worked on one printer often needs small changes on another. After switching printers or updating a driver, print a sample on plain paper and adjust it before you use real checks.
What’s the difference between voucher and standard checks?
Voucher checks have one check per page with two stubs for payment details, which suits payroll and bill payments. Standard checks fit three per page with no stubs, so each check costs less. Picking the wrong style in QuickBooks throws off every field.
