Why does Quicken keep deactivating all my online accounts?

Jay Gourley

Twice in the last week, Quicken has deactivated all my online accounts. I have several. It takes about a half-hour to reconnect all of them. What's changed? What am I doing wrong? I've used Quicken for years. I've had situations in the past where an account needed to be deactivated and reactivated. But I've never encountered a situation where Quicken, for no obvious reason, deactivates all accounts.

[Deleted User]

@Jay Gourley do you open your Quicken data file in multiple computers? There have been other users reporting this issue. When they open their file in one computer, it disconnects in the other.

Jay Gourley

Thanks, CaliQkn. Yes, I fall into that category. Thanks for narrowing the issue. It does not completely resolve it though.

I am careful to ensure Quicken is closed on each computer and its files are fully synchronized in the cloud (OneDrive in my case) before starting Quicken in another computer. If the problem was carelessness on my part (I'm human), then it's my fault. If the files were fully synchronized when the problem occurred, then there is a problem with Quicken.

I suspect the latter. Both times this happened, Quicken on opening had displayed an erroneous window showing that it was syncing with its mobile features. I should never see that windows. I have those features disabled in my settings. After seeing that and after doing a one-step update is when I was notified that Quicken could no longer synchronize my online accounts. The only time I received that bogus syncing notice was when Quicken deactivated all my online accounts.

So, based on your information that this is being reported by people who use multiple computers, it is my current theory that that this problem is related to a bug in the mobile syncing part of Quicken's code. Quicken may be using flags set in its cloud for users who have the mobile features disabled. Or it may be setting flags outside its resident folder in sections of the Windows file structure that are not being synced with the cloud. If either of those dumb things are being done in the code, it's sure to cause lots of problems more serious than the one I've observed here for lots of users other than me.

[Deleted User]

@Jay Gourley a couple of things that may help your situation -

1. With OneDrive, do you use the setting "Always keep on this device" for files and folder in your OneDrive Folder? If not, this might help you with with your sync issues. The "Always keep on this device" option in OneDrive ensures that selected files or folders are permanently stored on your device, making them accessible offline. Normally, OneDrive uses Files On-Demand, meaning files appear in File Explorer but don’t take up space until you open them. When you enable "Always keep on this device," OneDrive downloads the file and keeps it stored locally, even when you're offline.
2. Syncing with the Quicken Cloud is necessary to maintain EWC and EWC+ connections. No matter if you have sync turned off, it still works in the background for these connections. If you try to totally disconnect from the Quicken Cloud, you probably will disrupt and disconnect the account links with your FIs. If you are concerned about having your account data available on Moble or Web, I think the best thing to do is make sure to turn off syncing at the account level. I think if you do that, it doesn't matter if you have sync turned on at the Preferences setting level.

To turn off syncing at the account level, go to the Mobile & Web tab and turn SYNC to ON. Go the Account tile and click on the yellow/orange link that indicates how many accounts are being synced. On the next screen select "None" at the bottom of the screen, then click "Done". All your accounts should be now unavailable on Mobile and Web.

You can then turn SYNC back to OFF if you wish. But again, I don't think it makes much difference because sync still needs to happen in the background for EWC and EWC+ connections. As long as you turn off syncing at the account level, your accounts are not accessible on Web and Mobile.

Jay Gourley

Thanks, CaliQkn. There is some good information in your last post. None of it applies to my issue though.

Regarding your no. 1. I'm familiar with the basics of OneDrive. What you wrote is technically true but contains a dangerous implication. Even if a user has folders set to remain synchronized in background, he must still be aware of the state of that synchronization, and the OneDrive cloud icon is not perfectly reliable. OneDrive does a great job of keeping Quicken synchronized across multiple platforms with little attention from users. But synchronization still takes time. In my case, it can take more than a minute after closing Quicken before the data files are uploaded, and it can take more than two or three minutes after Windows boots up for them to be downloaded. If those time needs are ignored, conflicts will result. OneDrive is good about notifying users of conflicts and labeling files in a way that makes correcting the problem easy. But if you have just closed Quicken or just started Windows, best practice is to confirm synchronization is complete.

Regarding your no. 2, the obvious need to go through Quicken serves should have nothing to do with the issue I raised in this thread. If for any of a variety of reasons Quicken servers cannot be reached, One-Step Update is obviously impossible. That SHOULD not cause online accounts to be deactivated. If reports of unexplained deactivation are coming from users of multiple platforms. Quicken needs to reexamine changes in recent updates before things get out of control.

