Does old software become unusable but remains in your system (downloaded desk top Ttax)?

[laurag25]

An older tax datafile (2021) cannot be accessed from software that I downloaded in 2022 (we are now 2026).

If I go to my profile I can download the copy of Ttax software for 2021, but the installer says that a copy of the software already exists on my machine and must be removed. I did this and the new 2021 Ttax can be downloaded. But it was already in the machine! Does it go permanently dormant after a certain amount of time? 

[DoninGA]

TurboTax does not support tax year 2021.  So if you download the program you will not be able to install it since the license code is no longer valid.

[laurag25]

But I did download it and it works very well! Turbotax didn't even ask me for the original license key, it just downloaded the software. 

[Mike9241]

Years before 2022  are not supported. The download may not conform to that year's tax laws because updates are no longer available. If the download is not the latest version for that year, opening your tax file could result in items being changed from what was filed. 

[laurag25]

But the exact opposite seems more likely:  if there were updates to the software now that weren't operational in the year you filed there would be more risk that the numbers would change.