Should the .tax file download or save it as a .tax file, or what if it appears as a different name like: TaxYYYY File ?

[martinimelissa]

It isn't saving it as the right file type/extension so assume that is why it isn't being recognized when i search and try to upload it into TT.

[AkinaLO]

If you can't find your file, it may have been saved under a different Windows account or to an external storage device. Please try repeating the instructions below in your other account(s) or after plugging in your external storage device.

How to find your tax data file

1. Select the Start Menu and select search or use Cortana search if you're using Windows 10.
2. Search for *.tax2019 (or whichever year you are searching for, *.tax2018,*.tax2017, etc.).
   • Don't double-click the tax file in the search results to open it. This can cause errors.
3. In the search results, copy the file's location or path. By default, TurboTax saves tax files in the My Documents TurboTax folder.
4. After locating the path to the tax file on your computer, open your tax return using the same version of TurboTax for that year.
   • For example, open your 2020 return in the TurboTax 2020 program and your 2019 return in TurboTax 2019.

[martinimelissa]

Thank you. I did try that (and am fairly computer literate) it just seems to be downloading it as the incorrect file type. I have prior years .tax files but when trying to work with 2019 files they just say tax2019 nothing with .tax. And yes i have the desktop version of 2019 purchased and downloaded onto computer.  I am sorry to repeat myself and ask again, but you are the only person who has responded. THANK YOU!

[mesquitebean]

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@ martinimelissa wrote:

Thank you. I did try that (and am fairly computer literate) it just seems to be downloading it as the incorrect file type. I have prior years .tax files but when trying to work with 2019 files they just say tax2019 nothing with .tax. And yes i have the desktop version of 2019 purchased and downloaded onto computer.  I am sorry to repeat myself and ask again, but you are the only person who has responded. THANK YOU!

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We don't know what you are ultimately wanting to do with the 2019 data file--whether you are wanting to open the *.tax2019 data file to work on it in the 2019 desktop product, or whether you are preparing a 2020 return in 2020 desktop TurboTax and want to transfer the 2019 data file into the 2020 return.    In either case, the *.tax2019 data file is needed.   You cannot use a file with a *.tax extension without first renaming it.

For example, desktop 2019 TurboTax cannot open a file with extension *.tax because it can only open a file ending in the *.tax2019 extension.

If you downloaded your 2019 data file from Online TurboTax, it normally downloads with the following default file name and extension:   TurboTaxReturn.tax2019, but it might less commonly download with a .tax extension instead.

If your file downloaded and was named with a *.tax extension, you'll need to rename the file and give it the *.tax2019 file extension.