What do I do when I get a blank activation screen with turbotax 2020?

[RoseKo]

Has anyone tried downloading states yet? I'm nervous. I remember this being a more difficult issue for me last year that I could never fix. I ultimately had to install TT20 on my OLD laptop, download the states there, then copy the file over to my new laptop and that seemed to work. Really hoping not to do that this year. Has anyone tried? 

[leeleses]

I just don't get it!  How can they just be letting such a big and widespread issue go like this? !!!  SMH!

[BPnTO]

SHOUT OUT to Fneild!  Brilliant!  Thank You for posting this fix!  THIS WORKS!  No other method worked for me.  I was able to install 2021 T/Tx on older laptops running Win 8.1 and Win 10 with no problem.  For some reason the activation issue only cropped up for me when I tried to install it on a Windows 11 laptop that I upgraded to for this years tax return.  Hooray for you and BOO to Intuit for not correcting this bug!  I don't even wanna know how long it took you to find this exact sequence by trial and error!  Whew! Crazy fix, but I gotta say, it works and you saved the day for me, man!  You're a true Turbo Tax Hall of Famer!  : ) Thanks!

[stratton-hartmond]

after an hour trying to reinstall thinking it was an error with the download, I found this thread and after a few times changing the resolution it still didn't seem to let me enter the code, nothing showing on the activation window, hit and miss that I could see the text and entry square. 

I then blindly entered the code (nothing appearing) and it accepted it surprisingly.

WHAT A STUPID SYSTEM ERROR!!

windows 10 user on brand new i7  Asus laptop.

[PJ4ever]

I typed in the license number even though I couldn’t see it. Pressed ACTIVATE twice and it worked!

BTW: I spent 30 minutes on the phone with a “support” person who had no clue about this issue - even though it has been problem for at least two years.  Best to read this forum for solutions. 

[mrsdkboyer]

If you see a blank activation screen and changing the resolution did not help, please follow these steps: 

1. Copy your Activation code using CTRL+C (hold down your Control button and touch and release the C button).
2. Place your cursor at the top of the Activation Screen about an inch from the left side of the box.
3. Move your cursor down the page, you will see it change to a text cursor - ignore the first time that happens - keep moving down the screen until your cursor changes a second time. 
4. Click your left mouse button to select the entry box that you cannot see. 
5. Paste your Activation code into the invisible box using CTRL+V (hold down your Control button and touch and release the V button).
6. Move your cursor to the lower right corner of the Activation screen (your cursor will change to a hand) and left-click. 

If the above steps do not work, close the Activation Screen, click on the TurboTax icon to open the program, and try again. It may take a couple of tries. 

It may be helpful to make sure that you copied the Activation or License Code by pasting it in a word document, ensuring that it is going to paste in the invisible box. 

Should you need assistance, please reach out to TurboTax and refer to this response. 

You can contact us HERE.

You can also paste this address into your address bar https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact/ or use the Contact Us link at the bottom of all TurboTax webpages. 

[Pjmjb]

It is now time to try and activate Turbo Tax 2021. The same Stupid Frustrating problem of a blank activation screen. Fix this or I will Never buy a program again!!!

[Pjmjb]

What was the work around??

[Fneild]

Assuming you get a blank activation screen:

1. Leave the activation screen open.

2.. Change the display from what you have, make a note of what you have, to 800x600.

3. Go back to the activation screen and you should see it, at least, partially populated.

4. Move you mouse over to the “License Code” box. 
5. Enter the license code. You will not be able to see what you are entering, you will most likely believe that nothing is being entered, but enter it anyway.

Change the display back to what you originally had. 
6. You should see the code in the “License Code” box and the “Activation” button. Click the activation button, more that once, if necessary, 

7. Be patient and the activation process should work.

Good Luck

[MichelleLO]

Another potential cause is that your video card driver may need to be updated. Please see the following help article for more information: 

How do I fix blank screens during activation or in-product purchases in TurboTax Desktop for Windows...

[pspechy]

A better solution would be for Intuit to find a programmer who knows how to fix dumb errors in the first place!!!

[stormy123]

Many thanks !  After repeated attempts, I finally got the license code to appear and got TurboTax activated!  I don't understand why TurboTax could not have fixed this problem over the last year or two!

[stormy123]

Yes! Finally after many days of frustration I was able to activate TurboTax.

Kudos to this person who posted all the steps to enter the license code when it wasn’t visible. Why couldn’t TurboTax fix this? Doesn’t make sense to have a good product if the user can’t get to it!

[Wildhog]

01/26/2022

Turbtax support resolved this problem using TurboTax share to use my screen.  She moved her red cursor to the spot on the blank screen where the license code is entered and had me move my cursor to that spot and type in the license code blind.  Then she moved her red cursor to the area for the enter button and had me move my cursor to that spot and hit enter. It worked.   Each time when she got on the right spot a hand appeared on the screen.  

Try moving your cursor slowly around the screen until the hand pops up and then type the license code in blind.  Start slightly over half way down on left side of screen.   Do the same thing in the lower right hand corner of screen for the enter button.  When the hand appears hit enter.  If you did it correctly, TurboTax will proceed to launch.  Otherwise try again or call TurboTax at 800-446-8848 and ask the voice response for a support person.  

The support person said it was occurring on new computers and sometimes could be resolved by setting display to 100% and resolution to 800x600.  I was downloading the software to install.  The install went fine and hung up on the blank activation screen launching TurboTax. 

[Bill1940]

Many thanks to all who replied and offered solutions. I think I have found the cause and solution. In transitioning to a new computer, I exceeded the allowed number of downloads for Turbo 2020. Fortunately, my personal tax files transferred even though the 2020 program did not, so I'm OK. My 2021 loaded perfectly and all of my last year info is there, so I'm good to go. Once again thanks.