Why does the gear icon disappear?

Good day, shari822.

There lots of possible reasons why the gear icon has disappeared. 

It can be that your browser took longer to load, or a cache is piled up.

Let’s run some troubleshooting steps to fix this.

First, refresh your browser. On your keyboard, press F5.

Next, if the same thing happens, use a private or incognito window. This type of window helps your browser to load faster since it will not record any cache.

Then if it works, go back to your regular browser and clear its cache. 

You also have the option to use a different supported browser.

The details above should help you display the icon again. Enjoy the rest of the day!

those solutions didn't work,   only disappears in explorer all other browsers work,   have to use that browser for conversion from online to desktop please help.

Thanks for joining this conversation, @mkm1972.

The steps provided by my colleague above should help show the Gear icon in QuickBooks Online (QBO). Since the issue persists after performing those, I highly suggest contacting our Phone Support team. They're able to check your account using their screen-sharing (remote access) tool and investigate this further. They can also try other troubleshooting steps to fix this for you.

Here's how to reach them:

1. In your QBO, click the Help icon at the top right.
2. Select Contact Us at the bottom to connect with our live support.

In the meantime, I recommend running the Health Checkup tool to ensure that the browser and system are optimally configured for QuickBooks.

Please reach out to me in the comment section if you have any other issues or concerns, and I'll get back to you. I'm always here to help. Have an amazing weekend!

This is extremely frustrating.  It only disappears in IE.  Online chat support was unable to assist.  Clearing the cache does not work.  Refreshing the screen brings the gear icon back, but it disappears when clicking on it.  I would (very much) prefer to not use IE at all, but (for some strange reason) QBO requires it for exporting data.

I'm having the same problem and have tried doing it on four different computers with no luck. I'm incredibly frustrated. 

Thanks for checking this with us, awutley.

I appreciate you for trying the troubleshooting steps to resolve this issue with the missing gear icon. Since none of these solutions worked for you, I suggest contacting our Customer Care Team. This way, we'll be able to take a closer look on what's causing this behavior.

Here's how to reach them:

1. Go to the Help menu at the upper right.
2. Select Contact Us.
3. Enter your concern.
4. Click Let’s talk.
5. Choose Get a callback. 
6. Type in your contact info.
7. Select Confirm my call.

You can always go back to this thread if you have other questions. I want to make sure this is taken care of. Wishing you a good one.

Hi everyone.  I too have realized QBO is trash compared to Desktop.  

The gear icon on internet explorer was not an issue until recently.  Call me a conspiracy theorist but I kinda feel like intuit wants it to be as difficult as possible to switch from QBO to desktop.

Anyway, here's the workaround.  login and paste this in the address field.

https://c9.qbo.intuit.com/app/exportdata

DP77, YOU ARE THE BEST!!  THAT worked.  Thank you!  (In my post, I noted that customer service could not help... yet the reply was to contact customer service.  SMDH)

Good Afternoon, @CPHOA.

Thank you for your feedback and I'm so glad that you found the answer you were looking for in the Community.

If you need anymore assistance I'm always here. Hope you have a great rest of your day!

Kendra, finding a workaround is not the same thing as finding a solution.  Everyone is having issues with the gear icon disappearing since the changes to the New button got rolled out.

We appreciate your feedback, crgeorge517.

For now, the available troubleshooting step is to refresh the page or logging out and logging back in to get the Gear icon back. 

We are constantly on a lookout for customers who are still having issues with the missing Gear icon so we can forward them to our engineers. 

Also, please take note that Internet Explorer is no longer compatible with QBO. Make sure to use any of these browsers to make sure the program is working fine:

• Google Chrome.
• Mozilla Firefox. 
• Microsoft Edge.
• Safari 11 or newer (Mac only)

Let me share this article in this thread for more details: System Requirements For QuickBooks Online.

I'll be around if you need anything else. We're always here to help. 

That's what I am saying, everyone is still having this issue.  But there is a workaround (which is not the same as troubleshooting) that works for everyone but those using IE so no one is going to call support to report that they have to use the workaround 6 times this week.  People have small businesses to run.

I'm having the same issue, and when I click on this link for the workaround, it takes me to my QB online homepage. Any suggestions on other options or another link with the workaround. Beginning to think this is definitely on purpose!

Hi everyone.  The link I posted was for those who are trying to export their data from QBO.  The export function ONLY works from within Internet Explorer.  BTW, run IE as administrator when trying to export. 

Normally you would click on the gear icon and select "Export Data".  Problem is the gear icon disappears when trying to click on it.

Here's the link to where it would have taken you if it had not disappeared,   https://c9.qbo.intuit.com/app/exportdata

If the link takes you to the log in screen then go ahead log in and paste again.  Link will only take you to the right place if you're logged in.

Having same issues - thank you for the link - that got me a few more clicks ahead - but when i get to the Export Overview screen and click "Get Started" nothing happens.  Ideas? (Yes, I've executed IE as administrator).

Hey there, @DASatSB. Chiming in here on your issue exporting your data.

Thanks for trying out the steps provided here in the thread. Since the Get Started button is unresponsive, I recommend clearing your Internet Explorer Cache and Cookies. Your browser stores these files to make sites load faster, but they can sometimes cause issues when trying to do certain tasks on QuickBooks. It's super easy to clear them. Check it out:

1. Hit Ctrl + Shift + Delete on your keyboard.
2. Make sure to uncheck Preserve Favorites website data and check both Temporary Internet Files and Cookies then click Delete.
3. You will get a confirmation at the bottom of the window once it has successfully cleared your cache and cookies.

That's it! Please let me know if there's anything else I can do to be of assistance. Cheers to a safe and productive week ahead. 

Nope - clearing cookies and temp internet files didn't help.  This is extremely frustrating.  Client already hated QBO, now i'm spending hours on a workaround that does not work and can't bill my client for this.  

other ideas?

Good afternoon, @DASatSB.

Welcome back to the Community. 

The steps provided by my colleague @Michael_K should've gotten you squared away and back to business. 

Since you are still experiencing issues, I suggest calling into our support team. They have the right tools to get you on track. 

If you have questions about anything else, I'm only a reply away. 

DP77  Thanks for the help, I've been trying for three hours.  However, now I can get to the screen that has the instructions, Print Button, and Get Started button.  I can press the get started button a zillion times, it does nothing.  Print button works, but Get Started button doesn't do anything.  Ideas?

Hi there, EFCR,

Since you're unable to get started due to the unresponsive button, I recommend contacting our QuickBooks Online Technical Team. They can investigate further what's causing this unexpected behavior in the system.

Here's how to get in touch with them:

1. Log in to your QuickBooks Online account.
2. Click (?) Help at the right top.
3. Select Contact Us to connect with a live support agent.
   
4. Enter a brief discussion of your concern, then click Let's talk.
5. Choose a way on how to get in touch with them.
   

You can also refer to the Support hours and types link to contact us at a time convenient to you. Then, go click QuickBooks Online for more details.

Let me know how the call goes by leaving a comment below. I'm always around if you need anything else.

Hi EFCR … I'm having EXACTLY the same sequence of problems.  Gear icon disappears, so use the direct link instead.  But then the "Get Started" button does nothing.  Cleared all cache, etc, but still the button doesn't function.

Did you ever get around this issue?  Thanks (and sorry for the frustrations!)

Hello, were you ever able to export your data?  I'm having exactly the same issue, used the work around link to the export data screen, pressed the Get Started button.  Nothing happens.  Any help is appreciated.

Hello,

Did anyone find a solution to exporting data using internet explorer?