New computer

Forum|Forum|3 months ago
March 8, 2026
3 replies
4 views

I read the answers pertaining to getting prior years tax return data onto a new computer, but I do not have "tax files" for recent years, only from 2008 to 2014. Could it be called something else or be a different type of file? I've done a search of the entire computer in case it went in a folder other than Turbo Tax, but no luck. Thanks.

JohnB5677

Level 15

The *.TAX files are the most common, but you may find them under -.PDF, *.DOCX or a ZIP file,

The Desktop files are on your local computer. they are aren't stored at TurboTax.

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VolvoGirl

Level 15

Are you on Windows or Mac? Have you been using the Online version the last several years?

Do you need to move all the programs or just your returns? Your returns are not in the program but in separate files.

You only need the file ending in .tax2024 to transfer into 2025.

On the old computer, Your tax files end in .tax or .tax2022 or .tax2023 or .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. Also if you haven't done it, I would open each year in the program and save it as a PDF file, go to File-Save to PDF so you don't need the program installed to view or print your return in the future like to get a mortgage or loan, etc.

What I would do is just copy the whole Turbo Tax folder that is under your Documents. That should be where the .tax files and pdf files are stored. Copy that folder to a flash drive or best yet is to burn it to a CD or DVD and then you will have a backup of them. Then on the new computer copy the folder (or files) from the flash drive to your Documents folder.

VolvoGirl

Level 15

To find files

For Windows

Did you search your whole computer for all files ending in .tax2024 etc?And check the recycle bin and your backups. Check in One Drive, Drop Box, etc. It should be in your Documents then in the Turbo Tax folder. Also if you have multiple Windows user accounts, log into each one and do the search for the *.tax2024 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.tax2024". That file is if your computer crashes or your real file gets lost or deleted or corrupt so you can restore it.

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.

How to find tax files on Mac

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/find-your-tax-data-file-in-mac/00/26206