I am trying to set up contractors. The email that QB sends tells them to sign up for direct deposit, not fill out their W9. Is there some way to remove direct deposit?

Do you have Direct Deposit activated in your QBO account? If so, the default payment method will be Direct Deposit when adding new contractors if you already have the service activated. 

This is the reason why the email is asking your contractors to fill out their bank account details. As a workaround, you can ask them to email you their business information instead. Then, manually enter them in QBO. Here's how:

1. Go back to the Contractors tab and select the name of the contractor.
2. Proceed to the Details section and click Personal details.
3. Type in all the required information. 
4. Choose Save.

Once done, make sure to select the Write check option to pay them via regular check.

Let me also share these articles for additional details: 

• Fill Out a W-9 and View Your 1099-MISC in QuickBooks Self-Employed
• Invite a Contractor to Add Their Own Tax Info

Don't hesitate to get back here and let me know if you're able to put in the contractor's W9 information. You can can also ask follow-questions if you need anything else.