topic Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file in After you file

Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

lmkfdk — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:42:38 GMT

I have downloaded the desktop version of Turbo Tax Home and business 2025 and when I went to start my tax return and transfer 2024 it wasn't there. I have looked everywhere that I can think that it should be, and I can't find any of the returns that I did for 2024. I have been using Turbo Tax for years and have never had this happen. How do I find the 2024 tax returns? I looked in Adobe Acrobat, documents, cloud storage and there is only one of the returns that I did for 2024. The returns are also missing for all the other years that I have done all the way back to 2018. I need help or this is going to cost me hours to prepare the returns for 2025.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

mesquitebean — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 02:09:18 GMT

How were the prior returns prepared? If prepared Online, they won't be on your computer (unless you downloaded them) but would be in your online account. If prepared in desktop software, perform an automated search of your entire system for any files ending in *.tax2024 and also look in the Recycle Bin.

If you have more than 1 Windows user local account, such as an Admin account or other Windows user account, log into each one and perform the searches in each Windows account.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

mesquitebean — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 02:02:52 GMT

You mentioned "cloud storage", but we don't know which one that means. So if you haven't already, check to see if the files could have ended up in OneDrive.

The default location in Windows for TurboTax files is the Documents\TurboTax folder. You said you looked in Documents, but also be sure you looked in the TurboTax folder that is in Documents. Maybe you already have.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

GabiU — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:24:57 GMT

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Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

lmkfdk — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:48:23 GMT

Hello,

I had already tried all your suggestions to search my computer and my OneDrive storage. The tax returns are not there. Why would I not have my saved pdf tax files that were there before? I have always saved as PDF's in all my prior Turbo Tax programs. All but 1 return is missing. I'm not sure what else to do. I did mail a request to the IRS for my 2024 tax return.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

mesquitebean — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 23:45:42 GMT

@ lmkfdk wrote:
I had already tried all your suggestions to search my computer and my OneDrive storage. The tax returns are not there. Why would I not have my saved pdf tax files that were there before? I have always saved as PDF's in all my prior Turbo Tax programs. All but 1 return is missing. I'm not sure what else to do. I did mail a request to the IRS for my 2024 tax return.

Sorry you are having that issue. I've seen it happen to users a small number of times, but I don't know why it happens or what else to suggest. I presume you did also check the Recycle Bin, since you said "tried all" suggestions. You can see if anyone else responds in this thread, or if you wish to discuss it with TurboTax Support to see if they suggest anything else, here's how to reach them:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/contact/

Since I've seen this happen to a few other users in this forum over the years, I make a point of saving a backup copy of my current in-progress *.tax2025 data file to a thumb drive after every work session. And when my return is finished and filed, I save backup copies of both the tax data file and PDFs to external storage, too. I usually save a PDF "as filed", and a PDF with "all forms and worksheets." These files also need to be safeguarded against hacking, computer theft, etc. since they contain a lot of sensitive personal info.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

mesquitebean — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 23:44:37 GMT

Addendum:

Forgot to mention this in the last comment.Since you say you have PDFs that are missing, too. I presume you have also searched your computer system for files ending in *.PDF in addition to searching for the *.tax data files.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

SV69 — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 07:41:30 GMT

Same issue with me, the only document I have is an email from Intuit stating my return was accepted. I have sent in a request for all my files.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

stockmanreef — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 22:00:45 GMT

this is the second year in a row that I can't find my previous year's tax return on my computer and I can't even open up last year's turbotax to find my last year's taxes. WTF. at least I saved as a PDF

I guess next year I will move to a different platform if turbotax.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

Thefrg — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:57:41 GMT

Did you have any luck getting a digital version of last years return to be able to import into TurboTax desktop 2025?

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

mesquitebean — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:11:28 GMT

@Thefrg wrote:
Did you have any luck getting a digital version of last years return to be able to import into TurboTax desktop 2025?

How was your last year's 2024 return prepared? If it was prepared in 2024 desktop software, then you are the only one who could have saved the *.tax2024 data file on your computer, external storage, or cloud storage. If you used Online TurboTax, we can tell you how to find and download the *.tax2024 data file so you can transfer it into a 2025 desktop return.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

Thefrg — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:16:31 GMT

I saved .pdf files. Wasn’t the .tax2024 data file supposed to save automatically?

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

mesquitebean — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:38:05 GMT

@Thefrg wrote:
I saved .pdf files. Wasn’t the .tax2024 data file supposed to save automatically?

