Remove my financial data from Quicken website?

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I was shocked to find that my current financial data including financial institution names and amounts is available on the Quicken website. The site I refer to is Quicken.com (after signing on). I have NEVER consented to this, nor have I ever allowed a "sync" to occur with the data stored on my computer.

How do I go about getting all of this very personal info removed from the Quicken site?

Thanks

Best Answers

  • Ps56k2
    Ps56k2 SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Answer ✓
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    this - ?

    QWin - R54.16 - Win10

  • Boatnmaniac
    Boatnmaniac SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 10 Answer ✓
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    @Frank5 - If the URL you are logging into is app.Quicken.com then you are logging into the Quicken on the Web (QWeb) companion app. There won’t be any information shown there unless you currently have or at one time had the Mobile & Web Sync turn ON.

    The 1st thing you should do if you do not want your data shown in QWeb is in Quicken go to Edit > Preferences > Mobile & Web > Sync = OFF.

    Having Sync turned off will stop new syncing from occurring but it will not delete the data from QWeb. To delete the data from QWeb:

    1. File > New Quicken File > give it a unique name such as TEST > allow Mobile & Web to be turned on > do not add any accounts. You will need to sign in with your Quicken ID and PW.
    2. Edit > Preferences > Quicken ID & Cloud Accounts > Cloud accounts associated with this ID. This will show you all the Cloud Accounts you have which should be 1 for each data file you have.
    3. Click on the Cloud Account for your main data file > Delete > Yes > Delete.
    4. If you have other Cloud Accounts listed that are shown in QWeb but you do not want them shown there, repeat #3 for each of them. Note: Your currently open TEST data file will have an asterisk preceding the Cloud Account name. You will not be able to delete this Cloud Account at this time.

    Your data for these data files should no longer be visible on Quicken on the Web. You can log into QWeb to confirm this.

    Now open your main data file. This will recreate the Cloud Account from scratch but since you had previously made sure that Mobile & Web Sync is turned OFF there should be no syncing of your financial data to the Cloud Account. A couple of comments regarding this:

    • There will be some syncing with the Cloud Account that will occur when Quicken recreates the Cloud Account. It will include the names of your financial institutions but not the financial data. Nor will the names of the financial institutions be synced with QWeb.
    • If you had any accounts that were set up for download via EWC or EWC+, you will need to set up them up for downloading, again. This is because all login information for these two connection types is saved in the Cloud Account and when you deleted the Cloud Account that login information what also deleted.
    • If you decide to set up your EWC and EWC+ accounts for download, again, you should know that not only is your login information going to be saved in the new Cloud Account but all of your financial data for those financial institutions will be downloaded for them and saved on the Intuit/Quicken servers waiting for you to run OSU so it gets downloaded into your data file. But this information will not be saved to QWeb.
    • If you do not want your EWC and EWC+ login information and financial information saved on the Intuit/Quicken servers, then do not set up any accounts with those connections. Instead, use either the DC or WC connections if those financial institutions support them because DC and WC connections save no login and financial information saved on the Cloud Account. Or you can manually manage those accounts.

    At this point, if you wish to, you can delete your TEST data file. This will delete the Cloud Account for that data file. But since you have no accounts set up in that TEST file then it is not really necessary to do this.

    Does this answer your question?

    (Quicken Classic Premier Subscription: R55.26 on Windows 11)

Answers

  • Ps56k2
    Ps56k2 SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
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    do you mean - investing.Quicken.com ?

    QWin - R54.16 - Win10

  • Boatnmaniac
    Boatnmaniac SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 10
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    Or are you referring to app.quicken.com (which is Quicken on the Web)?

    (Quicken Classic Premier Subscription: R55.26 on Windows 11)

  • Frank5
    Frank5 Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 10
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    Hi Ps56k2,

    No, this is not on investing.quicken.com..

  • Ps56k2
    Ps56k2 SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Answer ✓
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    this - ?

    QWin - R54.16 - Win10

  • Frank5
    Frank5 Member ✭✭✭
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    Boatnmaniac,

    Yes, this is actually when I sign on to Quicken Classic from the Quicken home page (apparently, app.quicken.com). I never signed up for or knowingly allowed my financial data to be shared with Quicken or to be published on the Web, even though I need a password to access it. I have always kept my data saved only on my computer. Is there a way to stop/remove this?

    thanks

  • Boatnmaniac
    Boatnmaniac SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 10 Answer ✓
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    @Frank5 - If the URL you are logging into is app.Quicken.com then you are logging into the Quicken on the Web (QWeb) companion app. There won’t be any information shown there unless you currently have or at one time had the Mobile & Web Sync turn ON.

