How to Export Bank Statements as OFX Files: Step-by-Step

2026-04-15

OFX files are the cleanest way to get your transaction data out of your bank and into a budgeting app — without handing your credentials to a third party. But if you have never done it before, finding the download option in your bank's interface can take a bit of hunting. Every bank's online banking portal is slightly different, but the underlying process is always the same.

This guide walks you through the general process, with specific steps for the most common banks used in Australia and the US. Even if your bank is not on the list, the concepts here will point you in the right direction.

What Is an OFX File?

OFX stands for Open Financial Exchange. It is a standardised file format for financial transactions — the same format that Quicken, Xero, MYOB, and many budgeting apps can import. A QFX file is essentially the same thing with a Quicken-specific extension; the two are largely interchangeable for import purposes.

An OFX file contains:
- Each transaction's date
- Amount (positive for credits, negative for debits)
- Description (usually the merchant name or payment reference)
- A unique transaction ID (called a FIT ID) that prevents duplicate imports

Unlike CSV exports, OFX has a consistent structure across banks. This means budgeting apps that support OFX can import files from any bank without needing bank-specific formatting rules.

The General Process (Works for Almost Any Bank)

Regardless of which bank you use, the process follows these broad steps:

1. Log into your online banking on a desktop or laptop (not the mobile app — export features are usually desktop-only).
2. Navigate to the account you want to export from.
3. Find the transaction history or statements section.
4. Look for a "Download", "Export", or "Save transactions" option.
5. Select the date range you want to export.
6. Choose OFX or QFX as the file format.
7. Download the file.
8. Upload that file to your budgeting app.

The trickiest part is step four — finding the download option. Banks bury it in different places, and the labelling varies. Look for terms like "Export transactions", "Download statement", "Transaction download", or a small download icon near your transaction list.

Major Australian Banks

Commonwealth Bank (CommBank)

1. Log in to NetBank.
2. Select the account from the accounts overview.
3. Click on "Statements" in the navigation.
4. Click "Export" or look for "Download transactions" (appears as a link or button above the transaction list).
5. Choose your date range.
6. Select "OFX" as the format and download.

Alternatively, go to the transaction list for the account, and look for a download icon in the top right of the transactions panel.

Westpac

1. Log in to online banking.
2. Go to "Accounts" and select your account.
3. Click "View statements" or go to the transaction list.
4. Look for "Export" above the transaction list.
5. Choose the date range and select "OFX" from the format dropdown.
6. Click Export and save the file.

ANZ

1. Log in to ANZ Internet Banking.
2. Click on the account you want to export.
3. Click "Export transactions" (usually a button or link near the transaction list).
4. Select your date range.
5. Choose "OFX" format and download.

NAB

1. Log in to NAB Internet Banking.
2. Select the account.
3. Go to "Transaction history".
4. Click "Export" (appears as a button or link).
5. Select date range, choose "OFX", and download.

ING (Australia)

ING's interface is slightly different. Look for "Export" in the transaction view — it may offer CSV rather than OFX. If OFX is not available, CSV is a usable fallback for apps that support it, though you lose the benefit of the standardised FIT ID.

Major US Banks

Chase

1. Log in to chase.com.
2. Select the account from the account summary.
3. Click "Download account activity" (usually appears in the account activity section or as a small icon).
4. Choose your date range.
5. Select "Quicken" or "QuickBooks" format — these download as QFX/OFX files.
6. Download and save.

Bank of America

1. Log in and select your account.
2. Go to the "Statements and documents" section, or look for "Download transactions" from within the account view.
3. Choose your date range.
4. Select "Microsoft Money or Quicken (OFX)" from the format options.
5. Download the file.

Wells Fargo

1. Log in and go to account activity.
2. Click "Download Account Activity" (appears as a link near the date filter).
3. Select date range and choose "Quicken (QFX)" format.
4. Download.

US Bank

1. Log in and navigate to the account.
2. Click "Download" from the activity or statements section.
3. Choose date range and select "Quicken" or "OFX" format.

Credit unions and smaller banks

Many credit unions and smaller community banks offer OFX export because the format has been around since the late 1990s and is widely supported. Look for it in the statements or transaction history section. If you cannot find it, search "[your bank name] OFX export" or contact your bank's support — most will be able to point you to the right location.

Choosing the Right Date Range

When you export, choose a date range that captures all transactions you have not yet imported into your budgeting app. A good approach:

• For your first import, download the last one to three months to get a useful history.
• For ongoing imports, download since your last import date. A small overlap is fine — good budgeting apps use the FIT ID to detect and ignore duplicate transactions.

Do not worry about exporting the same period twice. If your app has proper duplicate detection, importing the same transaction twice does nothing. If you are unsure, just export a shorter date range to be safe.

What If My Bank Does Not Offer OFX?

Some banks — particularly newer digital banks and neobanks — only offer CSV export. CSV works, but it is less structured than OFX. The columns vary by bank, and there is no standardised transaction ID to prevent duplicates.

Check whether your budgeting app supports CSV import and whether it handles duplicate detection for CSV files. If you are using MoneyMindedMe, OFX and QFX are the primary import formats.

If your bank does not offer OFX at all, consider raising it with them. OFX export is a standard feature request, and many banks respond to enough customer inquiries by adding it.

Uploading the File

Once you have your OFX file downloaded, the import process in most budgeting apps is straightforward:

1. Open your budgeting app.
2. Find the "Import transactions" or "Upload statement" option.
3. Select the file from your downloads folder.
4. Review the imported transactions and confirm categories.

The whole process — from logging into your bank to having transactions in your budget — takes about five minutes once you know where to look in your bank's interface.

Try it yourself with a free 30-day trial of MoneyMindedMe — no credit card required. Import your first OFX file and you will have real transactions in your envelopes within minutes.