topic Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

folf — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:20:35 GMT

As the title says, I am trying to activate my TurboTax 2025 desktop purchase which apparently requires me to sign in. The sign in will not let me get past the captcha and just infinitely keeps asking me to click on more images. There is no browser to close or cookies to clear, it's 100% inside of the TurboTax desktop app.

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

Karis_F — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 21:41:24 GMT

Try these steps to resolve a captcha issue:

1. Disconnect from any VPN connections

2. Clear your cache

3. Close your browser and allow cookies

See this TurboTax article for instructions on how to fix captcha issues.

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

folf — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:56:21 GMT

As my post clearly states, there is no browser, no cache, no cookies to clear as it is 100% inside the TurboTax desktop app. I am not connected to a VPN.

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

mrandera — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:02:19 GMT

I am having the EXACT SAME CAPTCHA issue as this user is describing.

This is a really bad answer from Intuit Tech Support.

Also, Why in th @#$%#$@%$@# would you ask for Captcha for a LOCAL S/W install! This is totally crazy!!!!

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

CatinaT1 — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:36:18 GMT

Even the desktop software connects to the internet, especially when trying to sign in. The captcha is an internet security tool.

Try these things:

Log Out Completely: Before doing anything else, click Sign Out in the TurboTax menu.
Clear Cache and Cookies: This removes old, "corrupted" data that might be confusing the website.

Most TurboTax errors happen because the browser is trying to use an old "session" from a previous visit. By clearing the cache, you force the browser to establish a brand-new, secure connection with the Intuit servers.

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

folf — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:31:17 GMT

I use Control D as my DNS server which blocks ads and tracking which apparently doesn't like something that TurboTax and the captcha are doing. I switched DNS to Google and the problem goes away (of course putting it back as soon as I was done with logging in to TurboTax).

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

user17730826991 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 19:04:41 GMT

I just installed TurboTax 2025 Business & Home, launched it. It wants me to log in, shows Captcha. I've solved dozens of Captchas by now - it still says "Try again", will not let me continue logging in.

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

MarilynG1 — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:28:31 GMT

To fix TurboTax freezing at the captcha screen after installation, disable any active VPN, as these frequently block authentication. Other effective solutions include switching to an incognito/private browser window, clearing your browser's Cache and Cookies, and temporarily disabling ad-blockers or firewall software.

@user17730826991

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

user17741221556 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 19:48:19 GMT

Same thing... been using turbotax forever. Purchased the desktop version as usual, and unable to get past Capcha, just says try again. First time i have ever been unable to utilize software I purchased. Maybe this is the year to move to another product? Super disappointed! Shame on intuit for utilizing a system that is obviously far from perfect.

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

MonikaK1 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 20:30:02 GMT

Have you tried the troubleshooting steps provided by other users and Experts?

- disable any active VPN, as these frequently block authentication.

- switch to an incognito/private browser window

-clearing your browser's Cache and Cookies

-temporarily disabling ad-blockers or firewall software.

-try using a different browser

-try using a hardwired connection rather than WiFi

Activating the Desktop product and installing updates does involve using an online connection.

@user17741221556

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

user17741254030 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 21:03:05 GMT

This is ridiculously frustrating.

I am able to login to my Intuit account via the Google Chrome browser and pass the captcha first try each and every time. And yes, Intuit makes me do the captcha literally. every. single. time. I. login. I even have multi-factor authentication enabled on my account, but it does not matter. CAPTCHA FOR ALL, EVEN IF I HAVE JUST LOGGED IN FROM THE SAME COMPUTER. Ugh.

When I go to launch TurboTax 2025 and am presented with the login screen, it, once again, forces me into a captcha, though this time, there is no working solution to *actually* login. I have attempted it probably 20 times (literally) at this point. I can only assume it is embedding an Edge browser pane into the TurboTax 2025 launcher or something, but it literally never works. I've cleared the cache through Internet Options in Control Panel; no difference, no change, just repeated failure. Switch over to another program, and I can login just fine via Chrome AND on my iPhone via Safari, first try every time.

Come on, Intuit. I know you want us to use TurboTax Online as opposed to the Desktop editions, but this is ridiculous - please get this fixed, because it is clearly broken for more than just me. I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt that this _has to be_ a bug....

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

user17741221556 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 21:13:01 GMT

- disable any active VPN, as these frequently block authentication.