    The 1st thing you should do if you do not want your data shown in QWeb is in Quicken go to Edit > Preferences > Mobile & Web > Sync = OFF.

    Having Sync turned off will stop new syncing from occurring but it will not delete the data from QWeb. To delete the data from QWeb:

    1. File > New Quicken File > give it a unique name such as TEST > allow Mobile & Web to be turned on > do not add any accounts. You will need to sign in with your Quicken ID and PW.
    2. Edit > Preferences > Quicken ID & Cloud Accounts > Cloud accounts associated with this ID. This will show you all the Cloud Accounts you have which should be 1 for each data file you have.
    3. Click on the Cloud Account for your main data file > Delete > Yes > Delete.
    4. If you have other Cloud Accounts listed that are shown in QWeb but you do not want them shown there, repeat #3 for each of them. Note: Your currently open TEST data file will have an asterisk preceding the Cloud Account name. You will not be able to delete this Cloud Account at this time.

    Your data for these data files should no longer be visible on Quicken on the Web. You can log into QWeb to confirm this.

    Now open your main data file. This will recreate the Cloud Account from scratch but since you had previously made sure that Mobile & Web Sync is turned OFF there should be no syncing of your financial data to the Cloud Account. A couple of comments regarding this:

    • There will be some syncing with the Cloud Account that will occur when Quicken recreates the Cloud Account. It will include the names of your financial institutions but not the financial data. Nor will the names of the financial institutions be synced with QWeb.
    • If you had any accounts that were set up for download via EWC or EWC+, you will need to set up them up for downloading, again. This is because all login information for these two connection types is saved in the Cloud Account and when you deleted the Cloud Account that login information what also deleted.
    • If you decide to set up your EWC and EWC+ accounts for download, again, you should know that not only is your login information going to be saved in the new Cloud Account but all of your financial data for those financial institutions will be downloaded for them and saved on the Intuit/Quicken servers waiting for you to run OSU so it gets downloaded into your data file. But this information will not be saved to QWeb.
    • If you do not want your EWC and EWC+ login information and financial information saved on the Intuit/Quicken servers, then do not set up any accounts with those connections. Instead, use either the DC or WC connections if those financial institutions support them because DC and WC connections save no login and financial information saved on the Cloud Account. Or you can manually manage those accounts.

    At this point, if you wish to, you can delete your TEST data file. This will delete the Cloud Account for that data file. But since you have no accounts set up in that TEST file then it is not really necessary to do this.

    Does this answer your question?

    (Quicken Classic Premier Subscription: R55.26 on Windows 11)

  • Frank5
    Frank5 Member ✭✭✭
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    Boatnmaniac,

    First of all thank you so much for your detailed fix for my issue!😁 I don't know if you are affiliated with Quicken, but if you are, please pass on my concerns regarding the storage of financial info online. I have never activated the cloud or the sync function on Quicken and have been using it for many years. The only explanation that I can think of is that an update to Quicken either defaulted to, or turned on, the web sync function. In any case the problem has been corrected, and although my financial data is not currently displayed on Quicken Web, I still see my current data file listed by name in the Profile section of the dashboard. Perhaps this is what you were referring to when you said that "there will be some syncing with the Cloud Account."

    Thanks again for the help, much appreciated

  • Boatnmaniac
    Boatnmaniac SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I am glad that I was able to help you resolve the issue.

    No, I am not a Quicken employee. I am a user, just like you. I started using MS Money back about 1995 and when MS dropped support for Money in 2010 I converted to Quicken. The conversion process for me was pretty smooth because there are a lot of similarities between the two programs.

    It has been messaged to Quicken by me and I believe by others several times that sometimes when the Quicken version is updated it will sometimes cause a change to one or more Preferences. I have not seen that happen for quite a few months now so I hope that issue has been resolved but it has caused me to review my Preferences after every version update. One Preference I have not ever seen changed is Sync being turned ON but that does not mean it could not have been changed.

    I am also concerned that when installing or reinstalling Quicken it will (or at least it used to) default to Sync being turned on if one does not purposely deselect that option during the installation set up process. I think users should instead be required to specifically select the option they wish before the in installation set up process will proceed. That would prevent accidental set up/turn on of Sync.

    Yes, the uploading of the data file(s) names to QWeb is one of the pcs of information that gets uploaded even when Sync is turned off but it's pretty benign because no data from the data file(s) is uploaded unless that data file is set up to Sync with QWeb. It just serves to let the user know which data files are available for Syncing with QWeb.

