transfering 2024 tax file to another computer with Turbotax Premier 2024

[jaydub49]

I've copied my 2024 tax file to a thumb drive and when I copy it to another laptop that I have installed Turbotax premier 2024 on, it changes to 2023 file ? Its blank ? please help

Jon

[MarilynG1]

Here's the steps to transfer your 2024 tax file to a new computer, per Expert @DavidD66.  Make sure you're using your C  drive for all TurboTax files. 

"Here's how to securely move it to your new computer while minimizing the chances of data corruption:

1. Make sure your new computer has TurboTax installed on it.
2. Connect a thumb drive or other portable device to your old computer. You can also use a cloud storage site like Apple's iCloud or Microsoft One Drive.
3. Copy or move your tax data file to the device. (We recommend copying instead of dragging and dropping.)  You can do this by opening your return on the old computer and then "Save A..." to the thumb/USB drive, other device, or cloud storage site.
4. After copying, disconnect or eject the portable device and connect it to your new computer.
5. Browse to the portable device, select your tax return file, drag it to your desktop (or other easy-to-find location), then release the mouse key and copy (instead of moving) the file.
6. After copying, open TurboTax, browse to where you copied your tax file and open it to make sure it didn't get corrupted.
   • If your file somehow got corrupted, delete it from your device and your new computer and repeat these steps from the beginning."

Here's how to Contact TurboTax Support for more help.

@jaydub49 

[user17572573138]

I had to directly open the file.  When I tried to open the file from Turbotax it couldn't find it because I was opening a 2024 file and it was only looking for a 2023 (last year's) file.  When I copied the file onto the computer and just opened it, it worked.

[SteamTrain]

@user17572573138 

OK, you got it now.....but..

When you start the 2024 desktop software for the very first time, it looks for  2023 file because it "thinks" you are starting a new tax return, and it looks for a 2023 file to transfer in as much of the 2023 info that might be used again for 2024 too.

For your situation, when you first started the software, you could have ignored that, and gone up to the "file" selection in the menu, and searched for the 2024 file that you transferred over, and opened it from there.

_________________

Double-clicking on the file itself sometimes works, but sometimes tries to open the file in the wrong year's desktop software (if other years are installed).   Since you've already accessed your file (and presumably saved it at least once), you should now be able to start up the desktop tax software first, and find it as a selection on the opening screen.   Whatever works for you.