Are you using the Windows version?
The activation screen is a popup that is very quirky in regards to one's screen resolution or scaling in your computer's display settings. For some people it can be missing or blank.
In Windows 10 to get to the scaling or resolution settings click the Windows start button in lower left corner, then choose Settings (gear icon), then System, then Display.
First try the scaling setting. In your Windows Settings do you have scaling set to a higher value than the normal 100%? If so, change it back to 100%. Once the license code is entered and activated, you can later change your scaling setting back like it was.
If lowering the scaling to 100% didn't help, then it may be screen resolution. Try a lower screen resolution such as 800x600. Once you get the license activated, you can revert your resolution setting back like it was.
NOTE: If you happen to encounter a blank popup screen later on in some section of the program, you may have to temporarily perform this maneuver again.
Many thanks for your response. I did as you suggested but was unsuccessful. Here's a little more background. I just purchased a new Dell desktop and also purchased Dell Migrate. I did not find out until recently that Migrate only transfers data, no apps so none of my Turbotax transferred. I had used PCmover in the past and contacted them and they suggested that I try PCmover as it would not transfer anything that had already been transferred. It worked and all of my Turbotax apps and files transferred. I can open previous years of Turbotax on the new computer with no trouble. It's only 2020 that gets hung up on a blank activation screen. I also uninstalled Turbotax 2020 and reinstalled it both from the CD and also from a download with no luck. I can still open 2020 on my old desktop. Does this help in any way? Unrelated side note: PCmover is head and shoulders above Migrate for transferring data and apps and user settings from old to new.
Still no luck on the blank activation screen. A couple of times the activation screen popped up but when it does, it won't allow me to enter the license code. I have another thought. When the activation screen does pop up there is a message that says something about Turbotax can be used on up to 5 machines. I used it on my old PC once to file my taxes. Dell Migrate moved the files but no app to my new machine. PCmover moved the app to my new PC. I also uninstalled it once and reinstalled it from a download with no luck. I also uninstalled it and reinstalled it from the CD. Could the system consider that installing Turbo on 5 PCs? Again the program has only been used one time for tax filing.
@ Bill1940
wrote:Still no luck on the blank activation screen. A couple of times the activation screen popped up but when it does, it won't allow me to enter the license code. I have another thought. When the activation screen does pop up there is a message that says something about Turbotax can be used on up to 5 machines. I used it on my old PC once to file my taxes. Dell Migrate moved the files but no app to my new machine. PCmover moved the app to my new PC. I also uninstalled it once and reinstalled it from a download with no luck. I also uninstalled it and reinstalled it from the CD. Could the system consider that installing Turbo on 5 PCs? Again the program has only been used one time for tax filing.
A problem with a blank or incomplete activation screen is nearly always related to a scaling setting in Windows or screen resolution. If you tried everything Critter-3 suggested above--i.e., going to the Windows display settings and lowering the scaling setting to 100%, and using a lower screen resolution such as 800x600, you can phone TurboTax Support on Monday. Also, if 800x600 didn't work, try other resolutions, gradually work up using other resolution settings such as 1024x768 and so on.
If you installed and successfully activated the program on an old computer originally, and now are installing on a new computer, then it will have to use a new instance of the activation code (out of 5) no matter if installing from a download or a CD. Anything TurboTax perceives as a system change can cause it to ask for the activation code. You can have up to 5 successful activations with one license code. That shouldn't be your issue, however, if you can't enter the activation code at all. From the description of the problem with your activation screen, it sounds like you have a screen issue as mentioned above. If the activation code is wrong, or if you have used it for too many activations, it will produce an error indicating such.
Otherwise, you'll need to talk to someone at Support in realtime so they can question you and see if they can figure out your issue.
Support hours are currently 5AM-5PM Pacific (8AM-8PM Eastern) Monday-Friday.
You can use this contact form to get a phone number, or it may schedule a callback.
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact
The suggestions of 100% scaling and crappy resolution don't come close to working on my Samsung Galaxy 360 laptop. Is there a real solution to what is obviously a badly coded activation process?
@gmhyman wrote:The suggestions of 100% scaling and crappy resolution don't come close to working on my Samsung Galaxy 360 laptop. Is there a real solution to what is obviously a badly coded activation process?
Here's how to talk to someone at TurboTax Support in realtime so they can assist you.
Support hours are currently 5AM-5PM Pacific (8AM-8PM Eastern) Monday-Friday.
You can use this contact form to get a phone number, or it may schedule a callback.
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact
[revised]
I thought I found the solution for Windows 11, I started the Windows service called WebClient.
But not the case, I think the update graphics driver (directly from Intel ) was the solution for me....