I repeat what I said at the top this thread: I've used Quicken for many years. Deactivation of all my online accounts occurred for the first ever and second ever times within one week. That's not likely random.

[Deleted User]

@Jay Gourley sorry that I couldn't find a solution for your issue. Regarding synchronization with OneDrive, I am well aware of the ramifications of the time lag with syncing. I think it varies with each installation of Windows and the Windows version you are using. In the past, I was very reluctant to user OneDrive, but about a year ago, I decided "not to fight it" and activate it completely in Windows 11. What I noticed is that it has been "enhanced" and seems to run faster since the last time I used it many years ago. It is much better at suspending syncing when a file is in use. I no longer need to manually pause OneDrive. It seems to do it automatically. I am not sure it this is a result of enhancements or because I am using the "Always keep on this device" setting.

RobBaker

Jay, I’m having the exact same problem. I’ve been using OneDrive to store my file and accessing from home, office and laptop for years with no problems, until recently. My accounts keep getting disconnected and they show the 🚫 symbol next to them. I’d love to get this fixed soon.

compuwise

I run the same FIs in a separate file for testing purposes. It seems that updating the accounts in the text file disconnects them in the production file, and vice versa. Any thoughts?

sglass

I've had quicken do the same thing without using OneDrive. Many other reports of people having the same issue, so I don't think OneDrive matters with the issues.

maeagle

I have had the same issue twice in the past week with my brokerage accounts. Only use one computer and do not use OneDrive.

rhoadester99

Lost one citi credit card connection today. I use only one computer, no mobile, do not sync. Something has happened.

Frozentroy

I started having this issue about a month ago. I have had to 're-connect' several accounts including Disc, B of A, Amex, etc. They are all Express Web connections. I do not believe I have had an issue with direct connect….. maybe? I use only one PC. Something has clearly changed, on that end.

Does anyone know if restoring a backup is a quicker way to fix or not? Opposed to reinstalling 5-6 connections.

Jay Gourley

@Frozentroy, I don't think restoring will work. I tried restoring from a backup from a two day before the disconnect. All "Express Web Connect" connections were still broken in the restored backup.

Jay Gourley

Based on other reports in this thread, it appears the issue is not related to OneDrive or to any other offline storage. And apparently, it does not apply to Direct Connect connections. The issue is sporadic (not reproducible). Something happens about 5 to 10 percent of the times I do a One-Step update. All Express Web Connect connections are lost. No Direct Connect connections are lost. Only remedy I know is to manually disconnect and reconnect. each Express Web Connect connection. Takes two to 15 minutes for each account depending on the host accounts authentication procedure and how user manages passwords. So for users with several accounts, can expect to waste an hour or two every week or two.

TWMn

Same issue with me today. Connections lost on multiple accounts. Quicken use on 1 computer only, backup stored to local drive. This is not related to One Drive use. This IS a Quicken connectivity / Express Web Connect + issue.

Gary587

I was away for a week and when I returned on 8 June ALL of my accounts In Quicken Classic except for Ally Bank appeared to stop downloading transactions about June 1. Those were from Schwab, PNC Bank, TD Bank and Chase Bank. Going into one account of each institution in Quicken and doing a reset of the connection allowed all of the accounts in that institution to resume downloads.

Unknown

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Shannon

I have the same issues. Been having this very issue for about 2 months now.

Chris Carson

I experience the same symptom.

In my case here is the situation:

Note for clarification of this writeup: When I say "Account" I am referring to a financial account, not a login. I use the term "login" for user credentials.

My spouse and I each have separate logins with a large bank. We have some joint accounts with the bank, and each of us have personal accounts with the bank. Thus two bank logins are required to download all of our banking records. As the logins are (were?) set on a per-account basis, this worked fine until several weeks ago: One login was used for the "Her" and "Joint" accounts, another for the "His" accounts.

Starting several weeks ago something changed, and a download for the "Her" and "Joint" accounts started disabling the "His" accounts, putting them in a state that is apparently new. When I disabled the "His" accounts download, then re-enabled it, the "Her" accounts were disabled. :-(

Any hope of a "Fix" to restore the functionality that I've used for several decades?