In QuickBooks Desktop 2017, there isn’t a gear icon; use Edit > Preferences or the top menus to reach settings.
If you’ve opened QuickBooks Desktop 2017 and started hunting for a tiny cog at the top right, you’ll be searching forever. That gear symbol belongs to the web product (QuickBooks Online). On the Desktop edition, settings and tools live in the menu bar, the Home Page shortcuts, and the customizable Icon Bar. This guide shows exactly where to click in the 2017 release, how to reach the same settings people associate with a “gear,” and what to do when panels or icons go missing.
What “Gear” Usually Means And What It Maps To In Desktop
In the browser-based product, that cog opens Account & Settings, Lists, and Tools. In the Desktop app, those areas map to:
- Edit > Preferences for application and company-wide settings (reports, Desktop View, time, sales, payroll, etc.).
- Company, Lists, and Reports menus for features you might expect under “Tools.”
- Home Page and the Icon Bar for quick access to daily tasks.
Intuit’s own community notes that the gear icon is only available in QuickBooks Online. For Desktop, the correct path is the menus above, especially Edit > Preferences.
Open The Right Settings Panel In QuickBooks Desktop 2017
Here’s the exact click-path many users look for when they think “open the gear.”
- Launch your company file.
- Go to the top menu bar and pick Edit.
- Choose Preferences.
- Use the left list (e.g., Desktop View, Reports & Graphs, Sales & Customers, Payroll & Employees) and switch between My Preferences and Company Preferences.
If your window layout looks odd or panels overlap, Intuit’s display article shows the same menu path (Edit > Preferences > Desktop View) to reset the layout and switch to One Window mode: fix screen issues in QuickBooks Desktop.
Gear Icon In QuickBooks Desktop 2017: What You Actually Use
Since there’s no cog at the top right, use these Desktop equivalents:
Account And Company Settings
- Edit > Preferences > Desktop View to control window behavior, color scheme, and Home Page layout.
- Edit > Preferences > Reports & Graphs to set report basis, aging preferences, and formatting defaults (the same place many users expect under a gear menu). Intuit’s help on report defaults for Desktop explains these options: set report preferences.
- Company > My Company to review legal name, address, and contact info.
Lists And Tools
- Lists menu for Chart of Accounts, Item List, Fixed Asset Item List, Price Levels, and more.
- Company menu for Users, Planning & Budgeting, and other administrative tasks.
- Reports menu for Company & Financial, Customers & Receivables, Vendors & Payables, and custom memorized reports.
Quick Access: The Icon Bar
The top (or left) Icon Bar is the Desktop equivalent of quick-launch shortcuts. You can add, remove, or reorder icons to match your routine.
- Open View > Customize Icon Bar.
- Use Add to place tasks (e.g., Invoices, Receive Payments, Write Checks) on the bar.
- Reorder with the up/down diamonds and click OK.
Exact Paths For Popular Tasks
Create Or Edit Invoices
- Customers > Create Invoices, or click Invoices on the Icon Bar.
- Invoice templates and print/email defaults live under Edit > Preferences > Send Forms and Sales & Customers.
Change Report Defaults
- Edit > Preferences > Reports & Graphs (Company Preferences tab) to set the default basis and summary details.
- Report columns, filters, and headers can be saved as memorized variants from within any report.
Users And Access
- Company > Set Up Users And Passwords to add users and roles in Pro/Premier.
- Enterprise adds granular role control; Intuit documents role limits for Desktop in its user restrictions guide.
How To Stop Hunting For A Cog And Work Faster
Pin Your Daily Tools To The Icon Bar
If you run invoices, receive payments, and pull P&L every morning, place those three icons at the top of the bar. That’s the Desktop way to replicate a “settings hub + shortcuts” feel. Revisit View > Customize Icon Bar any time your workflow changes.
Memorize The Few Menus You Actually Use
- Edit for Preferences and Find.
- Company for admin items (users, budgets).
- Customers and Vendors for transactions.
- Reports for everything analytical.
Use The Home Page As A Control Panel
The Home Page shows sales, payables, banking, and company tasks in a logical flow. Click any tile to jump straight in. If it ever looks cramped or layered, switch to One Window via Edit > Preferences > Desktop View (a handy fix covered in the Intuit display guide linked earlier).
