How to Stop QuickBooks Desktop Accountant from Resetting Check Alignment Settings Every Time You Log In?

Highlights (Key Facts & Solutions)

• Root Cause: Check alignment resets are caused by corruption in the QBPrint.qbp file or the lack of Admin permissions preventing QuickBooks from saving margin changes.
• Primary Fix (Permissions): Users must Run QuickBooks as an Administrator to grant the application necessary write privileges to save the configuration settings persistently .
• Primary Fix (Corruption): If permissions are not the issue, close QuickBooks, locate the QBPrint.qbp file in the C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks path, and rename it to QBPrint.old to force a clean file regeneration.
• Mismatched Drivers: An outdated or incompatible printer driver can interfere with how QuickBooks applies precise margin data, causing the alignment to be ignored or reset.
• Multi-User Check: If only one user experiences the reset, the issue is local to that user’s Windows profile settings or individual QuickBooks preferences.
• Best Practice: Avoid changing check alignment settings while using QuickBooks in hosted mode or via remote desktop, as network latency often prevents the changes from saving correctly.
• Essential File: The QBPrint.qbp file is solely responsible for storing all check margins, form settings, and printer preferences.

Hi Donna, you’re not the only one facing this frustrating issue. Many QuickBooks Desktop Accountant users find that even after aligning their checks perfectly, top margins, signature lines, and spacing, the settings reset every time they log out and back in.

Instead of saving your check alignment preferences, QuickBooks reverts to its default layout. This leads to misaligned prints, cut-off fields, and wasted check stock, affecting your ability to issue clean, professional payments.

If you’ve already:

• Used the Check/Paycheck Printer Setup multiple times
• Printed successful test checks
• Verified printer settings and admin permissions

Even after trying several methods, you still lose the check alignment settings, which disappear in QuickBooks Desktop Accountant.

Let’s break down why QuickBooks Desktop doesn’t retain your check alignment and what you can do to fix it permanently, so you don’t have to realign checks every day.

Why Does QuickBooks Desktop Keep Resetting Check Alignment?

This issue typically happens due to one or more of the following:

Common Causes for Check Alignment Reset
Cause	Description
Corrupted QBPrint.qbp File	This file saves QuickBooks printer and alignment preferences. If it’s damaged or overwritten, alignment settings reset when QuickBooks is closed and reopened.
Insufficient Admin Permissions	Without full administrator rights, QuickBooks may not have permission to write changes to system configuration files, causing alignment settings to be lost.
User-Specific Profile Settings	Check alignment may be saved per QuickBooks or Windows user profile. If you switch users or devices, the settings may revert to default for that profile.
Outdated or Mismatched Printer Driver	An incompatible or outdated driver may prevent QuickBooks from properly applying saved alignment margins, causing misprints or ignored formatting changes.

How to Permanently Save Check Alignment in QuickBooks Desktop Accountant?

The following steps target these issues so QuickBooks can save your alignment settings properly, no more daily recalibrations or wasted checks.

Step 1: Run QuickBooks as Administrator

• Close QuickBooks completely.
• Click the QuickBooks Desktop icon.
• Select Run as Administrator.
• Log in and realign the check using File > Printer Setup > Check/Paycheck.
• Print a test check and confirm alignment.
• Log out and log back in to verify it saved.

Note: Admin access is required to write printer config settings to the QBPrint.qbp file.

Step 2: Delete and Regenerate the QBPrint.qbp File

If your alignment keeps resetting despite admin access, your printer configuration file can be corrupted.

To fix it:

• Close QuickBooks.
• Go to:
  C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks 
• Locate and rename the file QBPrint.qbp to QBPrint.old.
• Reopen QuickBooks.

A fresh QBPrint.qbp file will be auto-created.

• Now, go to File > Printer Setup > Check/Paycheck.
• Realign and test print your checks.
• Log out, log back in, and test again.

Step 3: Set Default Printer and Check Compatibility

• Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
• Make sure the correct printer (used for checks) is set as default.
• Click on Properties > Advanced
• Confirm the latest driver is installed.
• Avoid using “virtual printers” (like PDF tools) for check setup.

Note: Using an outdated or mismatched driver can interfere with how QuickBooks applies margin shifts or paper settings.

Step 4: Check If Alignment Resets for All Users

If you’re in a multi-user environment, test alignment across:

• Admin account
• Standard user account
• Another Windows profile

If alignment resets only for one user:

• That user’s QuickBooks preferences or Windows printer mapping needs to be reset.
• Try creating a new Windows user profile as a workaround.

Best Practices to Prevent Alignment Reset in Future

• Always run QuickBooks as admin when changing printer settings.
• Avoid changing check alignment while running QuickBooks in hosted mode or remote desktop.
• Print checks from a single workstation to avoid printer mapping conflicts.
• Back up the QBPrint.qbp file after a successful setup.

