how to delete moves in ynab

Daniel Parker

2 min read

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11-01-2025

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YNAB, or You Need A Budget, is a powerful budgeting app, but sometimes you need to clean up your transactions. Maybe you accidentally categorized something wrong, or a duplicate transaction appeared. This guide shows you how to delete moves in YNAB, ensuring your budget stays accurate and reflects your actual spending. Deleting moves is a crucial part of maintaining a healthy YNAB budget.

Understanding YNAB Moves and Why You Might Delete Them

Before diving into the deletion process, let's clarify what a "move" is in YNAB. A move is simply the action of changing the category assigned to a transaction. It's not the transaction itself, but the adjustment you make to its categorization. You might need to delete a move for several reasons:

• Accidental Category Assignment: Perhaps you assigned a transaction to the wrong category in a moment of haste.
• Duplicate Transactions: Sometimes, transactions appear twice. Deleting a move associated with a duplicate transaction resolves the issue.
• Reconciliation Errors: If you're reconciling your accounts and find discrepancies, deleting and re-categorizing a move can help.
• Budget Adjustments: You might need to adjust a previous move if your budgeting approach changes.

How to Delete a Move in YNAB: A Step-by-Step Guide

Deleting a move in YNAB is straightforward. Here's how to do it, regardless of whether you're using the web app, mobile app (iOS or Android), or desktop app:

Step 1: Locate the Transaction: Open YNAB and navigate to the transaction you need to adjust. This transaction will likely have a move already applied.

Step 2: Access the Transaction Details: Click on the transaction to open its details. You should see the current category assigned to the transaction.

Step 3: Undo the Move: Here's where the method differs slightly depending on the YNAB interface:

• Web App & Desktop App: Look for a small undo arrow (often circular) near the transaction's category. Click it. This undoes the move, returning the transaction to its original (or uncategorized) state.
• Mobile App (iOS & Android): The process is similar. There should be an option to undo the move within the transaction details view. Look for an "Undo" button or a similar icon.

Step 4: Recategorize (if needed): After deleting the move, re-assign the transaction to the correct category if necessary. This ensures your budget remains balanced and accurate.

Tips for Avoiding Moves You Need to Delete

While knowing how to delete moves is crucial, preventing unnecessary moves is even better. Here are some tips:

• Double-Check Category Assignments: Take a moment to ensure you're categorizing transactions correctly the first time.
• Regularly Review Your Budget: Periodically review your budget to identify and correct any inaccuracies.
• Use Quick Budget: Leverage YNAB's Quick Budget feature to streamline the categorization process.
• Import Transactions Carefully: If you import transactions, review them carefully before accepting them to catch duplicates or mis-categorizations.

What to Do if You Can't Delete a Move

In rare cases, you might encounter difficulties deleting a move. This is usually due to the transaction being linked to other aspects of your budget. If you face this problem, consider:

• Contacting YNAB Support: Their support team can assist with more complex issues.
• Reviewing Your Budget for Dependencies: See if the transaction is part of a larger budget structure that needs adjustment before deleting.

By understanding how to delete moves in YNAB and following these tips, you can maintain a clean, accurate, and effective budget, allowing you to focus on achieving your financial goals. Remember, a well-maintained YNAB budget is a key component of successful financial planning.