When I import a QIF file into Quicken, "an account must be selected for this import data"

The message means your QIF file is missing the account header and your QIF file is not a 'correct' QIF Quicken file. You can import into a cash account and then move transactions (cut and paste transactions) under another account.

Quicken shows a message "Account must be selected" for a selected QIF file for the following cases:

• QIF file was not created for Quicken, please go back to the app, enter/map the account name exactly as you have in Quicken, select a correct QIF target and create a new QIF file