If you used the Desktop program the returns are only saved and stored on your computer and any backups you made.  Turbo Tax does not save a backup online.  Are you on Windows or Mac.

When you go up to File-Open doesn't your return show up in the box?

Your tax return file ends in .tax2019, .tax2020, .tax2021 etc.  Search your computer for it.  Check the Recycle Bin or Trash.  Check in One Drive, etc.  it should be in your Documents then in the Turbo Tax folder.  Check your backups.  Also if you have multiple Windows user accounts, log into each one and do the search for the *.tax2021 data file from within each one and checking the Recycle Bin in each one.

If you don't have the main .tax file you might have one that starts with a Tilde sign ~ like  "~your name.tax2021".  That file is if your computer crashes or your real file gets lost or deleted or corrupt so you can restore it.

How to show the file extension in Windows

https://www.howtogeek.com/205086/beginner-how-to-make-windows-show-file-extensions/

See this post (scroll down) he found his files in the Administrator account

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/taxes/discussion/all-my-turbo-tax-information-is-missing-where-did-it-all-go/00/778966/page/5

Don't know if this will help any Turbo Tax users but one Quicken user found them......

What I found was that my Quicken Data files ended up in the One-drive Recycle bin. Not sure how, but I found them there.  I placed the files back onto the laptop and brought the files into Quicken and now have all my data back.

I am using Desktop version Home and Business.

The file does not show up in the home window to select for continuing with a tax return.

I searched the entire hard drive using *.tax2021 and nothing.

I have noted on other posting that files would dissappeat after at Turbotax update.

I found the back up files that are created by Turbo tax in the same folder the Tax2021 was supposed to be in, but thats it.

What is the backup file?  Is it the same name but with the tilde sign ~ In front?  You can open that.  

forgot to mention,  window 10

no, it is a file with gobbledy goop for a name and a taxbak extension

below is an example

6e04c837-779a-42e2-8261-a85d903d7423.taxbak

the file size is 5,334kb.  I am hoping it has all the data and can be restored.

I already filed 2021.  i am just concerned that without the 2021 tax file, come 2022 tax preparation, i will be unable to migrate 2021 data into the 2022 file.

Hmmmmm,  that is not a Turbo Tax file or backup.  Where did you get it?

To open a .taxbak File

Not using TurboTax.  A tax data file can only be opened if it was created by TurboTax and has a file extension of .taxyyyy where yyyy is the tax year, eg .tax2018.

Only if you have the Taxback software.  You cannot open the file in TurboTax.

it has to be a turbotax file, there are over 50 file with the taxbak extention in the folder where the turbotax file used to be.

i should note the files are time stamped at a consistent 10 minute interval.   This tells me that the turbo tax software automatically creates a back up file every 10 minutes while the file is open.

Did you look in the Recycle Bin? Searching the hard drive does not search the Recycle Bin.

yes and no luck there either.

Once the return is filed I cannot stress enough the wisdom of saving the return (both as a PDF & .taxfile ) to a removable storage medium like a thumb drive for safe keeping.  That way you always have a back up copy securely saved. 

This is my mini version of  a tutorial  that should be in the downloaded program: 

What is Forms Mode?

Forms Mode lets you view and make changes to your tax forms "behind the scenes."

If you're adventurous, you can even prepare your return in Forms Mode, but we don't recommend it. You may miss obscure credits and deductions you qualify for, and you may forget to report things that will come back and haunt you later.

Forms Mode is exclusively available in the TurboTax CD/Download software. It is not available in TurboTax Online.

Related Information:

• Why would I use Forms Mode?
• How do I switch to Forms Mode in the TurboTax for Windows software?
• How do I switch to Forms Mode in the TurboTax for Mac software?
• What is-the-meaning-of-all-the-different-colors-in-forms-mode

If you want to play around with different figures and tax scenarios without affecting your original return you can ….

• >>>In the TurboTax CD/Download software by creating a test copy: 
• 1.  Open your return in TurboTax. 
• 2.  From the File menu, choose Save As. 
• 3.  Give the copy a new name to distinguish it from the original (for example, by adding "Test" or "Example" to the file name). 
• 4. Click  Save. You are now safely working in the test copy and anything you do here will not affect the original. 
•  https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900642-how-to-make-a-test-copy-of-your-return

• >>  use the WHAT IF tool: 
• - Click Forms Icon (upper right of screen) or Ctrl 2 (forms view) 
• - Click on the Open Form Icon 
• - In the “Type a form name.” area type What-If (with the dash), click on the name of the worksheet - click on Open Form 
• - You will see the worksheet on the right side of the screen; enter the information right into the form 
• - To get back to interview mode - click on the Step-by-Step Icon (upper right of screen) or Ctrl 1

Once you have filed successfully … you can shut off the auto updater function and then save the return &  .taxfile.

