To update your company name in QuickBooks Online, select Settings, then select Account and settings, and then select Company. In QuickBooks Desktop, select Company > My Company > Edit to edit your business information. Renaming the actual .QBW company file for QuickBooks Desktop is a different process.
Scroll down to select the name you would like to change. Your legal name, company name and company file name are not all the same. They are all different, and changing one does not change the others.
Which Company Name Do You Want to Change?
There are separate fields for your company name, the legal name of your business and the company file name in QuickBooks. Choose whichever is most appropriate for you in order to advance to the corresponding pages.
| What you want to change | Where to make the change |
| Company name in QuickBooks Online | Go to Settings, then Account and settings, then Company. Select Edit in the Company name field. |
| Legal business name in QuickBooks Online | Go to Settings, then Account and settings, and then Company. For Company name, enter the legal name. |
| Business or legal information in QuickBooks Desktop | Go to Company > In My Company, edit these fields in the Contact Information or Legal Information sections. |
| QuickBooks Desktop company file name (.QBW) | In Windows File Explorer, find the company file and rename it. |
| Business name linked to your Intuit Account | Verify your business information in your Intuit Account. You may need to call Intuit Support for some of these changes. |
| Company name used by QuickBooks Payroll | Look up the name change for your specific version of QuickBooks Payroll. |
| Different names for separate business locations | If you track by location, check your location preferences and any sales forms that are customer-facing in QuickBooks Online. |
Company Name vs Legal Name vs Company File Name
QuickBooks refers to your business, official records, and company file using slightly different terminology.
- Company Name: The name your business is known as in QuickBooks. It may be found on invoices and other sales documents.
- Legal Business Name: The official name filed with the government. You could possibly need it for taxes and other formal documents.
- DBA or Trading Name: A business name that you operate or market your business under that is different from your legal name.
- Company File Name (.QBW): The name of the file that contains your QuickBooks Desktop company data. This does not change the name of your business.
- Intuit Account Business Name: The business name associated with your Intuit account or subscription. If you have changed your company name in QuickBooks, this may not be reflected in the system.
Why It is Important to Change the Company Name in QuickBooks for Legal Purposes?
Your clients can identify you via your company name. Spotting any spelling issues can leave a wrong impression on your customers. There can be other reasons why some users wish to rename the organization in QuickBooks.
- Users may need to alter the name of the company to rectify the wrong name that was added when the company was set up.
- If the company name was edited, you would need to show that change in the company file too.
- Spelling issues can also be one reason.
- After condensing a file in the accounting software, you need to alter the name to access the historical information very conveniently.
How to Change Company Name in QuickBooks Online
To update your company name in QuickBooks Online, go to Settings > Account and settings > Company. To change the QuickBooks Online company name that appears in your company information, do the following.
- Log in to QuickBooks Online.
- Tap Settings (gear icon) in the upper right corner.
- Select Account and settings.
- Click on the Company tab.
- Locate Company name and select Edit.
- Type your new company name in the Company name field.
- Verify the Legal name field. Only update it if there has been a change to the registered legal name of your business.
- Select Save, and then select Done.
How to Change Company Name in QuickBooks Desktop
To change QuickBooks Desktop company name, back it up, find the file location using Windows File Explorer, and rename it there.
Step 1: Back Up Your Company File
Make sure to back it up before renaming it. This backs up your accounting data if something goes wrong.
Step 2: Find Your Company File
- Launch QuickBooks Desktop and open your company file.
- Press F2 or Ctrl + 1 on the keyboard to open the Product Information window.
- Find the section labeled File Information.
- Know where your company file folder is.
Step 3: Rename the File
- Open the Start menu and search for File Explorer.
- Go to the folder.
- Locate your QuickBooks company file. It’s most likely called [CompanyName].qbw, or [CompanyName], if you’re on Windows.
- Right-click the file and select Rename.
- Type the new name, and then press Return.
- If you want to make the change, select Yes.
Step 4: Open the Renamed File in QuickBooks
- Launch QuickBooks Desktop.
- Choose File, and then Open or Restore Company.
- Choose Open a company file and choose Next.
- Locate and open the renamed company file.
- Click Open.
Related Topic– Set up Company Information in QuickBooks Online
How to Change Company Name in QuickBooks Self-Employed?
There can be a mistake in the company name on the invoice that was not identified before and now you need to rectify it. To edit the name of the company in QuickBooks self-employed for a particular invoice, follow the steps given below:
- Log in to the QuickBooks Self-Employed.
- Now click the Intuit Account tab. The Intuit Account Manager must open.
- Click the Sign-in and Security button.
- Select the Email Address, Password, and User ID section.
- Now alter the business name.
- Click on Save once you have changed it.
