You can set up and print your first check with Check Writer 123 in about ten minutes: create an account, add your bank account, upload a logo and signature, choose your paper type, write the check with the live preview, run a free Test Print on plain paper, adjust alignment if needed, then print on your real stock.
The steps below follow that exact order. Each step says what to click and what a good result looks like, so you always know whether to move on.
What do you need before you start?
- A computer with a browser: Windows, Mac or Chromebook. Nothing to install.
- A printer you can print to, plus a few sheets of plain letter paper.
- Your bank account details: the name and address on the account, the routing number and the account number. A check from your own checkbook has them printed along the bottom.
- A logo file and a signature, if you want them on the check. You can also leave the signature blank and sign by hand.
- Your check stock, or plain paper for a first run.
Step 1: How do you create your account and start the free trial?
Go to the sign-up page, enter your details and choose a strong password that you do not use anywhere else. The trial lasts 14 days and needs no card. Every feature is included from the first day, so you can test everything on real checks before you decide on a plan.
Step 2: How do you add your bank account?
Open the bank account section and add a new account. Type the nine-digit routing number first. Check Writer 123 checks the number and suggests the bank name, which catches a typo before it can reach your MICR line. Then add the account number, and the name and address that should appear on the check. Check numbers are assigned for you as you print.
A good result is a bank name that matches your bank. If the suggestion looks wrong, recheck the routing number against a real check or your online banking page. Confirm the account number the same way, digit by digit, because the bank line is built from these numbers.
Step 3: How do you add your logo and signature?
Upload your logo as an image file if you want one on the check face. For the signature you have four choices: upload an image, draw it with your mouse or finger, type your name in a script style, or leave the signature blank to sign each check by hand.
- Use a clear logo on a plain background so it stays sharp at check size.
- Draw or upload your signature on a plain background so it looks natural.
- Add signatures only where the account holder has agreed to it.
Step 4: Which paper type should you choose?
| Paper type | What prints | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Blank check stock | The whole check, including the MICR line, with the check at the top, middle or bottom of the sheet | Checks you give to payees |
| Pre-printed check stock | Date, payee, amount, amount in words, memo and signature | Checks you already own |
| Plain letter paper | One complete check at the top, with a cut guide and an optional back page | Deposits you make yourself, including mobile deposit |
Blank check stock is the recommended choice. If you use it, pick whether your check sits at the top, middle or bottom of the sheet to match the stock you bought. Plain-paper designs are Blue and Rose (the default), Marble Green, Marble Gold, Marble Blue, Blue Linen and Plain White; the tint is only a look. If you are not sure, start with plain paper for your test.
Step 5: How do you write the check with the live preview?
Open the new check screen. Enter the payee, amount, date and an optional memo. The check number is filled in for you, and the amount in words appears automatically. A $1,250.00 check shows One thousand two hundred fifty and 00/100.
- Type the payee, or pick one from your saved list.
- Enter the amount in numbers and read the words that appear beneath it.
- Check the date.
- Add a memo or invoice note if you need one.
- Look at the live preview. Every field should match what you typed.
Step 6: How do you run a Test Print on plain paper?
Load plain letter paper and press the Test Print button. In your browser's print dialog, choose your printer, US Letter paper, scale 100% and headers and footers off. Test Print is free, marks the page with TEST PRINT watermarks and is never counted.
Now lay the test page on top of your real check stock, or a real check, and hold both up to a window. The date, payee line, amount box, signature line and the bank line at the bottom should sit where they do on the real check.
Step 7: How do you adjust alignment?
If something is off, open the alignment tool and move the whole page left, right, up or down in small steps. The bank line can be nudged separately, and so can the back page. Print another Test Print and compare again. Make one change at a time.
Your alignment is saved for the bank account, so you only do this once. For a closer look, read how to align a check on blank check paper.
Step 8: How do you print the first real check?
Load your check stock the way the test page went in, with the same side up and the same edge first. Press Print, confirm the same print settings and let the page dry before you handle it. A check counts toward your monthly total when you press Print. Reprinting a saved check is free, and you can print it again if a jam spoils the sheet.
You can try the whole flow at print checks online before you commit to anything.
What are common mistakes on a first check?
- Printing at Fit to page instead of 100%, which shrinks the check.
- Leaving headers and footers on.
- Entering the routing number with one digit wrong. The lookup catches this.
- Loading the stock upside down or backwards.
- Skipping the Test Print and spoiling a sheet of stock.
Check Writer 123 is made by the publisher of this site. It is built for people who want user-friendly software with fast setup and quick printing, without advanced computer knowledge. It runs in your browser with nothing to download, and a first check usually takes about ten minutes. Plans start at $9.99 per month and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee on the first payment.
Next steps
Once your first check prints cleanly, add your saved payees and vendors, then try entering a few at once. If you want other ways to choose, read simple check printing software and easy check writer software. On a Mac or a Chromebook, see how to print checks on a Mac or how to print checks on a Chromebook.