TurboTax saves your tax files in the Documents/TurboTax folder (in Windows) by default, but you could have saved them in another folder.
If you don't find your tax files in the default folder or the folder where you saved them, search your entire hard drive for the files (.tax2024).
When you open TurboTax, you just Continue where you left off. When have finished, you could Save to your Desktop and then store it where you want it.
I searched my computer multiple times. The file disappeared the first time in mid Jan. After starting over on Feb 1st it disappeared on Feb 3rd. Both times I think it disappeared after updates to the software. I have started over again and I am saving it to my normal locations and also to a USB drive. Very frustrating. According to online post this has happened to other people over the last few years. I am know myself around a computer.
Same thing happened to me! I was almost finished with my return and Windows pushed an update so my laptop restarted. No 2024 file found. Checked my online account but nothing there. WTF?
I have had a horrible experience with TurboTax this year. After purchasing the Premier version from Costco, first I wasn’t able o download it to my iPad Pro. It showed that it is downloading, but it didn’t. Then I used my Mini Apple and was successful completing the download using the activation code. After completing and uploading our federal and state taxes, within 24 hours both were accepted by the IRS and the state. Then I tried to sign on again to my turbotax account using te iPad, but it would not show my completed 2024 files. Instead, it prompted me to start our 2024 filing again! For a few days I kept going back and forth between the iPad and the Mini, but here was no change. Under the same sign on credentials, the iPad showed the 2023 files with a prompt to continue filing for 2024. The app on the mini showed my 2024 submission.
UNTIL TODAY. Now the mini is not showing my completed 2024 files either, only 2023. So now I have no records of my 2024 submissions, other than a printed first summary pager and the text messages acknowledging acceptance from the IRA and the sate.
Something is terribly wrong at TurboTax. There are no posted phone numbers for user support. I am probably wasting my time writing up this complaint, but i am still hoping that someone - and the “community” - will read it. However, I made a note in my calendar for next year. No more TurboTax! After 20 years it is time to go somewhere else.
@laszlo_k2003 Well for one thing the iPad only is for the Online version. It will never show the return from the Desktop program. Online and Desktop are completely different. You can’t sync between them. The Desktop program is only saved on the computer you did it.
If you used the Desktop program on your Mac the only copy is on your Mac and not in an online account. So you shouldn't be logging in to online.
Do you still have the program installed? Launch it and see if it opens your return. Go up to File-Open. Your tax file ends in .tax2024 and should be in your Documents.
How to find tax files on Mac
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901659-find-your-tax-data-file-in-mac
Overall I'm not pleased with other changes to the application this year. Some of the UI changes are annoying. There is also this very annoying focus on giving me stupid awards, rankings, badges and bonus points for reading different posts in the "Community". All those notifications ended up in my Junk/Spam folder which is where they will remain. I will definitely be looking at other options next year.
My TurboTax updated this morning and my files disappeared. I have not lost my files. I've been using Turbotax for many many years. What the hell happened with that update!
Please see this FAQ for guidance to help you find your tax data file on your computer.
If you are using TurboTax Online, be sure you are logged into the same account.
I had the same issue. I've used TurboTax since 2004, I'm also an IT Executive, which I'm only stating to say, I am very computer literate. I had a couple of issues with TurboTax this year, when trying to import previous year, it would not show me the network drive (NAS) where I keep all my taxes, I do this same import every year from the same location. Then, just like OP, I saved my place in the process and selected "Desktop" because once again, the network location was not listed in the explorer window. Once I finished and filed my return, the app, as always, asks me how I want to save the file (not the application file but the printed version), and as usual, I selected PDF, and of course, as earlier, I could not select the location I normally do each year, as it was not listed. Once I exited the TurboTax2024 application, I wanted to open the PDF file, but it was not on the desktop, so I reopened the TurboTax2024 application so I could make sure I knew where I was saving the PDF, but it could not find the .tax2024 application file either, which I also selected to save on the Desktop as noted earlier.
So, of course, I do a C: drive search for .tax and it finds the files on the Desktop folder of another user's profile, not the user I installed the application nor completed my return on.
