When I open Turbotax, a return I already successfully filed shows a duplicate copy. How do I delete one of them?

[tj483n]

just want to delete a duplicate copy of tax return.  The original return already filed and accepted but when I went in I must have somehow saved another copy.  Can I delete the extra copy?

[Jo_Andy]

I save every time I work on my return say for 30 minutes.  I also save when ever I get off it.  I have finished my return but I have not filed it yet (2020).   I went back into it tonight and I see 3 copies to select from.  I am able to open all three and they are complete except for filing.  My subdirectory on my hard drive showed two .tax2020 files and one .pdf file.  So I deleted on of the .tax2020 files.  However, when I go into turbo tax I still see three copies that I can open.  How do I delete two of them?  I also copied one to a flash drive for back up purposes.

[Jo_Andy]

I have been searching through the various comments and have found several that may help.  Here is a copy of one posted by Cruzesh:   "Launch TurboTax.   In the Windows version, for instance, on the home screen it should show you large icons for the returns you have been working on.   Click once on the one you don't want, and it will be "selected" (a border will appear around the icon). "  (don't click on continue)  "Then press the DELETE key on your computer.    A popup will ask you if you want to delete it from the TurboTax program, or if you want to delete it from your computer.     If you choose "Delete from TurboTax", it only removes it from that interface--i.e., it just doesn't display when you launch TurboTax, but is still present on your computer.  To completely delete it, you choose "Delete from TurboTax AND your computer"".  Hope it helps you, it did me.

[Tom502]

I have two copies of the turbo tax file.  How do I delete one of them.

[Jo_Andy]

You need to go to where the files are saved on your computer and delete the file from there.  For instance, I save my Turbo Tax files at: Data (D): /documents/turbotax.  Be sure you high light the file you want to delete.  Then right click on it and choose delete.  When you open Turbo Tax the file will no longer appear.  You can test this procedure by opening Turbo Tax and opening the turbo tax file you want to delete and in the "menu" at the top click on "file" and then choose "save as".  When the file name appears in the box add a one or the word test or something to the file name and save it.    Close out of Turbo Tax and then reopen it.  You should now see the file you just created then close out of turbo tax.  Go to where you save your turbo tax files on your computer and find the file you just created and right click on it and delete it.  Now open turbo tax and you should see that it is gone.  Once you have confidence in this procedure go back and delete the real file you  wanted to delete.  Hope this helps.

[VolvoGirl]

Everyone..... You might be seeing the Tilde file.  It starts with a Tilde sign ~ like "~your name.tax2020". That file is if your computer crashes or your real file gets lost or deleted or corrupt so you can restore it.

[bea57]

How do I delete one of them?

[Jo_Andy]

You need to go to where the files are saved on your computer and delete the file from there.  For instance, I save my Turbo Tax files at: Data (D): /documents/turbotax.  Be sure you high light the file you want to delete.  Then right click on it and choose delete.  When you open Turbo Tax the file will no longer appear.  You can test this procedure by opening Turbo Tax and opening the turbo tax file you want to delete and in the "menu" at the top click on "file" and then choose "save as".  When the file name appears in the box add a "one" or the word "test" or something to the file name and save it.    Close out of Turbo Tax and then reopen it.  You should now see the file you just created then close out of turbo tax.  Go to where you save your turbo tax files on your computer and find the file you just created and right click on it and delete it.  Now open turbo tax and you should see that it is gone.  Once you have confidence in this procedure go back and delete, as explained above, the real file you  wanted to delete.  Hope this helps.

[PhilD2]

I had exactly the same situation.  Only one file on the PC but two listings in the "continue a return" screen.  Deleted one of them [from Turbotax but NOT from computer.  Worked fine.  Not at all clear why this confusing situation arose; both icons led to the same datafile on the PC.

[nino2023]

Jo_Andy - Perfect!  Thanks for posting.