I historically used TurboTax for PC. I now have a Mac and want to transfer the software (at least the last 3 years) to Mac. How do I do this?

[Critter-3 · Accepted solution]

Software cannot be transferred it must be installed.  If you have the CD it has the installation files for both OS on it ... if you used a download you will need to call TT support and get the MAC installation file pushed to your account.  However you really don't need to install all 3 years unless you need to amend something. 

To call TurboTax customer support         

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899263-what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number

They are available from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time   Monday - Friday

Assuming you used the Desktop software every year:

Your PDF and .taxyyyy datafiles need to be copied to the hard drive of the new computer

1)  You can copy over all the PDF file you have for each of those years.  You really need those files generated and saved from the original computers.  The default turbotax directory is "C:\Users\name\Documents\TurboTax"   where name is the name you've assigned to your new computer

2)  you should also copy over  the all the .taxyyyy datfiles...BUT...but only the 2015-to-2017 software can be re-installed on your new computer, so some of the earlier datafiles may be useless  (some folks have indicated they can still install and update 2014 software...but there's no way for you or us to know if the State downloads for 2014, or earlier years are actually available or not, until you try....no promises.)

3) get your 2015-thru-2017 TTX desktop software re-installed on that new computer ASAP.  You need either the CD/DVD, or the installation download file to re-install those years.  Start a dummyfile on each and get in far enough to get your NJ state software installed.   You cannot open any prior year datafile until the state(s) you used that are installed first.  When done, go ahead and try to re-install 2014 or earlier...but if you find can't update the main software, or can't download the state software, then those prior years will be useless to you and you will have to rely on any PDF files you created on the other computers.

4)  Once #3 is done, then you can <File <<Open Tax Return to browse to, and open any prior year datafile you saved and transferred to your new computer.  After opening that file, and saving it once, it will then show up on the opening page of the software every time you start it up.

5)  always save a PDF file copy every year after your e-file has ben accepted, but, while you may have done so when you filed, repeat it again AFTER your e-file has been accepted, and you re-checked its filing status from within the software itself (not thru any online status checks) .  Checking your filing status from within the desktop software is the only way your acceptance gets logged into your actual tax file  (an Electronic Postmark page).  Save two PDF files, once as the file-only copy, and again as the extended PDF...... For Your Records copy with all forms and backup worksheets....

Other thoughts followup:

a) when you copy over the PDF files and datafiles, make sure you do use "Copy" and do not "Move" ....since a Move deletes the copy on your backup drive...you don't want to do that....something might get messed up or overwritten and you may need those files.....always maintain backup files off computer.

b)  when you start a Dummyfile in step #3, if you save it , make sure you save it with a "Save-As" the first time saved, so you can give it a unique name like "Dummy2015"....you don't want to overwrite any of the transferred datafiles by accident.

[Opus 17 · Accepted solution]

If you bought the CD, you can install on either a Mac or PC, the CDs have both versions.  (You might need to buy a CD reader if you have a newer Mac though, or you can borrow someone's older Mac and copy the disk image file onto a flash drive.

If you are a member of Turbotax Advantage, you have both flavors of installer in your account.  Just download a fresh copy of the installer.

If you bought a download from Intuit or another vendor, you will have to contact the vendor or Intuit to see if they will give you a free or discounted installer for the other system.

Your tax data files are stored as documents with file names ending in .tax2018, .tax2019, etc.  (The filename extension might be hidden depending on your Windows settings but it must be part of the file name or the files won't work right.)  You can move those documents without any special software but they won't open without the right program installed.  Note that on Mac, if you have both Turbotax 2018 and 2019 installed and you double-click a 2018 file, by default it will open the 2019 program as if you wanted to start a new 2019 return by importing the 2018 data.  To specifically open the 2018 file, you have to launch the 2018 program from the application icon then pick which 2018 return you want to view.

Before you ditch the PC, make sure you make a PDF of your tax returns and any forms and worksheets.  The PDF can be opened anywhere and is really all you probably need. 

[Carl]

It sounds to me like you used the CD version of TurboTax all those years. If so, the CD version for each individual year contains both the MAC and Windows version of the software. So using the CD for each individual year, install each year of the program on the MAC.

Once installed, you will need to transfer over the appropriate .tx201x files from your windows computer to the MAC computer. You should be able to do this using a thumb drive. On the windows computer the files are located in the Documents\TurboTax folder. Unfortunately, I do not know where to transfer them "TO" on the MAC.