It's always a good idea to make a backup copy of your tax data file, in case your original gets lost or corrupted. Here's how:

1. From the File menu in the upper-left corner of TurboTax, choose Save As (Windows) or Save (Mac).
2. Browse to where you want to save your backup.
   • Tip: If you're saving to a portable device, save it to your computer first to prevent data corruption. Then, after completing Step 4, copy or move the backup file to your device.
3. In the File name field, enter a name that will distinguish it from the original tax file (for example, add "Backup" or "Copy" to the file name)
4. Click Save and then close TurboTax.
5. Restart TurboTax and open the backup copy to make sure it's not corrupted. If you get an error, delete the backup and repeat these steps.

If you make changes to your original tax return file, repeat these steps to ensure your original and backup copies are in-synch.

Related Information:                             

• Retrieve a Tax File from a Portable Device
• What's the difference between the tax data file and the PDF file?

AND save it as a PDF so you have access to a copy even if you don’t have the program still installed and operational :

• How do I save my return as a PDF in the TurboTax software for Windows?
• How do I save my return as a PDF in the TurboTax software for Mac?

AND protect the files :

• How can I protect the tax files on my computer?

*** Other clues to the downloaded program ***

In the forms mode ... double click  or right click on a box on a form to data source it ... sadly it doesn't work on all boxes. 

What's the meaning of all the different colors in Forms Mode?

When you look at an onscreen tax form using Forms Mode, you might wonder why one figure is blue and the one next to it is red or black.

These colors indicate the source of that data.

Critter-3,

While all the information you provided was interesting and appreciated, unfortunately, it doesn't help with the problem I am dealing with.

I understand making backups of the tax file after filed is a good idea.   The problem is when I opened Turbotax to do just that, the file was gone.

What I am asking for is information on how to restore a file from the .taxbak files that are on my hard drive in the folder where the *.tax2021 was supposed to be.

I don't know if you are a Turbotax/Intuit employee or just someone who is interested in helping.   I appreciate this forum as it seems it is not possible to talk to someone at Turbotax directly.

My take on the issue is, when Turbotax does its updates automatically when you open the program, the is/was a glitch in the update process that deleted the tax file and now it appears I am SOL.

As mentioned previously, the taxes are filed and I am just trying to find/recover the TT file so i can migrate the tax data next year for 2022 taxes.  

Thanks for your help and any additional recommendations you may have.

I have a similar problem.  My return which is stored on the cloud does not indicate that it was filed.  Is there another file somewhere?

You can shut off the auto update function (WIN only)  when you have filed and saved a PDF and .taxfile of the return to a separate storage medium ... not just the cloud.  

I had the same issue, and I think I found a simple solution.  Renaming the latest of the <gobbledigook>.taxbak backup files to <TaxReturn>.tax2022 and opening (double-clicking) this, I was able to fully recover my tax return. I think this answers the original question on how to recover from the Backup files. Just to be careful, you should probably try this on a copy of the latest <gobbledigook>.taxbak file and not on your only original.

Some more detail: for me, Turbotax Desktop 2022 seems to save  <gobbledigook>.taxbak backup files every 10-20 minutes and doesn't clean them up. While that's fairly benign, the more serious issue is that Turbotax 2022 can lose your work (I reproduced this multiple times): I opened a <TaxReturn>.tax2022 file, made no edits, and closed the Turbotax program without saving when asked. It turns out that not saving at this point makes the previously saved <TaxReturn>.tax2022 file disappear from my hard drive. 

I should add that I was working on a folder that was automatically mirrored real-time to an external Seagate hard drive - perhaps that messes with some auto-backup mechanism? And of course, in case you are wondering, the missing file was gone from the mirrored drive as well.

Gengel saves the day!  Way better to offer advice (e.g. rename to .tax2022) when you actually know what you are talking about, as opposed to claiming ".taxbak requires taxbak software" and "there are no backups".