    (Quicken Classic Premier Subscription: R55.26 on Windows 11)

  • QuickUserPSP
    QuickUserPSP Member, Windows Beta Beta
    edited April 29
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    Even if you delete the Quicken cloud account, it will eventually be recreated when you use online services using EWC or EWC+. Also, even if you turn SYNC to OFF, syncing still occurs. It seems like EWC and EWC+ accounts need to sync to the Quicken cloud in order to create and maintain an online connection.

    The only way to shut off and not need to sync to the Quicken cloud, is to not use a EWC or EWC+ connection for any account. Direct Connect (DC) and Web Connect (WC) do not need to connect to the Quicken cloud to maintain an online connection.

    In my opinion, the best thing to do is to turn SYNC to ON at the options (Preferences) level and turn sync off at the account level. When you do this, syncing can occur uninterrupted, but your accounts will not be visible on Web or Mobile.

  • Boatnmaniac
    Boatnmaniac SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 1
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    @QuickUserPSP -

    In my opinion, the best thing to do is to turn SYNC to ON at the options (Preferences) level and turn sync off at the account level. When you do this, syncing can occur uninterrupted, but your accounts will not be visible on Web or Mobile.

    Interesting concept but that then implies that having the Preference for SYNC OFF impairs Quicken's ability to run OSU for EWC and EWC+ accounts as well as other online services. But I have observed no instance of that having occurred.

    It has been my observation that having the Preference for SYNC turned ON appears to increase the risk of incurring issues with Quicken program performance, OSU/downloads, Cloud Account integrity and account data accuracy/integrity and that turning it OFF can resolve many of these issues or prevent many of them from occurring. It is because of this that I and other Super Users usually recommend having Global preference for SYNC turned ON only if one is using QMobile and/or QWeb and that it should be turned OFF if QMobile and/or QWeb are not used.

    I think we also need to ask why there even is an option to turn of the global Preference to turn SYNC OFF if it is always better to have SYNC turned ON. Wouldn't Quicken instead simply default SYNC to always be ON and remove the OFF option from the Global Preferences if that were the case?

    (Quicken Classic Premier Subscription: R55.26 on Windows 11)

  • QuickUserPSP
    QuickUserPSP Member, Windows Beta Beta
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    @Boatnmaniac sync will always occur for EWC and EWC+ connections no matter if you have SYNC on or off at the global level. I have never had an issue with keeping SYNC on at the global level, but off at the account level. I have verified that doing so, prevents account information from being displayed on Mobil and Web.

    In my opinion, issues occur when users try overzealously try to shut off syncing to the Quicken cloud or delete cloud accounts.

  • Chris_QPW
    Chris_QPW Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 1
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    The benefit I see of turning Sync to mobile on is that you can catch when Quicken sometimes enable syncing for a particular account by looking at how many accounts are being synced. If it is off that information isn't shown. So note that it can sync and show accounts even when the global setting is off when it messes up there is that bug.

    One disadvantage that might be there I have not verified is that your budgets might be synced and show up on the website or the mobile app.

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  • QuickUserPSP
    QuickUserPSP Member, Windows Beta Beta
    edited May 1
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    @Chris_QPW - When the global SYNC is off, but syncing is turned on at the account level, their account balances will show on Mobile and Web, but the graphs and charts will be suppressed on the "home" screen. Yes, it is definitely a bug.

    Your first statement is spot on. If syncing is turn off at the global level, then new accounts can have syncing automatically turned on at the account level, but the user will never know it because syncing is turned off at the global level.

  • QuickUserPSP
    QuickUserPSP Member, Windows Beta Beta
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    And here is the kicker - for EWC and EWC+ accounts, a sync connection always exists and updated every time you do an OSU no matter if you have syncing turned off on the global or account level. That tells me that a sync connection to Quicken cloud is required for EWC and EWC+ connections. You can suppress financial information from showing on Mobile and Web, but you never really can shut off syncing to Quicken cloud if you use EWC or EWC+ for any of your accounts. Accounts using DC or WC do not require this sync connection to Quicken cloud.

  • QuickUserPSP
    QuickUserPSP Member, Windows Beta Beta
    edited May 1
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    Here is a report I found in Quicken that clearly shows a sync connection for one of my accounts that uses EWC even though I have sync turned off at the account level. If I turn off sync at the global level it makes no difference, the sync is still turned on and updated. The only way I can turn off the sync connection is to deactivate online services for the account.

  • Frank5
    Frank5 Member ✭✭✭
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    OP here,

    For me, the bottom line is that it shouldn't be necessary to have any of your personal or financial info online unless you want it there. There should be a clear process to keep this from happening and to remove said data if for some reason it ends up on the Web app. In light of the increasing frequency of identity theft, financial hacks, etc. most (if not all) of us want to limit our exposure so that we don't end up having to deal with a financial nightmare. The down sides of online access to my financial info far out-weigh (at least for me) any benefit.

