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Level 1
posted Nov 26, 2020 7:39:28 AM

Will 2020 Turbo Tax work with a 2020 M1 Mac

I must upgrade my computer system beyond the model's capability so I cannot do my taxes (Turbo Tax) on it.

I would like to purchase a new M1 (ARM) 2020 Mac but cannot find a compatibility list that includes Turbo Tax 2020.

Will Turbo Tax 2020 run an the new Mac?

0 31 5471
24 Replies
Level 15
Nov 26, 2020 7:53:19 AM

For 2020 desktop TurboTax

 

Mac CD/Download Products

Operating Systems

  • macOS Mojave 10.14 or later

RAM

  • 2 GB or more recommended

Hard Disk Space

  • 1 GB for TurboTax

Monitor

  • 1024x768 or higher recommended

Internet Connection

  • 1 Mbps modem (Broadband connection highly recommended). Required for product activation, software updates and optional online features

Printer

  • Any Macintosh-compatible inkjet or laser printer

Level 15
Nov 26, 2020 8:02:28 AM

Officially, yes.

 

Practically, we haven't heard from an actual user yet one way or the other.  However, the Apple software development kit has supported the M1 chips for a while, and Turbotax almost always uses the current SDK, so I am hopeful it will work smoothly.  

Level 15
Nov 26, 2020 8:08:52 AM

A user posted a couple days ago that they have a new M1 laptop and TT 2020 installed just fine.

Level 1
Nov 26, 2020 8:51:53 AM

Thanks for your reply. Intuit should not wait for this question to be asked, but rather to issue an official statement as to its present state of compatibility with the new processor. Macs no longer an also-ran in the computer universe, and Intuit has ample resources to have already done all the testing!

 

I've been on a Mac since 1987 and the early days of Mac In Tax (glitchy and painful). The last few years of Turbo Tax on the Mac have been "drama-free," and I am hoping to continue using it.

 

Thanks again

Level 15
Nov 26, 2020 2:17:06 PM

It's the Operating System that counts, not the underlying hardware.

Level 2
Dec 1, 2020 11:51:57 AM

Usually, yes but in this case the processor matters. Will TurboTax 2020 run using the Rosetta 2 emulator or will it be specifically compiled for the M1 chip?

Level 15
Dec 1, 2020 12:10:43 PM


@LordAragorn wrote:

Usually, yes but in this case the processor matters. Will TurboTax 2020 run using the Rosetta 2 emulator or will it be specifically compiled for the M1 chip?


I assume the former since TurboTax uses the Apple supplied developers tools and the same software has to be comparable and run in all Macs OSX 10.14 or higher - there will not be a separate product just for M1.   

Level 15
Dec 1, 2020 12:19:38 PM


@macuser_22 wrote:

@LordAragorn wrote:

Usually, yes but in this case the processor matters. Will TurboTax 2020 run using the Rosetta 2 emulator or will it be specifically compiled for the M1 chip?


I assume the former since TurboTax uses the Apple supplied developers tools and the same software has to be comparable and run in all Macs OSX 10.14 or higher - there will not be a separate product just for M1.   


I would say the answer is "whatever the Apple SDK does."  Remember Apple allowed for "fat binaries" when transitioning from Motorola to Intel.  The same could happen here.  

Level 2
Dec 1, 2020 12:36:51 PM

Apple already supports that:

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/porting_your_macos_apps_to_apple_silicon 

"Create a version of your macOS app that runs on both Apple silicon and Intel-based Mac computers."

 

So the question is whether Intuit will be doing that for TurboTax 2020?

Level 15
Dec 1, 2020 2:10:10 PM

As we both said - it is the Apple Developer tools do that governs.     TurboTax uses the Apple SDK to compile Mac TurboTax so it is what Apple supports, not what TurboTax does.  TurboTax always uses the most current version  of the Apple provided SDK to compile TurboTax.

Level 2
Dec 1, 2020 5:15:27 PM

Yes, you are right that the tools are from Apple but it depends on how the binary is built by Intuit. From the Apple docs: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/building_a_universal_macos_binary

The question still remains whether Intuit is going to:

  1. build only an x86_64 binary which would run under Rosetta on the M1 Macs or
  2. build a universal binary that supports running natively on M1

Level 15
Dec 1, 2020 5:38:44 PM


@LordAragorn wrote:

Yes, you are right that the tools are from Apple but it depends on how the binary is built by Intuit. From the Apple docs: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/building_a_universal_macos_binary

The question still remains whether Intuit is going to:

  1. build only an x86_64 binary which would run under Rosetta on the M1 Macs or
  2. build a universal binary that supports running natively on M1

It is not what they are "going to do" since the 2020 desktop version is already available.  You can download it and see.    Nobody in this user forum has any other "inside information" as to how it was developed. 

