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New Member
posted Jun 4, 2019 9:17:01 PM

Turbotax Deluxe 2018 Mac keeps reinstalling the same 220.5 Mb update.

Turbotax 2018 on Mac keeps reinstalling the same 220.5 Mb update. 

So far, the only answer I've seen is to empty the Trash. I can see more answers to this question when I google this question, but when I click on them, the Intuit webpage says they've been "archived" and I can no longer see them.  I have seen the attached screens about 10 times now, with no change.

How do we get the update to install successfully and put an end these repeated downloads?

0 11 3924
11 Replies
Level 15
Jun 4, 2019 9:17:02 PM
Level 15
Jun 4, 2019 9:17:04 PM

First, restart the Mac.

Corruption could have occurred in the Application or in an associated preference or support file.

The best remedy is to totally uninstall TurboTax and all associate files and then re-install.  That will not delete or change any .tax2018 data file that had already been created with the tax data.

  To uninstall the application and all associated files need to be deleted and then the application reinstalled.  If there was a state then the state must also be reinstalled.

Here is a FAQ for how to uninstall Mac
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901210-remove-uninstall-turbotax-for-mac">https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901210-remove-uninstall-turbotax-for-mac</a>

<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901209-reinstall-turbotax-mac">https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901209-reinstall-turbotax-mac</a>

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 9:17:05 PM

Restarting the Mac didn't help. I will now try uninstalling and reinstalling TurboTax and all its associated files, including the State file.

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 9:17:06 PM

I followed the above linked instructions but it just keeps downloading the same 220.5 Mb update.
What next?

Level 15
Jun 4, 2019 9:17:08 PM

That usually fixes it.  Usually it is due to a preference or Applications Support file.

Beyond that if you switch to (or create) another Administrator User account and install TurboTax in that account and it works correctly then there is something wrong with the first User account.    Troubleshooting an internal Mac User account issue is beyond the scope of this forum and should be referred to Apple support.

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 9:17:09 PM

What finally seems to have done it is to insert an additional step between 2 and 3 in this sequence: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901210-remove-uninstall-turbotax-for-mac">https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901210-remove-uninstall-turbotax-for-mac</a>
The step "2a" is to Restart the Mac.
Once I did that and again downloaded the 220.5 Mb update. When the download was finished and I pressed the Install and Relaunch button, TTD2018 actually did Relaunch. (Before, it would not relaunch.) TT checked for updates, and for the first time, said there were none and the application was up to date.

Level 15
Jun 4, 2019 9:17:10 PM

Thank's for the feed back - Glad you got it working.  

I agree that restarting should be included, but it probably does not matter where the restart takes place.

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 9:17:12 PM

I can't say the Restart is definitely the answer, but it seems to me that the restart should happen after the reinstall and the first update have been done.
Now I hope this answer remains visible for a while longer, and does not get "archived" as some of the other answers Google showed on this issue.

Level 15
Jun 4, 2019 9:17:13 PM

Solved in comments

Level 2
Jun 4, 2019 9:17:14 PM

If there IS an effective solution, I would be thrilled. This is the exact problem I have been having for months now. Have reinstalled. Just want to reopen existing files, but have to spend hours to get the app to even let me see them. And to think we paid good $ for this.

Level 2
May 7, 2021 6:02:47 AM

Would you trust this software with your taxes?  I've had this problem every year - forcing download and install 220M each time I open the application.  I live with the stupidity because I don't have the time for a workaround that requires me to jump through hoops - and never knowing if it would work.