Yes, the *.tax2024 data file is saved automatically, whether using Online TurboTax or desktop TurboTax. If you used 2024 desktop software, the default folder for the data file (at least the Windows version) would be the Documents\TurboTax folder, but it could have been saved in another location. You can search your entire system for any file ending in *.tax2024 or you can also search for just *.tax to see if you can find the data file. And also look in the Recycle Bin and search any external storage. If you use any cloud storage like OneDrive also look there.. If you have the Windows version and have multiple Windows user accounts, such as an admin account, etc., then do the searches from within each user account.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

Thefrg — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:44:41 GMT

I have been purchasing the desktop version for several years. I did all of the recommended actions and the .tax2024 files are not anywhere. Previous years do show up. I enabled showing hidden files. Still no luck. I know I did not delete these files. I only use this laptop for this because it hasn’t been available for Mac. All I can assume is that the software isn’t auto saving the final .tax file. Luckily I saved .pdf versions but that won’t help with auto importing that data. Seriously considering requesting a refund and trying another software since I will have to input everything from scratch again anyway.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

shenry32162 — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:06:17 GMT

Plus, I had to call customer support this morning as the 2025 turbo tax wouldn't download. Customer service rep, Sharon had to shadow my laptop to get it to download. She stayed on the line long enough to make sure it would open, which it did.

BUT, I realized after we had hung up that my 2024 returns are missing. It's as though they were never filed, but they were and I do have hard copy of my return. I had to enter all my information from start. Took me 5 hours to enter all the information.

So where are my 2024 files?

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

MarilynG1 — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 23:34:54 GMT

If you're using TurboTax Desktop on the same computer as last year, look in Documents > TurboTax for your prior year tax data files. You can also search your computer for .tax2024 files.

@shenry32162

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

heppm01 — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:43:53 GMT

I have the exact same issue. Have been using Macintosh desktop TT for years and years and never had a problem importing prior year's data. This year, after trying to import into desktop TT 2025, it can't find last years file, and neither am I able to find it through browsing or using any combination of search terms. All the earlier years data files are still present, but the 2024 file is missing. There is zero percent chance I deleted this file.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

VolvoGirl — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 02:07:26 GMT

@heppm01 Every year when I help my friend on her Mac I have a hard time finding the prior year to transfer. This year I’m using my Windows computer since her Mac is too old to install Turbo Tax. So I needed to copy the 2024 file to transfer into my computer.

The 2024 file was in her Documents folder. I double clicked on it to open in the 2024 program. It first updated the program then opened the return. Then I saved the return and copied it to a flash drive to move to my computer. I was able to transfer it into 2025.

I see that works for many Mac people this year to transfer. See if you can open 2024 in the 2024 program. Then save it.

Several ideas and fixes in this thread.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/taxes/discussion/attempting-to-import-last-year-s-tax-return-but-t...

Some posts I found said….
After the program said it successfully transferred the information, I would click through and then it didn't show anything. All the fields were blank. I tried multiple times. What finally seems to have worked is I chose to select a file from my computer, instead of the .tax file that automatically showed up to select.

I just saw another post where someone said they kept "fiddling with it" so I exited out of 2025 TurboTax and back in again and then it worked....so I transferred it quick!

I opened my 2024 tax file using TurboTax 2024. It notified me that there were updates necessary to the software. I allowed it to update TurboTex 2024 and open my last-year's file. Then I re-saved the file. I then quit TT2024, re-opened TT2025, and was able to transfer the data.

I did as another stated. Opened TT2024, it updated the file. closed application. Opened 2025 TT to transfer 2024 in and it worked like a charm.

How to find tax files on Mac

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/find-your-tax-data-file-in-mac/00/26206

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

heppm01 — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 02:37:11 GMT

Thanks @VolvoGirl . Coincidentally between my post and yours I tried what you suggested. When I opened TT 2024 it wanted me to begin a new return. When I went to File->Open Recent it had the 2024 return listed in the menu, but when I select it TT gave a File Not Found error. So it knew there was a 2024 version it had worked on, but the file itself was not there.

Re: Prior Year tax returns not showing on my turbo tax desktop file

mesquitebean — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 02:47:02 GMT

@ heppm01

Did you also look in the Trash bin? I know it sounds weird, but it can sometimes end up there. Or on external device or cloud storage? I know you're using Mac, but a couple of Windows users said theirs ended up in the cloud OneDrive which they didn't usually use. If you use an Apple cloud (or other), you might look there, too.

I save a copy to external storage or a thumb drive, etc. after every work session--just in case--since we occasionally see anecdotes of missing data files.