Manual Payroll grayed out, cannot select as an option

Well, it may well be that what you have now, the ability to create paychecks and manually input the taxes, is the same thing as manual.  Manual is essentially turning on the payroll feature without a payroll subscription.

However, I think if you remove the payroll service keys from your file, then you'll be able to pick manual. Do this from the Employees menu and pick My Payroll Service | Manage Service key. Then use the Remove button on the resulting QuickBooks Service Keys window to remove the Service /key.

You raised your concern in the right place, @Bonzoid. We appreciate your effort in trying to show the Manual payroll option by performing the steps you've searched in the Community. Let me share insights and help you achieve your goal.

After Desktop payroll services end, your payroll service won't offer any service key management which is why the My Payroll option is grayed out. You can follow the steps below to achieve your goal:

1. Disable your internet connection to your Desktop computer.
2. In QBP Desktop's Help, search for Manual Payroll; it'll show the local (not internet) copy of the link to calculate payroll taxes manually this links to an "Are you sure? Help page", which pops a QBP Desktop message that Manual Payroll has been enabled.

I've got articles you can refer to for more details about payroll subscription and account information:

• Update QuickBooks Desktop to the latest release.
• Manage your QuickBooks Desktop subscriptions and services.

You can update us after performing the steps, as we want to ensure this is resolved for you. Just reply to this post, and I'll get back to you. Have a good one. 

@Bryan_M 

RE: After Desktop payroll services end, your payroll service won't offer any service key management which is why the My Payroll option is grayed out.

That is two different things, and you're incorrect on both cases. Did you even try it yourself to see how it works before posting after me? My service is long expired - in 2015 I think - and I can go in and manage service keys without any issue, which only makes sense. I could use the window to, for example, add a new service key, or (as I indicated) delete one that is obsolete:

Big Red Consulting is exactly right. You need to remove the payroll key. BUT, if you have a current payroll subscription, that perhaps you've recently canceled, there's another step. You must reach out to Intuit Payroll help and have them disable Direct Deposit in your payroll account (this also serves to stop the per employee charges Intuit makes to your credit card). Then you also have to disable Workforce in the Payroll Cloud features. After this has been done, you can remove the payroll key. Once all that's done, you can enable manual payroll. Just went through it. Thanks Big Red Consulting for pointing me in the right direction.

Thank you, this worked exactly as you described it and saved me a phone call.