FAQs

1. What is the specific file that stores my check alignment and printer settings in QuickBooks Desktop?

The specific file responsible for saving your printer, check alignment, and form settings in QuickBooks Desktop is the QBPrint.qbp file.

This file is crucial because:

• Stores Margins: It saves the exact margin shifts you set for check alignment.
• Holds Printer Preferences: It retains settings for all forms, including invoices and paychecks, specific to your connected printer.
• Corrupts Easily: If the file becomes corrupted or if QuickBooks lacks permission to write to it, your alignment settings will revert to default upon closing the program.

The file is located in the hidden Windows ProgramData folder under the QuickBooks installation path.

2. Why does running QuickBooks as an Administrator fix the check alignment reset issue?

Running QuickBooks Desktop as an Administrator is often the simplest fix because the application needs elevated write permissions to save changes to system configuration files.

When you run QuickBooks as Admin:

• Permission Granted: You grant the application the necessary rights to modify and update the QBPrint.qbp file located in the restricted ProgramData folder.
• Settings Persist: Once QuickBooks has saved the new alignment margins with Admin privileges, the settings are retained and will load correctly in subsequent standard sessions.

3. What is the exact file path where I can locate and rename the corrupted QBPrint.qbp file?

If your check alignment continually resets, the QBPrint.qbp file is likely corrupted and must be reset by renaming it.

The file is typically found in the following path:

• C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks

When you locate the file, you must:

• Close QuickBooks: Ensure the program is completely closed before attempting to rename the file.
• Rename: Change the file name from QBPrint.qbp to QBPrint.old.
• Auto-Creation: The next time you open QuickBooks, the program will automatically generate a clean, new QBPrint.qbp file, resolving the corruption.

4. How can a mismatched printer driver cause my check alignment to keep resetting in QuickBooks?

An outdated or mismatched printer driver can interfere with how QuickBooks applies and reads precise margin shifts, causing the alignment to reset or be ignored.

The interference occurs because:

• Configuration Conflict: QuickBooks sends specific paper and margin data to the Windows printing system, expecting the printer driver to interpret it precisely.
• Mismatched Data: An old driver may use an incompatible printing language or margin model that does not align with QuickBooks’s saved settings, forcing the application to default to an inaccurate standard.
• Virtual Printer Issue: The problem is often exacerbated if you accidentally use a virtual printer (like a PDF tool) as the default during the alignment setup, as these lack physical paper margin capabilities.

5. What are the common causes for check alignment settings to reset in QuickBooks Desktop?

The recurring reset of check alignment settings is typically a consequence of the application being unable to save or retrieve the custom data correctly.

The most common causes include:

• Corrupted QBPrint.qbp File: The file that stores printer and alignment preferences is damaged or corrupted.
• Insufficient Admin Permissions: QuickBooks lacks the necessary administrator rights to write or save changes to its configuration files in the ProgramData folder.
• User-Specific Profile Settings: Alignment is sometimes saved per user profile; switching users or Windows profiles can cause settings to revert to the default.
• Outdated Printer Driver: An incompatible or outdated driver prevents QuickBooks from accurately applying and saving custom margin shifts.

6. If I am in a multi-user environment, what troubleshooting steps should I take if only one user is experiencing the alignment reset?

If the check alignment resets for only one user, the issue is localized to that specific user’s environment, not the company file itself.

The necessary troubleshooting steps should focus on the individual user’s setup:

• Run as Admin (User): The affected user must try running QuickBooks as an Administrator to ensure they can write the settings.
• Test Windows Profile: Have the user log into their Windows profile and try printing; if it fails, have them log into a different Windows profile and try again to isolate the issue to their specific profile settings.
• Reset User Preferences: The alignment preferences within QuickBooks may need to be cleared for that single user.
• Create New Profile (Workaround): If the issue persists, the most reliable workaround is to create a new, clean Windows user profile and run QuickBooks from there.

7. Besides running as Admin and deleting the file, what is a key best practice to prevent alignment resets in the future?

A key best practice is to maintain printing consistency by avoiding changes to the printing environment while QuickBooks is active or used in certain modes.

Specifically, you should:

• Avoid Remote Changes: Avoid changing check alignment while running QuickBooks in hosted mode or via a remote desktop connection, as network latency can prevent the settings from saving correctly.
• Print from Single Workstation: Whenever possible, use a single, dedicated workstation for check printing to eliminate conflicts caused by constantly switching printer mappings across multiple network devices.
• Back up Configuration: Back up the QBPrint.qbp file after a successful alignment setup, allowing for an easy restore if the file is corrupted later.

Disclaimer: The information outlined above for “How to Stop QuickBooks Desktop Accountant from Resetting Check Alignment Settings Every Time You Log In?” is applicable to all supported versions, including QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, Accountant, and Enterprise. It is designed to work with operating systems such as Windows 7, 10, and 11, as well as macOS.