Switching from TurboTax Online to Desktop after filing

[Jedemost]

Hello, I’m in a bit of a bind regarding the TurboTax 2025 software.

Usually, my family buys the desktop version for Windows, and we all use it to file our returns. This year, my brother bought the software via Amazon. When he went to install it, he realized the software requires Windows 11, which our current PC doesn't support. To get his taxes done quickly, he used the product key from that Amazon purchase to file through TurboTax Online instead.

We assumed the online version worked like the desktop version, where multiple family members can file separately. We've since learned that the online version is limited to one return per account.

I’m trying to figure out how the rest of the family can file using the software we already paid for. I have a few specific questions:

• Can we still use the Desktop version? Since the product key from Amazon was used to activate the online version, will it still work if I install the desktop software on a different, compatible computer?

• Transferring Data: If we get the desktop version running, can my brother download his filed return from the online site and import it into the desktop software so we have a local copy of everyone's records?

• Submission Status: If he moves his data to the desktop version, will it affect the return he already submitted and had accepted?

Any insight on how to navigate this without deleting his progress or paying for multiple online filings would be a huge help!

[DianeW777]

Please use the link below to contact us regarding your questions.

• How do I contact TurboTax?

[baldietax]

you can contact Turbotax and say "billing" when asked the reason for the call but I suspect will be a waste of time, if you already applied the license key against the online version based on their offer to switch from desktop to online, and already filed, I don't think you will have much luck getting that refunded or switched back to desktop.  I don't think the license key will activate the desktop s/w on a compatible computer once used for online.

if your other returns don't qualify for the free version with Turbotax and it's too expensive to do the rest of the returns with Online paying for each return/account needed, you could either buy another Turbotax desktop license if you do have a compatible computer; or switch to HR Block or TaxAct for the rest of your returns that still support desktop on Win 10; or look at other cheaper online or free-file alternatives like FreeTaxUSA, see

https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/browse-all-offers/

you should be able to save your .tax2025 file from the online version (under Tax Tools / Tools / Save your 2025 return to your computer), also be sure to save the PDF with all forms and worksheets for your records don't rely on these .tax files and s/w which is only supported for 4 years.