Link or relink your Square Payroll bank account
About linking your payroll bank account
To process payroll, you need a linked and verified bank account. Square Payroll uses your linked bank account to debit direct deposits and tax payments.
You can link your bank account using one of two methods:
Plaid (recommended) — Instantly connects and verifies your bank account. No waiting period.
Manual entry — Requires your routing and account numbers. Verification takes 1–2 business days via micro-deposits.
Some financial institutions require Plaid connections to be reauthorized every 12 months. When your connection is approaching expiration, you'll receive a notification from Square: "Action needed: re-link your bank account to keep running payroll."
Before you begin
To link with Plaid, have your online banking login credentials ready.
To link manually, have your bank routing number and account number ready, and allow 1–2 business days for micro-deposit verification.
You cannot process payroll until your bank account is verified.
Link your bank account with Plaid
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Staff > Payroll > Bank Account.
Select Link with Plaid.
Follow the prompts to sign in to your bank and authorize the connection.
Verification is instant — you can process payroll immediately after linking.
Link your bank account manually
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Staff > Payroll > Bank Account.
Select Enter bank details manually.
Enter your routing number and account number.
Select Verify account.
You cannot process payroll until micro-deposit verification is complete (1–2 business days). Learn how to verifying your payroll bank account.
Relink your bank account
Some financial institutions require Plaid connections to be reauthorized every 12 months. When your connection is approaching expiration, Square displays a notification: "Avoid payroll disruption by re-linking your bank account" If your connection expires, you may lose two-day payroll eligibility and experience payroll processing interruptions.
To relink your bank account:
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Staff > Payroll > Bank Account.
Select Re-link account.
Follow the prompts to sign in to your bank and reauthorize the connection.
You may also need to relink if you change your bank account login credentials or switch to a new bank account.
Use Square Banking instead
If you have a Square Checking account, you can use your Square Balance for payroll direct deposits and tax payments. Square Banking does not require annual relinking. Learn how to set up a checking account and debit card.