Installing older versions of TurboTax Desktop on new Mac

[hyybid]

I've been using TT for over a decade, desktop versions, on an older Mac.

With TT 2025, it requires a newer version of Mac OS than the one I can run on my old iMac.

So I can install TT 2025 on a more recent MacBook Pro.

But I want to also install some of the older TT Mac Desktop versions as well, so that it can pull data from previous returns and show tax history.

Does it require installing the old versions of TT or just the tax return file from previous years?

In my Intuit account, it shows all the TT versions I've used and I believe registered.  Will I be able to re-download these older versions for my newer computer?

More importantly, will I be able to retrieve the activation codes I used for each version in the past or would that be stored on the installations on my old iMac somewhere?

[SteamTrain · Accepted solution]

Be sure to create and save PDF files of each of those prior years before you do anything...and back-them-up on a USB Flash drive.

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You can probably only re-install the software for  years for 2022, 2023, and 2024  (2021...maybe, but probably not).   Activation codes should be in your intuit account, they show up in mine.....unless (perhaps) you bought them from a 3rd party, and not directly from TTX.

 TTX will only let you re-install those last three years, and nothing earlier....so get those earlier PDF files created and saved...even maybe printing out the basic filing-only copies.

[hyybid]

Well I downloaded 2022 to 2025.

No problem opening my tax files for those years.

Downloaded 2021 and 2020 but it errors out trying to download state (CA).

[DoninGA]

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@hyybid wrote:

Well I downloaded 2022 to 2025.

No problem opening my tax files for those years.

Downloaded 2021 and 2020 but it errors out trying to download state (CA).

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Since TurboTax no longer supports tax years 2020 and 2021, the state tax program for those years will not be available for download.

[VolvoGirl]

You only need the tax data file ending in .tax2024 etc.  to transfer into 2025.  If you have been transferring each year into the next year then the 2024 file should have everything in it.  You don't need to install the prior year programs unless you need to amend or want to look at your entries.    

[hyybid]

I did save PDFs of prior returns.

But wow, I'd have thought I would be able to open the older returns and see some of the supporting forms if necessary.

So they let me download the main program but don't have the state forms from just 3-4 years ago and older?

One reason I've been buying TT is that I would trust them to support their products for a much longer period of time than the competition.

My Intuit account lists TT versions going back over a year.  I just tried to download through the past 5 years.

[SteamTrain]

Yeah....the availability to do a fresh/new install of the desktop programs older than the prior 3 years is a continuing problem.  Certainly, some of us see no particular reason whey TTX won't allow a few more years to be back-installed.  True though...it would tend to be a problem more for folks with new MAC computers, than Windows computers since some of the older MAC years just won't install on a new MAC OS.

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Still....every year you use the "Online" software....when you save that year's PDF file from the Print Center, you can save two PDF files..one with just the required filing pages, and a second one with all the main forms and the backup worksheets.   DO that every year (just before actually filing it), and you will have full copies you can read at a later date to see everything. 

(AND back them up on a flash drive too, since tons of people with computer/disk crashes, constantly beg to try to find files they never backed up off-computer)