Windows 10 for 2025

[paulgrn]

I saw a statement from you guys about not supporting Turbo Tax for 2025 on Windows 10. I can't update to Windows 11 as I don't have a TPM 2.0 chip. I plan to live on Windows 10 for the foreseeable future. I know a lot of others in the same boat.

Please reconsider your decision so that I don't have to look at one of your competitors for a solution.

[Mike9241]

@user17613192960 just got another e-mail from TT about mid-October. It seems Turbotax is not giving in on the W11 requirement., There are possible workarounds, but no one knows which will work and which won't. They'll be more once Turbotax release 2025 and users with noncompliant computers see what works. They will probably post the info in this forum. The workarounds may invalidate the accuracy guarantee and if you need help from support that might not be provided,    

I don't think anyone is sure if 2025 will or won't install on W10. this only applies to desktop users since online users can continue to use w10.

1) your options if you use desktop - switch to a competitor's desktop or some online app.  It's likely this is a temporary solution since more and more apps are likely to require W11 in the future. (Just think of what MAC users go through every few years when their MAC OS is upgraded but Turbotax won't run on that version)

2) create virtual machine which requires an app to modify the Windows 11 registry before installation, so it thinks you have TPM 2.0, secure boot enabled and a more current cpu.

the VM allows both w10 and w11 to operate side by side but your computer bios must have the ability to enable Intel virtual technology.  what that does is allows you to specify on a multicore CPU sores for w10 and cores for w11. also required is a memory allocation 

[pottero]

I have used TurboTax Home & Business for 20 years but will not be bullied into Windows 11.

What are the best desktop competitors to TurboTax

[rj6031570]

Agree - Inuit, do you really want to be another New Coke from Coca-Cola failure and walk you customers into switching to a competitor?

I get not wanting to support older OS but Windows 10 and 11 apps are close enough to do so. 

May I suggest you consider the lost amount of revenue an ill will and change your stance on this. 

[user17613192960]

Totally Agree. Since 1999 for me. "TurboTax" is the folder name on my computer for all of my Tax returns. I guess it's changing now. Such a stupid corporate decision! 

[johnrreagan]

I don't get Intuit's decision about running on "unsupported" hardware or software.  People could be running W11 with updates disabled or not even connected to the internet 100% of the time.  It is always "you assume the risk" for doing such things.

I have a perfectly good W10 system (Skylake CPU and no TPM on the GIGABYTE board) that neither Microsoft or Intuit think is "good enough".  I can't easily go to W11 (the HyperV in W11 prevents me from running other software that I need for work; and I have perfectly good disks/memory).  It would cost me about $800-$1000 to "modernize" my home setup to make Microsoft/Intuit "happy" but I still assume the risk to keep it up to date.

Personally, I won't update to W11 in time (which is my I signed up for Microsoft's ESU program).  Intuit's decision to force W11 even with ESU is short-sighted.  Once I leave the platform, it is unlikely I'll be back.  

[baldietax]

Technical arguments about end of technical support and ESU aside, it's really just a business decision by Intuit as they determined there would not be enough demand to make it worth their while to release and support a Win 10 version.  See post from VP below (fwiw).

Desktop Turbotax revenue ($200mil) is only 1% of Intuit's $20bil revenue, they sell 35mil "units" of higher revenue online/live service vs. 4mil users of "low" revenue desktop (incl Mac), so desktop has 10% of the total Turbotax user base for only 5% of the total Turbotax revenue.   Turbotax revenue overall is expected to grow 8% in 2026 while desktop is declining 5%.  etc.

They're also cutting bait on ItsDeductible which only had 100k users, and the Desktop Basic edition.

Clearly they're ok losing hundreds of thousands of users out of a base of 40mil if revenues are growing everywhere else.  For most users who will inevitably be on Win 11 a year from now, it's a choice whether to deal with it in the next few months and keep tax process intact, or spend time changing tax process and then have to upgrade 6 months later anyway.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/articles/community-news-announcements/turbotax-windows-10-desktop-...

https://investors.intuit.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1266/intuit-reports-strong-fourth-qua...

[azk54]

If the value of TurboTax desktop is insignificant to Intuit, how long till they drop the desktop platform altogether?  Might want to start looking at  alternatives .  

[baldietax]

Possible they exit desktop but years away I would think, even if it's only 1% of revenue they wouldn't want to cut off millions of users they think can convert to online.  Until that happens, why disrupt your tax process unless you have to.  Personally I would never touch their online platform for multiple reasons (cost, functionality, privacy) but will ride this desktop train as far as it goes, but that requires keeping up with a fully supported OS.

[SecureWon]

Really glad to see all these comments relative to the Win11 announcement.  I'm very disappointed in their decision to force desktop users to either upgrade to Windows 11, or use your cloud based service.  This decision is clearly driven by a relationship between intuit and Microsoft, and not of a technical nature.  

I have been a user of Turbotax desktop for decades, but will be looking to switch to one of the competitors for my 2025 tax return and subsequent.  And, I guarantee I will not be the only one with this decision.

[user17570948549]

If you are comfortable sharing, I would greatly value your discoveries in your research on non-cloud desktop PC alternatives. I've concluded, as you and others have, that the time to say goodbye to a multi-decade relationship with TurboTax is now certainly worth considering.

[SecureWon]

Absolutely.  First, I was using Home and Business as I have W2, Rental and a small side business incomes.  Through my research, including Grok AI, looks like H&R Block Premium & Business will do the trick, and is relatively highly regarded.  I have a little more research to do, but this seems to be the path I'll take going forward.

[clburton1949]

Agree with all the comments about being forced to W11. Not me either. H & R Block or back to pen and paper.  Yeah, I still know how. Sad, Intuit! 

[IraSch]

Add one for disgruntled user here.  I won't be upgrading to Windows 11 - hardware won't support it and Microsoft will be supplying updates to individuals for free for 1 year under their ESU program. So Intuit's security claim is BS. I guess I'll have to switch to another tax program.

Using TT online doesn't make sense for me - talk about a security risk. 

[SecureWon]

"Using TT online doesn't make sense for me - talk about a security risk."

Right!!  Not only can they hack your return, but they will get all your family's (if you file with others) info as well.  Seems like a target for hackers.  As such, I'm no fan of the "cloud" BS.  Seems like every 6 months or so I get an email from some service saying that they're sorry but there has been a security breach on their servers and my info "might have been compromised."