*** I do not use a VPN

- switch to an incognito/private browser window

*** This is for Windows 11 Desktop install, no window to be incognito/private

-clearing your browser's Cache and Cookies

*** Although I am using Windows Installed version, I cleared my cache and cookies

-temporarily disabling ad-blockers or firewall software.

*** Has been disabled

-try using a different browser

*** Nobody in this thread is using a browser

-try using a hardwired connection rather than WiFi

*** Yes its a hardwired connection

None of these "suggestions" has made any difference. I still have software I paid for that can not be used. There needs to be other ways to authenticate. Running software should not be this much of a problem

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

user17741254030 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 23:34:33 GMT

Well, this is not going to be very helpful to anyone else, but I did want to follow back up from my prior post a couple of hours ago. After I posted that message, I ended up just shutting down the laptop and went off doing other things around the house for awhile, then around 10 minutes ago decided to boot back up and give it another try, just to see.

This time, launching the TurboTax 2025 software presented me with the same login prompt on the path to activation, but after I entered my email address, this time it did not prompt me with a captcha. It gave me the option to enter my intuit.com account password or send a code to my phone; I opted to have a code sent to my phone, which immediately came in. I entered the code, and then it wanted to send me another code (again, just to make sure it's me) to my email account. That code came in, I entered it, and then it prompted me to change my password (mind you, I had just changed my password a few hours ago, and changing it via the TurboTax 2025 software only asked me to enter the password ONCE, not twice to confirm I typed it correctly like usual, not sure what's up with that), but after that, I was able to enter my activation code and now it is operating as expected. Still a pretty daunting login process though.

I've no idea what changed between now and a couple of hours ago, in all honesty; could be any number of things I suppose. Maybe all of my captcha attempts locked my account in some way and I needed to wait until the lock expired; not really sure. I'm just glad it is over (for now, anyway). We will see what happens when we go to actually do our taxes.... good luck, everyone.

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

ElynC — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 01:10:29 GMT

Disabling and clearing various items might eventually work for some, but it did not for me. Ultimately, I had to go through 4 to 6 captchas, and it finally worked. Unfortunately, as you are going through them, you are not aware whether or not you were successful on the prior captchas. Not only that, but the final captcha used a 'fading in and out' scheme, and wanted me to hit 'verify' once an object no longer was reflected in any of the squares. I had never seen this scheme before. Even after solving the captcha issue, I was not done. At least one advertisement window then popped up on the screen. You must actually click on 'decline' on these advertising windows. If you simply "X" out of the window, it takes you right back to the captcha craziness, and you must go through the whole process again.

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

turbotaxwontletmepay — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 16:23:20 GMT

i wish i could get to the captcha. if i click sign in or purchase with credit card in the DESKTOP software (not online) the pop up shows up and gets stuck in the load animation

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

LeticiaF1 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:40:51 GMT

If you are using TurboTax Desktop make sure all updates have been run on your program. You can do this by clicking on "Online" in the black bar across the top of your TurboTax screen. And then select "Check for Updates".

If you have any additional questions or information regarding this please return to TurboTax Community and we would be glad to help.

@turbotaxwontletmepay

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

hermosamike — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 06:34:05 GMT

None of the solutions proposed by TurboTax work. The only solution that works is to go to H&R Block and switch for free.

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

turbotaxwontletmepay — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 16:33:53 GMT

i agree. cut your losses folks - i got my full refund from amazon and completed my taxes on freetaxusa.com. i only had to pay $15.99 to file state. that's it! goodbye for good turbotax

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

hdroche — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 00:26:30 GMT

I have the same issue - I can't pay to file my state taxes as TurboTax is stuck in an infinite loop of recaptchas

This is ridiculous.

Re: Unable to sign in to TurboTax 2025 desktop due to captcha infinite loop

mesquitebean — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 00:36:45 GMT

@hdroche wrote:
I have the same issue - I can't pay to file my state taxes as TurboTax is stuck in an infinite loop of recaptchas This is ridiculous.

Here are some things to try with a captcha problem. Are you by any chance using any ad blockers or script blockers? If so, that may be interfering with the Captcha.

First, simply refresh the page in your browser and see if that changes anything.
If not, then log out of TurboTax, and clear your browser Internet cache.
Then close the browser and reopen it.
Make sure cookies are allowed/enabled in your browser settings so the Captcha will appear.
Log in and try again.
If still unsuccessful, close browser and reopen using a private window/private browsing (aka "incognito mode").
Log in with the private window (again making sure cookies are allowed) and try the efile again.

Or if still a problem after all that, see if trying a different browser (with cookies allowed) will solve it.