If you use TurboTax Online, the program automatically saves your return as you go. However, you appear to be using a desktop version. When using a desktop version, you have to save your return. When you close the program, TurboTax will ask if you want to save the return. The program will periodically save itself, so you should be able to retrieve some, if not all of your work.
The easiest way to open your return is to launch your TurboTax program and click Continue on the return you want to open. Hopefully, the return you were working on will pop right up.
Another way is to choose Open Tax Return from the TurboTax File menu. Browse to the location of your tax file, and then click Open.
To find your tax2016 file in Windows, follow these instructions:
This article explains how to find a tax data file (.tax file) that was created using the TurboTax CD/Download software for Windows, or was downloaded and saved to your computer from your TurboTax Online account.
Please note that we're unable to retrieve tax returns that were prepared in TurboTax CD/download software because your data is stored locally, on your hard drive. E-filing does not keep copies of your return on our servers.
To locate your tax file, you will also need to be logged into the same Windows user account you used when you created or saved it.
If you are unsure which account you used when you created or saved your tax file, repeat the steps below for each account on your computer.
- Simultaneously press the Windows+F keys (or go to your Desktop and press F3).
- Type *.tax2016
- In the search results, copy the tax file's location or path. By default, TurboTax saves tax files in the My Documents > TurboTax Returns folder.
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Tip: Don't double-click the tax file in the search results to open it, as this may cause errors.
- After locating the path to the tax file on your computer, open your tax return through TurboTax.