- Now, go out of the QuickBooks Self Employed account and log out.
- Now log in once you have refreshed.
The name of the company for your account must be updated. By following the steps given below you can change the name on the invoice:
- Press on Invoices in the particular QuickBooks Self Employed menu.
- Now the particular invoice gets opened.
- Now, choose the Edit feature.
- Press the Edit Work info option.
- The name has to be edited.
- Now navigate to Save in the last step.
Should You Edit the Existing Company or Create a New One?
If you have an existing QuickBooks company and are only changing your name, you will need to edit your existing company. If you need different books for a different business, open a new company.
| Your situation | What you should do |
| You misspelled your company name. | Correct the name in your current QuickBooks company. |
| You changed your business name for branding, but it is the same business. | Change the name on your old company. |
| You began using a DBA or trading name. | Update the customer-facing forms and include the correct company details. |
| The entity that is your business may have had a legal name change, but it is still the same business. | Update the legal name and check to see if you need to update Payroll, Payments, and tax records. |
| You started a new legal business with a different EIN. | Consider creating a separate QuickBooks company to keep the business records separate. |
| Your business merged with or acquired another business. | Before doing anything, ask your accountant what to do with these records. |
Do You Use QuickBooks Payroll or Payments?
QuickBooks Payroll and Payments may require separate business information updates after a company name change.
QuickBooks Payroll
If you use QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, you’ll want to follow the name change process for Payroll. If you have Payroll Basic or Enhanced, you might need to change the information in your Intuit Account before making any changes in QuickBooks. Assisted Payroll users may need to contact Intuit Support for help.
QuickBooks Payments
If you receive payments through QuickBooks Payments, check your business information in the Payments settings. If there is still some record using the old name, change it out one by one.
QuickBooks Company Name vs Intuit Account Name
Your QuickBooks company name is different from the Intuit Account business name.
- QuickBooks Company Name: The name used in your QuickBooks company file. Change it in QuickBooks.
- Intuit Account Business Name: The business name for your Intuit account or subscription. You may have to upgrade it on your own.
- Personal Intuit Account Name: Your individual account name. This does not change the name of your QuickBooks company.
What to Update After Changing Your Company Name
Once you change a legal name in QuickBooks, be sure to update your invoices and sales forms.
Invoices and sales forms:
Ask for a sample invoice and check for the company name, logo and business address on it.
Email messages
Check the name and contact details in emails for invoices as well as default sales messages.
Business locations
If you use location tracking in QuickBooks Online, check sales form names for your different locations.
QuickBooks Payments
Ensure that your business name is displayed correctly in your payment settings.
QuickBooks Payroll
Check Payroll records for correct information (business name, business address).
Related topic– Change User Mode of QuickBooks Company File?
Why Can’t I Change My Company Name?
If there is something that needs to be addressed with your account access or your business information, your company name may not change in QuickBooks.
- Log in with an account that can edit company settings.
- Ensure that QuickBooks Payments doesn’t require you to update your business details first.
- Determine if your QuickBooks Payroll service needs a separate business information update.
- If you are unable to edit the legal name or EIN field because it says you need to verify it, contact Intuit Support.
- If your company name does not save, look for unsupported special characters.
In QuickBooks Online, go to Settings > Account and settings > Company. In QuickBooks Desktop, open Company > My Company and edit your business information. If you also want to rename your QuickBooks Desktop company file, follow the separate file-renaming process and create a backup first.
After making the changes, review your invoices, sales forms, email messages, Payroll, and Payments settings. If your business has a new legal identity or EIN, consult your accountant before deciding whether to create a separate QuickBooks company.
Accounting Professionals, CPA, Enterprises, Owners
Looking for a professional expert to get the right assistance for your problems? Here, we have a team of professional and experienced team members to fix your technical, functional, data transfer, installation, update, upgrade, or data migrations errors. We are here at Dancing Numbers available to assist you with all your queries. To fix these queries you can get in touch with us via a toll-free number
+1-800-596-0806 or chat with experts.
Frequently Asked Questions
In QuickBooks Desktop, to edit the company name, choose Company > My Company > Edit to add your business information.
To change the company name in QuickBooks Online, go to Settings > Account and settings > Company. If you want to rename it, select Edit alongside Company name, enter a new name, and then select Save > Done.
The Company name is your business name in QuickBooks. The legal name is the name your business is registered under.
No. Renaming the company does not rename the .QBW file in QuickBooks Desktop. You have to rename the file separately.
Your new name could appear on invoices with your new business information. Create one test invoice for you to check before sending them to customers.
Yes, you may need to separately update your business information in Payroll. The steps depend on which Payroll plan you’re using.
Ask your accountant if you need a separate QuickBooks company in order to keep records for the new tax identity separate.
