Change the primary admin user

If you need to change the primary admin, here’s how to transfer this role to another QuickBooks user.

The primary admin is the main user who has access to every part of the QuickBooks account. This user type has the highest level of permissions. They can manage all users and admin tasks. By default, the primary admin is who set up the account.

Note: QuickBooks Online Simple Start doesn't allow manual primary admin changes. If you use Simple Start, you'll need to contact support to request this transfer.

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Change the primary admin

You can transfer the primary admin role in QuickBooks or Intuit Enterprise Suite to an existing user. If the person isn’t already a QuickBooks user, first add them as a new user with the company admin role. Once they’ve accepted the invitation, you can transfer the primary admin role to them.

You must be able to sign in as the primary admin to transfer the primary admin role. If the current primary admin is no longer with the company, you can request to be the primary admin. Here’s how to transfer the role to an existing user.

Note: If you’re an accountant, you must be the primary admin of your firm to change the primary admin role in a client’s account.

QuickBooks Online

1. Sign in to QuickBooks Online as the current primary admin. If you can’t sign in, you can recover your user ID or password.
2. Select Settings ⚙ and select Manage users.
3. Find the user you want to make the primary admin.
4. In the Role column, make sure they are listed as Admin. If they’re not, select Edit to change their role to admin.
5. Select Action. Then, select Change primary admin.
6. Select Change primary admin again to confirm the change.
7. Sign out of QuickBooks.
8. The company admin will get an email invitation. They must accept the invite to transfer the primary admin rights. Once ‌primary admin rights are transferred, the original primary admin automatically becomes a company admin.

Intuit Enterprise Suite

1. Sign in to Intuit Enterprise Suite as the current primary admin. If you can’t sign in, you can recover your user ID or password.
2. Select Settings ⚙ and select Manage users.
3. Find the user you want to make the primary admin.
4. In the Role column, make sure they are listed as Admin. If they’re not, select Edit to change their role to admin.
5. Select Action. Then, select Change primary admin.
6. Select Change primary admin again to confirm the change.
7. The new primary admin will receive an email invitation. They must accept this invitation and sign in before the primary admin rights transfer.

You'll be signed out of Intuit Enterprise Suite automatically. When you sign back in you'll be a company admin. For multi-entity companies, the parent primary admin will get the right access to all client companies.

Accept the invite

The new primary admin will get an email invitation for their new role. Let the new primary admin know they need to accept the invitation and sign into their Intuit Account. Once this is completed, the primary admin rights will be transferred. The new primary admin will show up in manage users.