I'm trying to download a prior year return as a pdf but the only option I'm getting is a text file?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
June 7, 2019
3 replies
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Best answer by SteamTrain

That only happens in certain browser setups (Edge for me)

Just rename the ".txt" extension to ".pdf" and it will open as a normal PDF file. It actually is a PDF, but somehow gets the wrong extension.

You cannot change it as you are doing the download itself...only a .txt is available.....but you change it on your computer after the file is on your computer...in whatever directory you put it in.

OR...Just log in to your tax account using another browser and download it again. IE 11 and Chrome both download with the proper pdf extension for me.

SteamTrainAnswer

Level 15

That only happens in certain browser setups (Edge for me)

Just rename the ".txt" extension to ".pdf" and it will open as a normal PDF file. It actually is a PDF, but somehow gets the wrong extension.

You cannot change it as you are doing the download itself...only a .txt is available.....but you change it on your computer after the file is on your computer...in whatever directory you put it in.

OR...Just log in to your tax account using another browser and download it again. IE 11 and Chrome both download with the proper pdf extension for me.

____________*Answers are correct to the best of my knowledge when posted, but should not be considered to be legal or official tax advice.*

tleinAuthor

Level 2

I do use Edge. I don't have an option to save it as any other than a txt file and I don't know how to save rename the extension (I can rename the file name but not the extension)

tleinAuthor

Level 2

I do use Edge. I don't have an option to save it as any other than a txt file and I don't know how to save rename the extension (I can rename the file name but not the extension)

SteamTrain

Level 15

True....You can't re-set the extension during the download process.

..….you change it on your computer after it has been already been downloaded.

(I'll adjust my answer above to make that clear(er).

____________*Answers are correct to the best of my knowledge when posted, but should not be considered to be legal or official tax advice.*