Returning Member
Feb 3, 2021 11:05:07 AM

Is this M1 compatibility list correct? Can I expect to run Turbotax 2020 in Rosetta 2 only on my Apple Silicon Mac? It's been a couple of months since anything has been said about it here.

Level 2
Feb 4, 2021 3:25:07 PM

As of Feb 4th 2021, the app is still an Intel binary but I have been using it without problems on the M1 MacBook Pro. Only one crash in the past 2 months of use.

New Member
Feb 14, 2021 8:51:51 AM

I've had an interesting problem happen several times where TurboTax doesn't think I'm connected to the internet. I think it's tied to the M1 chip but don't know. Once I try a couple more times, then it connects.

Intuit Alumni
Feb 14, 2021 7:36:19 PM

Please clear the cookies and cache on your browser, and also ensure your browser is up to date. 

 

If you have done all of the above, please click here to contact customer support. 

Returning Member
Oct 12, 2021 12:08:00 PM

No! Support has just confirmed to me IT WILL NOT. Ever, pretty much. Nor will they refund your money. They propose switching to the online version. The fact that they advertise it as being Apple computable seems not to occur to them.

Returning Member
Dec 15, 2021 2:56:30 PM

I purchased a new MacAir M1 laptop last year and then purchased TurboTax 2021.  Never had a problem before but TurboTax will not work on the new MAC.  Spoke with both TurboTax folks and Apple folks.  Apple told me TurboTax is not compatible with Bigsur and Monterey.  TurboTax loaded but when you open the problem the top line comes up but the program closes.

Intuit Alumni
Jan 3, 2022 11:40:35 AM

Please see the TurboTax Help Article Minimum System Requires for TurboTax Mac software for information on which systems are supported.  You may also find the information in this thread helpful as well. 

@Hatetax529

Level 2
Jan 22, 2022 5:57:52 AM

No, it will not, and neither will 2021.  I concur and can confirm the same experience on Macbook M1 chip, both with 2020 version and 2021 version (bought it again thinking surely they had fixed this - NOPE) and also with Intuit support, they cannot fix it and they will try to push you towards the online version because they do not know how to fix it.  Works ok when first installed, then the next time you open it, will try to run update and then will close.  Users should not have to debug their software for them or get IT support from other users to formulate a workaround, delete, reinstall, remove certain files, etc.  If I buy your software and my OS meets the requirements on the box, your product should just work.  It’s pretty unacceptable that this has gone on for two years now.  If Intuit can’t get it to work on all Macs, upgraded to the appropriate OS, stop selling the Mac version or note somewhere that it doesn’t work with the M1.=    

Level 15
Jan 22, 2022 7:26:32 AM


@MimiTN wrote:

No, it will not, and neither will 2021.  I concur and can confirm the same experience on Macbook M1 chip, both with 2020 version and 2021 version (bought it again thinking surely they had fixed this - NOPE) and also with Intuit support, they cannot fix it and they will try to push you towards the online version because they do not know how to fix it.  Works ok when first installed, then the next time you open it, will try to run update and then will close.  Users should not have to debug their software for them or get IT support from other users to formulate a workaround, delete, reinstall, remove certain files, etc.  If I buy your software and my OS meets the requirements on the box, your product should just work.  It’s pretty unacceptable that this has gone on for two years now.  If Intuit can’t get it to work on all Macs, upgraded to the appropriate OS, stop selling the Mac version or note somewhere that it doesn’t work with the M1.=    


Sounds like something got corrupted.

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 .tax2020 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.

To remove TurboTax from your computer, you'll need administrative rights.

Here is a FAQ for how to uninstall Mac
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901210-remove-uninstall-turbotax-for-mac


 

 

Level 2
Jan 22, 2022 9:53:44 AM

I appreciate your input, but nothing was corrupted and no amount of uninstalling and reinstalling (done while on the phone with support) resolved the issue.  

New Member
Feb 5, 2022 3:01:39 PM

Got error with clicking the apple link!!

Intuit Alumni
Feb 5, 2022 3:12:34 PM

@ramik

 

This is an old thread that may have outdated information.  What exactly does the error say?  Are you just trying to download the software?  Please respond back in the thread for further assistance.