Why did TurboTax Deluxe download tell me I used 2 of 5 computers when it's installed on only one?

Forum|Forum|5 months ago
January 15, 2026
2 replies
19 views

Hi. I purchased TurboTax Deluxe Download last month. I installed it on one laptop. License was activated at time of installation last month without issue. I have been using TurboTax without issue for almost a month inputting information as my documents became available. Everything was fine with TurboTax until today when TurboTax installed another update. As the update installed, the status bar showed percentage of progress. As the bar ran through 30% to 40% up to approximately 93 %, several multidigit random number strings appeared in the status bar in place of the percentages. This did not happen with any previous updates. When the update installation completed, Turbo Tax displayed my license key and said it needed to be activated. Since it was the only way to get back into TurboTax, I hit OK. At that point it told me I had now used 2 of 5 computers. I'm still on the same computer I installed it on last month. Why would it count one laptop as 2? I will be installing it on another computer in a few days, and I don't want issues with the program telling me I will then be on 3 computers instead of 2. I am concerned that if this issue happened once it could happen again and continue to reduce my number of available computers until it reaches zero. Any help from anyone, including TurboTax, in restoring my number of available computers at this point back to 4 would be greatly appreciated.

TurboTax Online

M-MTax

Level 15

About the only thing you can do is contact TurboTax support.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/account-management/turbotax-phone-number/L0Od33nMQ_US_en_US

user17684295962Author

Level 2

Thank you. I contacted them, and while they are very nice they don't seem to have any solution other than to say they made a notation on my account.

From what I've heard from others, it appears if you make ANY changes, including adding a printer or installing other programs subsequent to installing TurboTax, it will see your computer as a new one.

If this is in fact true, it appears you need a computer dedicated ONLY to TurboTax.

user17684295962Author

Level 2

Now my concern is that I will need to be on the phone with TurboTax every time there is an update so they can share the screen with me before allowing the update to install. Otherwise I run the risk of TurboTax believing I'm on yet another computer when I'm actually still on the same one I've been using all along.

Not as happy with TurboTax as I've been when they still used CD's.

MEKRAUS60

Level 2

Do you use a VPN which changes your ISP location frequently? I just did the review of my complaint, of having 1 more install than expected, with Customer Service. It seems using a VPN, while using Turbo Tax, makes it appear you are using another device. The decision is to turn off VPN before opening Turbo Tax. Most of my banks also I have to turn off VPN, so this seems the correct answer to me.

I hope this is a resolution for you

user17684295962Author

Level 2

Thank you very much for taking the time to help. Very much appreciated. 😀

Actually, no I'm not using VPN.

It's frustrating because nothing on computer has changed (other than Windows updates and TurboTax updates) since installing TurboTax in December.

The first few TurboTax updates went without a hitch, but the last one (several weeks ago) showed weird sequences of multi-digit numbers in the progress bar interspersed with the percentage numbers. Then the message that I have now used up 2 licenses.

When I am certain all my documentation is ready, as M-MTax suggested, I will turn off wifi, start TurboTax, then turn wifi back on. Then, before doing update, I will call TurboTax to ask them to share screen.

I'm glad you were able to resolve your issue, and I really thank you for taking the time to help! 😀

user17684295962Author

Level 2

My thanks again to M-MTax and MEKRAUSE60.

Just as an update, I opened TurboTax for the first time since the initial incident, this time with a TurboTax representative on the phone before even touching the computer.

I wanted to make sure TurboTax was open and running before selecting "Check for Updates" with the representative sharing the screen.

First issue: I turned off wifi, and tried to open my TurboTax program. TurboTax would not open until I allowed it to update and representative couldn't share the screen until TurboTax completed the update.

Second issue: While waiting for update to complete, I once again saw the random mult-digit number strings under the status bar. Exactly the same situation as the last time when TurboTax told me I had used up another license.

Thank God, after update completed there was no message saying another license had been expended. Representative couldn't explain why it expended an additional license several weeks ago, but I was just grateful the program worked without a hitch this time.

My thanks again to M-MTax and MEKRAUSE60 for taking the time to help. Your kindness is very much appreciated. 😀