Unapprove an invoice in Xero: void and copy by hand, or use Unapprove
Xero does not move an approved invoice back to draft. The free way is to void it and copy it into a new draft, one invoice at a time. For a handful of invoices that is enough. For a batch that an import or an app approved too early, Unapprove does the same job over a selection, with a preview first. Xero's side below comes from Xero Central, opened on 6 November 2026.
Start free preview with Xero Or connect Xero and buy the $49 Clean-up Pass
You sign in with Xero first; the $49 Pass (30 days, unlimited documents) is paid on Paddle's checkout after you connect. Also $29 a month. Founding offer: the code FOUNDING40 takes 40% off the first payment until 30 November 2026. Full refund within 14 days if no document was processed.
Side by side
| Void and copy by hand in Xero | Unapprove | |
|---|---|---|
| The steps | Per invoice: remove any payment, change the number if you want to reuse it, void, copy the voided invoice, check the copy and approve it again | You choose the documents once. Each gets a draft copy, then the original is voided |
| Many at once | Xero says awaiting payment invoices cannot be voided in bulk, only one by one | Yes, on a selected batch of approved invoices and bills |
| Preview | None. You open each copy and compare it yourself | A free, read-only preview lists every result and every skipped document with its reason before anything changes |
| Same number and files | To reuse an approved invoice's number, you change the number before you void it (Xero Central). Re-attaching files is up to you | The draft takes the original number, the original is renamed with a -V suffix, and attachments carry across |
| Invoices with a payment | You remove the payment first, then void (Xero Central) | Skipped in an unapprove run and listed with the reason. A separate run, confirmed by typing the count, removes payments and voids |
| Locked periods | A lock date stops changes to transactions in a past period, and you can change or remove it at any time | Skipped and listed. It does not change lock dates |
| Undo | Voided invoices can't be reinstated or restored | A void still cannot be undone, and the draft is a new document. A CSV backup is made first |
| Price | Included in Xero | Preview free. Free trial on 3 documents, no card. $29 a month per organisation, $290 a year, or a $49 Clean-up Pass for 30 days with no renewal |
Source: Xero Central, Delete or void an invoice and Set up or remove lock dates, opened on 6 November 2026.
When the free route is enough
- A handful of invoices: void and copy costs nothing. Our step-by-step guide to unapproving an invoice in Xero shows it.
- The invoice is still in draft or awaiting approval: Xero lets you delete those, in bulk from the list view, or simply edit them. You do not need a tool.
- You already sent it to the customer: Xero's advice is a credit note, so you and your customer keep an audit trail. Voiding a sent invoice is not always the right move.
When Unapprove saves the work
- An import, a sync or an app approved dozens at once: repeating the same steps for each one is where numbers and files get lost. A previewed batch is why Unapprove exists.
- You only need the originals gone: a void-only run is available. For US organisations it is the only unapprove-style run, because draft copies are off there: a copy made through Xero's API can lose automatic sales tax.
Unapprove does not delete invoices and cannot undo a void. Run the free preview first.
Questions people ask
Can you unapprove an invoice in Xero?
Not with a button. Xero lets you void an awaiting payment invoice and copy it, and Xero says a voided invoice can't be reinstated or restored. Unapprove automates that route over a selection and keeps the invoice number.
Can I void many Xero invoices at once?
Xero says you can't void awaiting payment invoices in bulk, you need to void them individually. Unapprove voids a selected batch after you check the preview.
What happens to an invoice that has a payment?
In Xero you remove the payment before you can void. Unapprove skips such invoices in a normal run and lists them. A separate run removes the payments and voids, after you type the count to confirm.
Does Unapprove keep the invoice number and the attachments?
Yes. The draft takes the original number, the original is voided under a number with a -V suffix, and attachments carry across. US organisations get void-only runs, with no draft copies.
How much does Unapprove cost?
The preview is free, and the free trial processes 3 documents. After that it is $29 a month per organisation, $290 a year, or a one-off $49 Clean-up Pass for 30 days. With FOUNDING40 the first payment is 40% off until 30 November 2026.
Can I get a refund?
An unused pass is refundable within 14 days, as long as no document was processed.
Connect Xero and buy the $49 Clean-up Pass See Unapprove
Founding offer: FOUNDING40, 40% off the first payment until 30 November 2026, applied at checkout. Checkout by Paddle.
Atesen Software makes Unapprove. Xero is a trademark of Xero Limited; this page is not affiliated with or endorsed by Xero. Xero's behaviour is described from the Xero Central articles linked above, opened on 6 November 2026; menus and limits can change, so check Xero Central before you decide.