You can print a check from your computer in one of three practical ways: fill in a template in a word processor or spreadsheet, print from accounting software that has a check feature, or use dedicated check printing software. All three send the check to your regular printer. They differ in how much they do for you: amount in words, check numbers, records and the magnetic ink line at the bottom.
This page compares the methods so you can choose one in a few minutes. If you already know your method, the linked guides below go deeper on each one.
What every method has in common
Whatever software you use, a printed check needs the same raw material. You need the payer name and address, the bank name, your bank's 9-digit routing number, your account number, a check number, and the payment details: date, payee, amount and memo. You also need a printer and something to print on.
The paper is the decision that shapes everything else. You can print on pre-printed check stock (your bank details are already on it), on blank check stock (the software prints everything), or on plain letter paper. Our guide to how to print a check on blank check paper covers the stock most people choose when they want to print the full check themselves.
Method 1: A word processor or spreadsheet template
Microsoft Word, Excel and Google Sheets can all produce a check. You download or build a template with text boxes or cells positioned to match the fields on a check, type the details, and print. It costs nothing beyond the software you already own, which is why people try it first.
The limits show up quickly. A template does not convert 1,250.00 into words for you, so you type "One thousand two hundred fifty and 00/100" by hand and risk a mismatch. It does not track check numbers or keep a register. And a standard font cannot reproduce the MICR line, so a template is usually limited to pre-printed stock or to checks you hand over or deposit by image. Read how to print a check from Microsoft Word or how to print checks from Excel for the layout details.
Method 2: Accounting software
Many accounting programs, QuickBooks among them, include a check printing feature. If you already record every payment there, printing from the same program keeps your books and your checks in one place. You typically choose a check style that matches the paper you bought, such as a voucher or wallet layout, and print from the payment screen.
The trade-offs are cost and fit. Accounting software is a subscription or license you may not need just to print checks, and its check layouts are tied to specific stock formats. Some people keep their accounting program for the books and print checks elsewhere, entering each payment in both places. That works well at low volume.
Method 3: Dedicated check printing software
Check printing software does one job: it takes the payee and amount you type and produces a correctly laid out check. Good tools write the amount in words automatically, number your checks, remember your payees, keep a register, and can print the MICR line. Some install on your computer; others run in a web browser, which avoids installing anything and works on Windows, Mac and Chromebook.
This is usually the lowest-effort route for anyone who prints more than a handful of checks a year. For help judging the options, see best check printing software, which lists the criteria worth testing during a trial.
Which method should you use?
| Method | Best for | What you give up |
|---|---|---|
| Word or Excel template | One or two checks a year on pre-printed stock | No amount in words, no check numbering, no register, no real MICR line |
| Accounting software | People who already do all their bookkeeping there | Cost of the software, layouts tied to specific stock, limited flexibility |
| Check printing software | Regular check writers, small businesses, anyone using blank stock | A separate tool to learn, usually a small monthly or one-time fee |
| Bank bill pay or ordered checks | People who never need a check on short notice | Printing is done for you, but you wait and you pay the bank or printer |
A simple rule of thumb: if you will print fewer than five checks a year and have pre-printed stock, a template is fine. If you pay bills, vendors or staff by check every month, software that numbers checks and keeps a register will save you more time than it costs.
How to print the check once you have chosen a method
- Open the check in your software and confirm the payer, bank, routing number, account number and check number are correct.
- Enter the date, payee, numeric amount and memo. Confirm the written amount matches the number.
- Open the print dialog and choose US Letter paper, a scale of 100% (Actual size, not Fit to page), and turn off headers and footers.
- Print one copy on plain paper first, then hold it against a real check or your stock in front of a light to confirm every field lines up.
- Load your check stock the right way up and face, with the correct edge leading into the printer.
- Print the real check, let the ink or toner settle fully, then sign it unless your software prints your signature.
Do you need magnetic ink for checks printed on a computer?
Traditionally the MICR line at the bottom of a check is printed in magnetic ink or with MICR toner, usually on a laser printer. Ordinary inkjet ink is not magnetic. Many banks now process checks mostly as images, and some accept checks printed without magnetic ink, but acceptance is up to each bank and the payee's bank. Magnetic ink remains the safest choice if you write many checks. Ask your bank what it accepts before you print a large batch, and read what is MICR and why is it used on checks for the background.
Common mistakes when printing a check from a computer
- Printing with Fit to page selected, which shrinks the check slightly and shifts every field.
- Leaving browser headers and footers on, which adds a date or web address to the page.
- Skipping the plain-paper test and wasting a sheet of check stock.
- Typing the amount in words by hand and getting it wrong.
- Reusing a check number after a jam or misprint instead of voiding the spoiled check.
- Leaving blank check stock in an unlocked drawer.
Check Writer 123 is a web app that runs in your browser on Windows, Mac or Chromebook with any printer. It writes the amount in words, numbers your checks, and has a free Test Print that adds a TEST PRINT watermark so you can check alignment without wasting stock. It is made by the publisher of this site, so weigh that when comparing it with the other methods above.
Next steps
Pick the method from the table, print a test on plain paper, and confirm with your bank what it accepts before you hand over a real check. If you are setting up for regular use, continue with how to print checks at home for the full home setup, or can you print your own checks for the rules and conditions.