    Thanks again to BoatnManiac for the help!

  • QuickUserPSP
    QuickUserPSP Member, Windows Beta Beta
    edited May 1
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    @Frank5 - if you decide to keep the SYNC setting to "Off", after you set up new accounts be sure to always turn sync on and double check that the new accounts haven't been added to Web and Mobile and then turn it back off. Even though you have sync turned off globally, accounts still can show up on Web & Mobile if they are selected on the account level.

  • Boatnmaniac
    Boatnmaniac SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Exactly the point I was trying to make. But the basic (non-Mobile/Web) sync connection (with Sync turned OFF) is for more than just the EWC and EWC+ connections. It is what is used to confirm which edition we are subscribed to, our subscription status, which version we are running and if there is a more recent version available, the validity of our license, etc. We don't need Mobile & Web Sync turn ON for all these things. Why add the variable of Mobile & Web Sync being ON when Mobile and Web are not being used? I'm a firm believer that turning on more variables when they are not needed simply increases the risk of more problems.

    (Quicken Classic Premier Subscription: R55.26 on Windows 11)

  • QuickUserPSP
    QuickUserPSP Member, Windows Beta Beta
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    @Boatnmaniac it's up to each user's comfort level. I have found personally that keeping sync on at the global level leads to less connectivity issues. And keeping sync off at the global level doesn't seem to really control whether or not the account shows on Web & Mobile. It is really controlled at the account level.

  • Boatnmaniac
    Boatnmaniac SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 1
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    I certainly agree it's up to each user as to what they want to do with regard to Sync.

    BTW: Here is what I see in QWeb when I log in there.

    1. All Cloud Accounts names for every data file that I have created are visible there. (I have 4 main data files and 8 test data files, each with their own Cloud Account ID and name.)
    2. For the one Cloud Account that I have turned Sync ON and keep it on and have included the accounts in Sync: All accounts and financial data is there. All the data is current.
    3. For the Cloud Accounts that I have at one time or another turned Sync ON and later turned it OFF but have never done a Sync process: All accounts with balances are shown but no transactions data is visible nor accessible. All the data shown is out of date (from the time that Sync was turned OFF).
    4. For the Cloud Accounts that I have never had Sync ON: Only the Cloud Account name is visible. No accounts data and balances are visible at all.

    From my perspective, it is the global Preference alone that controls the basic Sync function for QMobile & QWeb. The accounts level simply defines which specific accounts will have transactions level data included in Sync when Sync is performed.

    It is because of #4 that I tell people who do not want any of their financial data on QWeb or QMobile to always keep the Global preference for Sync turned OFF. The moment it is turned on it seems that some financial data is saved to the Cloud Account for QWeb and QMobile access, even if it is just the names and values of the accounts.

    It is also the reason why I tell people who do not want their financial data on QWeb and QMobile at all to turn off Sync, create a new TEST file and then delete the Cloud Account from there. Open Quicken and set up their EWC and EWC+ connections, again, never turn Sync ON, again. Then only the Cloud Account name will show up in QMobile and QWeb with no financial data at all.

    Now it is also important to note that there still will be all the financial data (along with logins info) for accounts set up with EWC and EWC+ saved on Quicken's and Intuit's servers but none of that saved data is made available to and visible in QMobile nor QWeb. And the only way to eliminate this data on their servers entirely is to deactivate these accounts and never reactivate them with EWC or EWC+, again.

    (Quicken Classic Premier Subscription: R55.26 on Windows 11)

  • Chris_QPW
    Chris_QPW Member ✭✭✭✭
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    If there is one thing I would like people to understand about all of this that when using Express Web Connect or Express Web Connect + there isn't any getting around the fact that their transaction information will be stored on servers. That is how the service works. The only thing that "Sync to Mobile/Web" does is set a "visibility flag". No different than the flag to turn it on or off at the account level.

    I think everyone knows that the "Cloud dataset" is a partial copy of what is in your Quicken Desktop data file. But maybe people don't understand that what is in Quicken Mobile is "even less". And in the case of Quicken Web, other than what the browser might store to show you it, none of it is "there".

    Both the Mobil App and the Website are basically GUIs that connect to the "Quicken Connect Services"/server that is the server for the "Quicken Cloud dataset". And some of this data will also be on Quicken Inc's aggregator's server (Intuit).

    So, if you are worried about a "hack of your data because it is on a remote server", then you shouldn't be using Express Web Connect or Express Web Connect +. The fact that a mobile app or website can access isn't going to be the way a hacker does it, they would be hacking the server.

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