Hello: Each year when I download Turbtax Premier desktop version on my computer my prior tax return is not recognized and I have to manually search for the tax file.

The program automatically looks for it on the C drive in the TT folder so if you have it somewhere else all you have to do is point the program in the correct direction.  

Unless you have changed the location where the tax data and PDF files are to be saved, the default location for all TurboTax desktop editions is the Documents directory and the TurboTax folder.