How do I delete accounts from my chart of accounts? I've just started using QBO and was messing around, and created a bunch of accounts I don't actually need.

Hello there, treasurer.

I'm here to help share additional information about deleting accounts in QuickBooks Online.

When you make an account inactive, it is the same as deleting the account. Deleting the account will remove it from the Chart of Accounts and other places where you can select accounts. If there are any transactions associated with the account, they will still be present in your company data and can be accessed through reports.

To delete the account successfully, you may need to make it inactive.

Here's how:

1. Login to QuickBooks.
2. Go to the Gear icon.
3. Select Chart of Accounts under Your Company.
4. Find the account you want to delete.
5. Select the drop-down in the Action column, then choose Make Inactive.

You may also check out this article for more details: Make an account inactive on your chart of accounts in QuickBooks Online.

For future reference, I'll add this article to guide you and learn how to get the most out of your financial reports: Customize reports in QuickBooks Online.

Keep me updated if you have further questions about deleting accounts in QBO. I'm always here to assist you!

@James_AL  RE: When you make an account inactive, it is the same as deleting the account.

Of course it's not.

RE: I created accounts I don't need, but I don't want them to count against the licensed number of accounts I'm allowed to have. I don't want to simply deactivate them, I want to completely remove/delete them. 

@treasurer-cayuga  What @James_AL  is trying to say while not answering your question, without actually saying it is, "you can't".

This is yet another way that QuickBooks Desktop is better than Online: You can actually delete accounts and other list records in Desktop. Apparently, deleting something is just too difficult for QuickBooks Online to handle.