Intuit...what gives?
So, for those having this issue, search for .tax in Windows Explorer and it should find the location.
This is horsesh!t.
I have the last 20 years of TurboTax files on my NAS (Q: drive).
This year, I cannot see the NAS shares on my PC when I search for last year's tax returns - none of the shares show up on TT "Browse > Open Tax Return", only the local drives (C: & D:).
And (I assume) I cannot use the NAS shares to work on my 2024 taxes, it is local drives only.
I overreacted - sorry.
On Windows11, the NAS shares are not showing up when I try to <Browse> to the NAS share using the TurboTax FIle Explorer where the files are stored.
But if you select the "NETWORK" from the list, your NAS should show up (my NAS is part of my Active Directory domain) and then you can find the share and folder that has last year's return file (.tax2023). As long as your user account in AD allows it, you can import the info from there.
You can also select "Save-As" when you want to start using the NAS share (through the "NETWORK") as the location for this year's return
What I noticed today is that my Windows10 doesn't have this problem.
The NAS shares show up in the TurboTax File Explorer like they always used to. So, I don't know if this a Windows version issue or a sneaky update the Intuit pushed out last night.
I lost all the data I had entered into Turbotax when I closed the App.
I called Turbotax help desk and they could not find the "File" option to save my data and had no idea what to do. It occurred to me to try the keyboard "Control S" and the FILE menu popped up and I was able to save my data.
the default save location has definitely changed for 2024, you guys messed up. Please fix it before next year.
@cwspinks wrote:
the default save location has definitely changed for 2024, you guys messed up. Please fix it before next year.
Which TurboTax program are you referring to? The TurboTax online web-based editions or the TurboTax desktop editions installed on a personal computer.
If the online editions, you only have to sign onto the account with the User ID and Password you used to create the online account - https://myturbotax.intuit.com/
If the desktop editions, all saved tax returns and saved PDF's are stored, by default, in the TurboTax folder in the Documents directory on the C:\ drive
I used tubro tax deluxe 2024 and completed it.but i thought i saved it and did not.I have the number that turbo gave me.how do i excess it
Are you trying to find a tax return file? If so, the default location for the Desktop files is Documents / TurboTax.
Or are you asking about the license code for TurboTax Desktop? See this TurboTax Help.
#Me2! This really is becoming such a drag! Intuit was good and reliable and it's now heading down hill.
Make sure you are signing in to the correct account @binoxmen3 - TurboTax Online saves your work as you go. If you are using the desktop software, you need to manually save your return - TurboTax will prompt you to save the file when you close the program.
TurboTax Online users, see How many TurboTax Accounts do I have?
I see your response is identical to other response. It was not helpful at all. I only have one account and can only log in with the same one account. So to tell me to log in with the correct account is just nonsense. When you go to the doctors for a heart attack, I would like them to just respond to you with the same trivial answer... "Just be sure to breath."
I finally discovered what was going on with mine. When I originally installed Turbotax, it picked up my previous file from my Windows File backup location, so it continued to save everything in that location, not the actual active file location. I just have to remember to check that next year.
Thanks for the feedback. The issue is that no one from Turbotax actually helped you to resolve the case. Which is another problem on top of any issue you may already have. Very discouraging.
The same thing is happening to me. We are doing three returns, two people and a mock for the state. I was able to find two of the files in the back ups, but not the third one. Very frustrating. I think it's a problem with the Turbotax application.
highly doubt anyone at Turbotax reads these messages, it's all going way over their heads. Maybe it's time to switch to something else. I've been using Turbotax for many years and the last few years is when the glitches started coming. Not as good as it used to be. We have three files. Two disappeared, but I was able to resurrect them from my backup disc. Now the third one is gone and not even on the backup disc. It has already been filed with the IRS, but it should be available for next year when I file for 2025. It is nowhere to be found, and I did not put it in the trash. Trash hasn't been emptied for quite some time.Lucky for me I did save and print the pdf. But Turbotax is deleting files for some reason.