I have discovered the source of my problem and if I wish to pursue it, I will need to contact Turbo-Tax tech service. I had purchased a new PC and decided to try Dell Migrate (big mistake) to transfer everything from my old PC. Migrate does not transfer apps such as Turbo-Tax. It did transfer files so my Turbo-Tax file transferred but the app didn't and I couldn't access my stored 2020 returns. I tried downloading Turbo-Tax 2020 a couple of times and basically used up my 5 allowable downloads and wasn't successful. I eventually purchased PC-Mover and was successful in getting everything transferred but had used up my 5 Turbo-Tax downloads. I just got my 2021 Turbo-Tax disc and after installing it I found it was able to access my prior year personal and tax info so I am good to go for the 2021 tax season. If I need the 2020 program to access my 2020 return, I will have to ask Intuit to allow me an additional down-load of the 2020 program. Many thanks to all who responded to my initial post and your suggestions, Bill
I set my display scale to 100%. Yay! The activation window now has stuff in it. But the license code field won't accepts keyboard input! Tried changing resolution to 800x600. All I got for that was icons that will need to be individually rearranged back to where I had them. No solution, and I'm not going to try all the resolutions to see if one works, like another reply suggested. TT needs to fix this, pronto.
I've been using TT for many years. I keep coming back to it because it's what I'm familiar with. There are always issues, every year. If I can actually fix this issue, I can't wait for the dreaded "job cost" error to appear, as it has every year for the last few years.
I'm amazed that TT can get away with producing such sloppily coded software. It's frustrating beyond words.
@ Unknown_quantity
wrote:I set my display scale to 100%. Yay! The activation window now has stuff in it. But the license code field won't accepts keyboard input! Tried changing resolution to 800x600. All I got for that was icons that will need to be individually rearranged back to where I had them. No solution, and I'm not going to try all the resolutions to see if one works, like another reply suggested. TT needs to fix this, pronto.
I've been using TT for many years. I keep coming back to it because it's what I'm familiar with. There are always issues, every year. If I can actually fix this issue, I can't wait for the dreaded "job cost" error to appear, as it has every year for the last few years.
I'm amazed that TT can get away with producing such sloppily coded software. It's frustrating beyond words.
Now that you can at least see a place to enter the license code, try this:
If the box won't take an entry, slowly move the cursor down below the box and see if the cursor changes shape. If the cursor changes shape, then enter the license code carefully (since you may not see the entry) and submit it. Several said they have been able to proceed that way.
You wrote: "TT needs to fix this, pronto."
Well, this is at least the second year with the blank activation screen problems, so it doesn't look like there is any "pronto" to a fix. I'm not sure the developers at TurboTax even understand it and are working on it. If they had, it shouldn't take 2 years to fix.
I just purchased a new Samsung Galaxy 360 Pro and TurboTax 2021 Business. Like others I get a blank Activation screen. I have tried multiple changes to display resolution, scaling, etc... but no go.
So Intuit, I've waste 1 hour tonight trying to get your program to load properly. Where do I claim for reimbursement?
I'll be calling Tech Support tomorrow.
Follow-up to previous post. Called TT tech support. After 55 min he gave up and escalated.
At first challenged it was the Amazon download. Had me uninstall, re-download and re-install. No change. Then he had me un-install again and try a download straight from TT. Same issue.
Amazing he seemed to have no knowledge of this issue described in this forum... no tech support or bulletins available. He said as it's 2021 program is still being developed. Try again in Jan. Not a good answer.
I've escalated service ticket and got link requesting a refund.
@Kevin B1 wrote:Follow-up to previous post. Called TT tech support. After 55 min he gave up and escalated.
At first challenged it was the Amazon download. Had me uninstall, re-download and re-install. No change. Then he had me un-install again and try a download straight from TT. Same issue.
Amazing he seemed to have no knowledge of this issue described in this forum... no tech support or bulletins available. He said as it's 2021 program is still being developed. Try again in Jan. Not a good answer.
I've escalated service ticket and got link requesting a refund.
This has been going on for a least 2 years. It seems to be more common in folks who are using newer laptops with high-resolution displays. Lowering the screen resolution and scaling setting works for some, but obviously did not work for you.
Here's a FAQ:
I got a follow-up call from TT management support yesterday. The representative was most knowledgable and helpful.
Yes, this is a display issue. We were able to troubleshoot and confirm a workaround. I think confirming this was actually helpful for both of us, as hopefully it can help others resolve the issue and the development team make the required changes.
Ironically when I later loaded another version of TT I needed, the Premier version, it had the same Activation problem. But now knowing the workaround I quickly enabled Activation and was up and running.
Everything is working fine now on both versions.
