How to Fix QuickBooks Error OL-222 When Importing a Web Connect File
QuickBooks error OL-222 means the Web Connect (.qbo) file you are importing has formatting QuickBooks cannot read, usually invalid characters or a broken header. Fix it by re-downloading a clean file, removing special characters, switching to Classic/Register mode, or regenerating the QBO from your PDF statement.
Error OL-222 appears when QuickBooks Desktop tries to import a Web Connect (.qbo) file and finds formatting it cannot parse. The file usually contains characters or header fields that break the expected OFX structure. The good news: it is a file problem, not a QuickBooks problem, so it is fixable.
What causes OL-222
- Invalid or unescaped characters in the file, such as ampersands, angle brackets, or stray quotation marks.
- A malformed or missing OFX header in the .qbo file.
- A bank account type in QuickBooks that does not match the file.
- An outdated QuickBooks version.
How to fix it
- Re-download the file directly from your bank's website, not from inside QuickBooks, and try the import again.
- Open the .qbo in a text editor and remove invalid characters, then save and re-import.
- Switch bank feed mode: Banking, Bank Feeds, Change Bank Feeds Mode, Classic (Register) Mode, then import again.
- Update QuickBooks to the latest release. Newer versions improve file compatibility.
- Test in a sample company to confirm whether your company file is the issue.
The reliable fix: regenerate the QBO
If the bank's file keeps failing, the cleanest solution is to regenerate a valid QBO from your PDF statement. A converter produces a standards-compliant .qbo with correct headers and escaped characters, which sidesteps OL-222 entirely. Convert your PDF bank statement to QBO and import the fresh file. If the file imports but still will not read, see QuickBooks won't import your QBO file.
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What does OL-222 mean in QuickBooks?
OL-222 means QuickBooks could not complete the request because the Web Connect (.qbo) file has invalid formatting, typically unrecognized characters or a broken structure it cannot read.
Why does my bank's QBO file cause OL-222 but others do not?
Some banks export QBO files with non-compliant headers or special characters. Re-downloading, editing the file, or regenerating a clean QBO from the PDF statement resolves it.
Will updating QuickBooks fix OL-222?
Sometimes. Updates improve format compatibility, so it is worth trying, but if the file itself is malformed you also need to clean or regenerate the .qbo.