When Something Seems “Missing”
Sometimes people think the gear icon is gone when the real issue is a hidden menu, a collapsed bar, or a window setting.
Icon Bar Or Menu Bar Isn’t Visible
- Press Alt to toggle classic menus.
- Open View and turn on Top Icon Bar or Left Icon Bar.
- Pick View > Customize Icon Bar and re-add shortcuts if they’ve been cleared.
Windows Keep Opening Off-Screen Or Behind Others
- Go to Edit > Preferences > Desktop View, choose One Window, and click OK.
- If text or buttons look clipped, follow Intuit’s steps in fix screen issues in QuickBooks Desktop to adjust display settings.
Can’t Find A Particular Setting
- Open Edit > Preferences and scan the left column. Many “gear menu” items people expect are in Reports & Graphs, Sales & Customers, Payroll & Employees, and Send Forms.
- Some preferences require admin rights. If controls are grayed out under Company Preferences, sign in as the Admin user.
Version Clarity: Desktop Vs Online
If your screen looks like a browser page with tabs and a left navigation rail, you’re likely in the Online product. That’s the one with a gear at the top right. If your screen has a classic Windows menu bar with File • Edit • Lists • Favorites • Accountant • Company • Customers • Vendors • Employees • Banking • Reports • Window • Help, you’re in Desktop. The 2017 release follows this classic layout and routes settings through Edit > Preferences. Intuit’s community thread linked earlier spells out that the cog belongs to the web app.
Quick Paths To Frequently Needed Settings
Reports & Accounting Defaults
- Edit > Preferences > Reports & Graphs to set default basis and summary details (Intuit’s Desktop help on report preferences covers these options).
- When you adjust a report, click Memorize to save your layout for next time.
Forms, Email, And Templates
- Edit > Preferences > Send Forms to set your email profile and default subject lines.
- Lists > Templates to modify invoice, estimate, and sales receipt layouts.
Performance And Display
- Edit > Preferences > Desktop View for window behavior and color scheme.
- Use the Intuit display guide linked earlier if scaling or DPI changes make buttons disappear.
Table: Desktop Equivalents For “Gear” Actions
The overview below compresses common “where’s the gear?” tasks into the real Desktop 2017 paths.
| Task | Where To Click | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open App/Company Settings | Edit > Preferences | Switch between My Preferences and Company Preferences. |
| Change Report Defaults | Edit > Preferences > Reports & Graphs | Set basis and summary detail; memorize layouts per report. |
| Email Forms | Edit > Preferences > Send Forms | Configure email account and default messages. |
| Adjust Window Behavior | Edit > Preferences > Desktop View | Enable One Window; resolves stacking and clutter. |
| Quick Shortcuts | View > Customize Icon Bar | Add Invoices, Receive Payments, Write Checks, etc. |
| Users And Roles | Company > Set Up Users And Passwords | Admin rights required for edits. |
Practical Tips That Save Clicks
Create A “Settings” Favorite
Open Edit > Preferences, then add the Preferences window to Favorites so it sits under the Favorites menu. That places your go-to panel one click away.
Memorize Your Report Pack
Open each report you run every week, tweak filters and columns, and click Memorize. Group those saved reports, then launch the whole set from Reports > Memorized Reports.
Keep The Home Page Tidy
Turn off panes you never use: Edit > Preferences > Desktop View and adjust the Home Page options to reduce visual load.
Troubleshooting: When You’re Still Stuck
“Preferences” Seems Missing
- Make sure you’re in the correct product. The Desktop menu bar must be visible. Press Alt once to show it.
- Check your role. Some controls under Company Preferences only open for the Admin user.
- If windows look clipped, follow the Intuit article linked earlier to reset display scaling and reopen Preferences.
“I Saw A Gear Before”
That was likely QuickBooks Online in a browser. The Desktop app predates that UI and uses menus. Intuit’s community thread confirms the cog belongs to the web product, not Desktop.
Takeaway: Stop Searching For A Cog, Use The Menus That Work
The 2017 Desktop release has no settings cog. The fastest way to reach what you need is still Edit > Preferences for configuration, the Icon Bar for shortcuts, and the Company/Lists/Reports menus for everyday tools. Add the few items you use daily to the Icon Bar, memorize your report set, and keep window mode on One Window if you live on a single monitor. That’s a smooth, proven workflow—no gear required.