Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Feb 27, 2025 2:51:51 PM

I want to find my previous tax return for last year to save. I used the desktop Application version of TurboTax. How do I do it?

0 2 2014
2 Replies
Level 15
Feb 27, 2025 2:54:53 PM

If you used the desktop CD/Download editions installed on your computer, the only copy of your tax data file and any PDF's will be on the computer where the return was created.  TurboTax does not store online any returns completed using the desktop editions.

 

If you saved any PDF's of the tax return it will be in the TurboTax folder within the Documents directory. 

Level 15
Feb 27, 2025 3:02:20 PM

Did you use Windows or Mac?  For Windows. Your tax files end in .tax or starting in 2008, .tax2008, .tax2022, .tax2023, .tax2024 etc. They should be in your Documents in a Turbo Tax folder. You should also have the pdf files of each year. Or search your computer for all files ending in .tax.


Find your Tax file in Windows
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/find-your-tax-data-file-tax-file-in-windows/00/25926


For 2023 Windows Desktop program the return is saved as filename….
2023 Smith {first name initial} Form 1040 Individual Tax Return.tax2023


If you don't have the main .tax file you might have one that starts with a Tilde sign ~ like "~your name.tax2024". That file is if your computer crashes or your real file gets lost or deleted or corrupt so you can restore it.

 

Find tax files on Mac. You might need to show extensions. I think Mac doesn't show the .tax2023 at the end.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/find-your-tax-data-file-in-mac/00/26206

 

Or what you can do is open the 2023 program and see if it finds your return.