After each update Tubotax Application keeps asking for License code to be activated

[fed1996soft]

I have confirmed by unlocking and locking my OneDrive Personal Vault several times that if you installed with Personal Vault unlocked, it needs to be unlocked when launching TT 2024 and TT2023 or the activation screen will appear.

I did also move my tt2024 file from Personal Vault to local drive to test what you wrote from another user.  It only opens from the local drive version of the tt2024 file based on if Personal Vault was locked or unlocked.

This has made my day today!  I was so frustrated with TT2023 but decided to give TT2024 another shot to see if the issue was resolved.  

Using the configuration of the PC is not the best mechanism for determining activation.  Why not just use the MAC address, which is unique?

[jschaffe]

After being told it was Amazon's fault, I obtained a second activation code.  After at least 4 hours on the phone with support, the original code is 4/5 activations and the second code just went to 3/5.  This situation is beyond ridiculous!  Whatever TT is using to identify a "machine", it is too prone to meaningless and irrelevant changes.  Last week I updated to the latest Mac OS version.  Is that what makes TT think this is a different "machine"?

As a retired software engineer and designer, all this BS about USB devices, firewalls, router resets, OneDrive on PCs, etc. makes me very angry!

Fix this, Intuit!

[elcomino75]

i need to activate my 2024 turbotax but asking for  license code

[MarilynG1]

Make sure you're running TurboTax and saving your tax files on your C drive.  You may need to temporarily disable anti-virus programs.

Here's more info on Multiple Activation Requests.

@elcomino75 

[VolvoGirl]

@elcomino75   To activate you need the 16 digit License Code.  Do you have that?

How to get started with the Desktop program, install and activate it
https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/product-delivery/download-software-turbo...

[jschaffe]

This is TT2024 Mac desktop, installed on only one MacBook Pro.  After the first license code was almost used up, I convinced Amazon to give me a second one.  I've spent hours and hours on support calls with TT support.  I completed the registration screen, cleared cookies, thoroughly deleted and reinstalled TT, updated my OS, unplugged everything Thunderbolt and USB, and turned off BlueTooth.

This is still what I get:

 

I'm about to run out of activations, and that would render TT unusable.  I would really appreciate it if this was fixed pronto!

[DaveF1006]

Yes, this can be very frustrating but here are some things to try that may solve this problem if you haven't tried these already.

1. OneDrive or External Drives: If your TurboTax files are stored in OneDrive's Personal Vault or on an external drive, it might trigger the activation prompt. Try moving the files to your local drive or ensuring the Personal Vault is unlocked when launching TurboTax. 
2. System Changes: Updates to your operating system, changes in hardware, or even plugging in new USB devices can make TurboTax think it's running on a different machine. This might prompt it to ask for reactivation.
3. Antivirus or Firewall Settings: Sometimes, security software can interfere with TurboTax's activation process. Temporarily disabling your antivirus or firewall might help resolve the issue.
4. Run as Administrator: Launching TurboTax as an administrator can sometimes bypass activation issues. Right-click on the TurboTax icon and select "Run as Administrator."
5. If you have a USB drive/device plugged into a USB port at the same time you are launching TurboTax, then unplug (or turn off) the USB drive/device, and then try launching the TurboTax program again. See if that solves the problem. Or try it the other way around. i.e., if you had a USB drive/device plugged in initially when you installed TurboTax originally, but don't now, then plug that USB drive/device back in and try.

[jschaffe]

None of the suggestions work for me, for one thing I'm using a Mac and installed and run as an administrator, I don't use OneDrive, I cannot understand why USB devices (which in my case is highly variable) or OS updates should affect activations.  Reauthenticating is one thing in these cases, consuming a whole additional machine activation is unacceptable!

I managed to finish my 2024 taxes, but I now want to work on estimating 2025 taxes.  How can I escape the activation trap?

[MonikaK1]

The USB device issue has come up in prior years, where TurboTax was requesting license/activation code every time the program is opened and it appeared to be caused by the software looking for a device that was plugged into the USB drive when TT program was initially downloaded. 

If you could identify what USB devices may have been plugged in when you initially activated the program and duplicate those conditions, the issue may resolve itself.

I am reporting this issue for further investigation.

In the meantime, you could opt to use another tool for calculating your estimated withholding and/or estimated taxes for 2025:

TurboTax W-4 Calculator - this is a standalone tool outside of the tax preparation program.

IRS Withholding Calculator

@jschaffe 

[jschaffe]

Thank you @MonikaK1!

It's somewhat awkward for me to control my configuration because I use a ThunderBolt docking station with My MacBook Pro.  The dock contains 2 SATA SSD drives.  Occasionally, but rarely, I spin up an eSATA drive connected to the doc.  However, whether the dock is plugged into my Mac or not, I still am required to activate again.

[JRH99]

This post helped me to fix the problem with repeated pop-ups asking for the activation code.  I have TurboTax Premier 2024 installed on my Windows 11 PC.  I also use OneDrive and the Personal Vault.  However, my TurboTax files are stored locally on my PC.

A few  weeks  ago, after I received a second request for an activation code (for the same PC),  I contacted Intuit support and explained the issue.  I was on the phone for an hour with them.  It was escalated to second tier support.  They confirmed that there were two activations for the same PC but could not explain why.  I requested another license code, which they provided as I did not want to run out of "activations" before completing my 2024 tax return.

A couple of days ago I had yet another request for an activation code upon which I exited the program and searched for the issue.  I found this response and solution.

When I installed TT the first time, I must have had my Personal Vault UNLOCKED.  I have confirmed that if my Vault is LOCKED and I try to run TT, I get asked for the activation code.  When the Vault is UNLOCKED, I am able to run TT without any request to activate again.  Why the Vault status matters to program is beyond me, especially since I don't use my OneDrive, or Vault, for any TT program or my TT files.  They are stored locally.

I had this same problem last year as well.

Thanks for finding the solution.  Seems like Intuit should be learning from this.

[bobulars]

I have this same issue on my Windows 10 laptop. I was on the phone with support for nearly an hour and they finally gave me a new activation code. I do not use flash drives nor are my tax files on OneDrive. it is just a terrible design. I've been using TurboTax since 2006. This is the second time this has happened to me and it is the last. TurboTax just lost a customer.

[Annie Saboo]

I also have been asked for the activation code but today the return I’ve finished and the two in progress are nowhere to be found. It just shows me the three 2023 files that I can pick from to start a return. 
I am also confused about my sign in. Is it a username or an email address? 

[gom]

Hello Annie,

I'm not at my desktop and am putting this note together both from memory and what I'm presuming has happenned.  

While I really don't know about your user name,  I can tell you that my Turbo Tax user name that is not my complete email address.  Don't know if that help but that the best that I can do on that question..

However, I suspect that  apparently missing work is very troubling  (I can't speak for you but loosing the work would make me crazy)-

So here is what I suspect what might have happened: I'm guessing/thinking you may have ended up reinstalling turbo tas 2024 -  and the reinstallation overwrote the links to the files of what you had already done  -  If thats rhat case, the files with the work should still be available on you computer or in your online file storage.  From a windows perspectiive you should be able to find the files in folder named TurboTax which I believe is likely a subfolder in your Documents folder.   Oh and don't forget, if your are really security conscious and/or paranoid and saved your turbo tax flies in a differnt folder (say named SueiesCrap) you need to look for your turbotax files there.   I believe that since you now have an accessable copy ot TT2024 you can nsimply double click to open them. 

Hope this helps.