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Level 2
Feb 23, 2026 8:11 PM UTC
Question

Corrupt file after uodate

After updating today, my tax file won't open and it says it is corrupt. I had no issues opening it before the update. I've tried restarting everything, opening Turbo Tax as admin, nothing has worked.

10 replies

Alumni - Intuit
Feb 24, 2026 3:57 PM UTC

To fix this, try reopening your return :

  • Sign in to TurboTax.
  • Select Tax Home from the menu.
  • Scroll down to Your tax returns & documents.
  • Click “Add State”. Although it says “Add State” you are not adding one. That option just lets you reopen your return and access it again.

If the issue keeps being "corrupt", contact Customer Support by clicking the link below:

TurboTax Phone Number


 

Level 2
Feb 28, 2026 7:44 PM UTC

I have had the same issue. This is the third time I have FULLY entered my information and then when the update installed, it corrupted my file. I updated my os software, updated turbo tax and restarted the computer. Then entered everything AGAIN and at the end it wanted to update the software so I let it, then my file was corrupted. 

MarilynG
Alumni - Intuit
Mar 3, 2026 2:04 AM UTC

See if you have a backup copy of your file in Documents > TurboTax (may have a Tilde~ sign).  Make sure you don't save your TurboTax data files in a cloud environment, or they may become corrupted when you try to open them again.

 

@tkenn 

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Level 2
Mar 29, 2026 11:24 PM UTC

This is the EXACT same problem I had today.  The backup file is not empty either.  Tried the fixes mentioned above applicable to desktop version with no help.  I believe this is another TurboTax fatal flaw and not user error.  Or it is related to the reason for revisiting the return, which is that it was submitted with the incorrect AGI for verification.  Any other ideas welcome.

Level 6
Mar 31, 2026 12:38 AM UTC

To recover a corrupted TurboTax file, first search your computer for backup files (.bak or .tax202X). In File Explorer, search for *.tax202X or *.bak to find auto-saved or backup copies, then remove the .bak extension from the filename to open it in TurboTax.

 

Look for a PDF copy of the return you may have created, which can be used to re-enter data.

 

Try opening the file in a different TurboTax version, updating the software, or running a disk check (CHKDSK). 

 

If you continue to experience the same problem after following the troubleshooting steps, please contact TurboTax customer support for further assistance.

 

@journeywoman 

Level 2
Apr 6, 2026 12:10 AM UTC

I'm also experiencing this. I submitted the return as well and it got rejected from Federal while also having the save files being corrupted. They're not on a cloud drive and I have a PDF file in addition to the tax2025 file extension file. Why would the PDF be corrupted and is this corruption why the return got rejected?

Level 2
Apr 9, 2026 3:55 PM UTC

Here's a twist. This corrupted file message only happens to my brother's return, and it has happened now for the 4th year in a row. I can never transfer his previous year's data, either from a tax or a pdf file, and if I don't complete his return in one sitting, it won't open the in-progress file. What's up with this, TurboTax?