I installed turbo tax deluxe 2016 from a cd I purchased and it downloaded states or updates for states I don't need

[retiree]

In years past have you used the same PC to prepare returns for states you 'don't need'?  If so, simply ignore the states you don't need.  TTax uses 'state prep' updates to try to predict what state(s) you will need, while it generally seems harmless it does result in extra states being downloaded (based on prior need).  It involves tedious tampering with the system registry to remove the undesired states and is probably not worth the exercise when compared to the risk of doing irreparable harm to your PC.

Did you indeed get the download for the state(s) you need?  Please post back if you did not get the free state download you need.

[Capharpo]

Yes I got the state I needed and 2 states I don't need

[Capharpo]

I sure would like to delete the constant updates I automatically get for California which is a state I will not be filing in. I get updates for Minnesota which is the only state I will be filing in.

[VolvoGirl · Accepted solution]

Good.  Just ignore them.  We are all getting extra ones now.  Had you ever used them in the past?

[WTigner]

Folks,

There actually is a way to accomplish what we have all been trying so hard to do.  (I did not figure this out, so I don't get any credit, but I did find someone at TTax support who understood.)

Each time we install TurboTax for a new year, it reads all of our saved TTax files.  Every state that those prior files mentions will be included in the new version and updates to it, which wastes a lot of time.  The solution is to make each year's TurboTax think you are a new user.  You can do that by moving ( not copying) all of your ttax files from past years to an external drive and then disconnecting the external drive.  Then there is nothing for the new installation to read, and it only downloads and installs (and updates) the state from which you made the new year's purchase.

I tried this by moving all my old tax files off my internal hard drive, uninstalling TTax2020, and then reinstalling it.  It installed only the state from which I purchased the program last year.

As I said, I get no credit for this solution.  (I could, perhaps, deserve the Congeniality award for having tested it.)