How to Deposit a Check: ATM, Mobile, and In-Person at the Bank

Flip the check over and sign the back on the endorsement line. Match the signature to exactly how your name is printed on the front. If the check is made out to John Q. Smith, sign John Q. Smith, not Johnny Smith. For extra security, write 'For deposit only' and your account number under your signature so nobody else can cash it if the check gets lost on the way to the ATM.

Slide your debit card into the card slot face up with the chip going in first. The card only fits one way. If you try the wrong orientation, the ATM will reject it and show an error message on the screen. Take the card back out, flip it, and reinsert it the correct way. Some newer ATMs use a tap-to-pay reader instead of a slot, so look for the contactless symbol if you do not see a slot at all.

The ATM will prompt you to enter your four-digit PIN. Cover the keypad with your free hand while you type so nobody behind you can see it. Press Enter when you finish. If you make a mistake, hit the Cancel button and start over rather than guessing. Three wrong PIN attempts will lock your card, and you will have to call the bank to unlock it.

The main menu shows several options: FastCash, cash withdrawal, transfer between accounts, balance inquiry, and deposit. Tap the Deposit button. Some ATMs show the deposit option on a second screen, so look for a Next or More Options button if you do not see it right away. The buttons next to the screen also work if the touchscreen feels unresponsive in cold weather.

Select which account you want to deposit into. Most people pick checking, but savings works too. On the next screen, choose Check rather than Cash. The ATM handles each type differently, so picking the right one matters. A wrong selection here can stall the transaction halfway through and you will have to cancel out and start over.

This trips up a lot of people. The check slot stays closed until you press the Continue When Ready button. If you are looking for somewhere to insert the check and the slot will not open, that button is why. Hit Continue When Ready and the slot will open up below the screen with a green light around it so you can see where to feed the check.

Drop the check into the open slot with the front side facing upward. The ATM needs to scan the printed amount, the routing number, and your endorsement, so orientation matters. The machine pulls it in automatically. Wait a few seconds while it reads the check and detects the amount. Do not try to push the check in or pull it out once the machine grabs it.

The screen shows the amount the ATM read off the check. If it matches, tap Finish or Confirm. If the number is wrong, hit Edit and type the correct amount manually. Once you confirm, the deposit posts and you can choose receipt options: print one, get an emailed copy, or skip it. Take your card, the receipt, and walk away. Hold onto that receipt until the deposit clears, usually one to two business days for a personal check.

Other deposit methods. If you would rather skip the trip, every major bank has a mobile-deposit option in their app. You snap a photo of the front and back of the check, type the amount, and submit. See how to deposit a check on mobile for the full walkthrough. For in-person teller deposits, fill out a deposit slip with your account number and the check amount, hand both to the teller along with your ID, and they will hand back a printed receipt. Tellers are the right call for checks over $5,000, foreign checks, or anything that needs special handling.