If you’re a QuickBooks user who has encountered Error 187 when trying to reconnect your PayPal bank feed, you know how frustrating it can be. This error typically appears when you try to authenticate using a text, email, or phone call option, only to be met with a dead end. This issue started in May 2024 and after spending time on the phone with PayPal, only to be referred back to QuickBooks, the lovely Christine from QuickBooks Customer Service, finally found that others were having the same issue and that it boiled down to a simple but critical security setting in PayPal. Here’s how we tackled and fixed the issue.
The Culprit: PayPal’s Security Settings
Error 187 often occurs due to the way PayPal handles security when connecting to third-party apps like QuickBooks. The error is triggered because the default security authentication methods (text, email, or phone call) are no longer compatible with requirements.
After speaking with PayPal support and getting redirected back to QuickBooks, we discovered that the root cause was PayPal’s security settings. Specifically, the two-step authentication process was not set up correctly for use with QuickBooks.
The Solution:
Set Up Two-Step Authentication with an Authentication App. To resolve Error 187, you need to set up two-step authentication on your PayPal account using an authentication app instead of the standard text, email, or phone call methods.
Here’s how we did it:
Log into Your PayPal Account:
Start by logging into your PayPal account through a web browser.
Access Security Settings:
Navigate to your settings and find the 2-step verification.
Set Up Two-Step Authentication:
Under the Two-step verification section, select Update.
Choose the option to set up an authentication app or token.
Install an Authentication App on your phone:
If you don’t already have an authentication app, download one. We used Authy, which integrated seamlessly with PayPal.
Open the Authy app and follow the instructions to link it to your PayPal account.
Complete the Setup:
After scanning the QR code provided by PayPal, enter the code generated by the Authy app to complete the setup.
Reconnect to QuickBooks:
Return to QuickBooks and attempt to reconnect your PayPal bank feed.
You should now be prompted to enter a code from the Authy app during the authentication process instead of the Text, Email, Phone Call options previously there.
Why Authy?
We opted to use Authy for a couple of reasons. First, it’s widely recognized for its ease of use and security. Second, it integrates smoothly with PayPal, making the whole process straightforward. Once we set up two-step authentication with Authy, we tried reconnecting PayPal to QuickBooks again, and it worked perfectly.
Final Thoughts
Error 187 can be a bit of a headache, but the fix is relatively simple once you know what’s causing the problem. By setting up two-step authentication using an app like Authy, you can bypass the compatibility issues and get your PayPal bank feed reconnected in QuickBooks without a hitch.
If you’re facing this issue, don’t waste time going back and forth between PayPal and QuickBooks support. Just update your security settings in PayPal, and you’ll be back in business in no time.
Helpful Links:
Paypal Phone Number: 1800 729 725
Quickbooks Help Link: This contains other methods to fix this issue, so if this one is not working maybe it's one of the issues mentioned in this link - https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/banking/paypal-won-t-reconnect/00/751995
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