Same issue for me. And I had the issue last year but this year changing the resolution I could see the box but not the input. Holy COW...I didn't realize I had to cut/paste blindly the code and changed the scale once and resolution at least 8 times playing with it to get it work. This hurts my head. And...my bigger issue was last year I couldn't get the states to download because of a similar issue, OR access the search functionality. Crap, are these still all issues? I probably spent 4 hours on the phone with TT last year and I finally had to download the state on my old laptop. Surely this is something it would be less expensive for them to fix vs troublshoot??
Thanks Critter-3 - This was most helpful! I ended up changing scaling to 100 as suggested and changing the resolution to 1920x1080. I could see the activation screen (at 800x600 I could only see part of it). But I still had the white box until I dragged the window to another monitor (also 1920x1080 and 100 scaling). There I could see the fields but I could not type into the box to enter my license code. I dragged the window back to my main screen and typed in the license code in xxx-xxx ... format even though I could not see what I was entering - the characters were not showing on the screen. When I dragged the window back to the other monitor I could see the characters, confirmed them, and clicked on the Activate button. Never would have gotten here without you. THANKS!!
Thanks, mesquitebean. Your suggestion didn't work, exactly, but it got me on the path to activation. By trying several times, from one scaling percentage to another, I got it so the cursor changed to a text entry cursor right in the license code field. Trouble was, when I typed, nothing appeared in the field. I typed the code anyway, blind, then clicked the Activate button. Nothing happened, but the activation window remained. I waited some seconds and clicked the Activate button again. Then it worked.
This TT2021 bug is a JOKE! NO excuse TT!
I did the Amazon download for a Windows 10 PC.
What I had to do:
1) Leave resolution at 1920 x 1080
2) Flip the scaling from 150 to 100 to be able to see the activation screen.
3) Carefully type in the activation code listed on my Amazon download screen WITHOUT being able to see anything!
4) Flip the scale from 100 to 150 and back to 100 to be able to SEE the activation code I had just typed in!
5) Read screen and verify it was the CORRECT code.
6) Click on ACTIVATE
Hope this helps someone else!
I think I may have the answer. I had same problem and was able to solve it. I did have to change the resolution to 800x600 while the blank activation screen was open. The activation screen then partiality populated, could not see the activation button, but did see the license code box. Enter the license code in that box. You can not see the data you enter in the license code box so you may think it is not working but do it anyway. Then change resolution back to what you had originally, mine was. 1800 x 1060.
The activation screen should now show the license code and the activation button. Press the activation button, maybe more than once, and you should be all set.
It is a strange problem. Here are the steps that I took to install TurboTax 2019 & 2020 on a new laptop windows 10:
1- Change screen / display resolution to 800 x 600
2- Turn off any windows defender and virus protection programs, then Start TTax
3- When it gets to the screen that asks for license code, it pops a small window that becomes visible only when I changed the display resolution to 800 x 600 (while I was inside the TurboTax program) to enter the code, but no matter what I tried, this window remained grayed out......I ignored that and entered the license code anyway (you just cannot see what you are entering), then pressed "Enter key", then after a few minutes I had to start TurboTAX again. This time I was able to get into TTAX program. I had several other problems after that which dealt with downloading my State Return program. For that, I had to create a dummy tax return, go through the state return process, then come back and delete the dummy file so that I can finally get back to my original 2019 & 2020 tax returns. Turbotax has had this issue in the past, but I do not understand why this has not been resolved yet.
Good luck
Thanks to all that posted possible "resolutions" to this issue. I have a new Samsung Galaxy Book Pro with Windows 11 and have been experiencing the same issue with a blank activation screen on TT H&B 2021. Technical assistance was useless. Here is what I did: I opened TT and got the blank activation screen. I then kept opening it until I got the actual activation screen to pop up. Although the cursor does not show up in the activation key box, I entered it anyhow...WITH NO DASHES, just the 16 alpha/numeric code. I then clicked activate and when nothing happened, I waited a minute or so and then clicked activate again, and got the registration screen. Evidently, even though the cursor does not show up in the activation key box, it is taking the keys as entered, we just don't see them. I hope this helps....
Fneild, This WORKED!!!!! Though I don't think I changed the resolution back until it activated. After blindly entering the code, it seemed nothing happened, but then, VOILA, it stated activation was successful. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Leave the blank activation screen open. Go to settings, system, display. Change screen resolution to 1024 x 768 and the scale to 100%. This should give you the screen to enter the activation code. If you can't type in the box, just start typing the activation code in (you won't see anything) and then check activate. This is what worked for me, based on talking to a Turbotax agent.
After trying all the "solutions" listed in this forum (resolution change, scaling, etc., etc.), I booted my Acer Aspire running Win10 V(21h1) into safe mode with networking, ran TT and the activation screen actually appeared so that I could input my code!!!
This process of trial and error only took about 4 to 5 hours of my time!!!!
I wonder if Intuit even cares that a large number of TT users will probably be using some other software next tax season!!!