What's the difference between the tax data file and the PDF?
by TurboTax • 
Updated December 11, 2025 5:06 AM
TurboTax can save your tax return as a tax data file (also called a tax file, data file, or a .tax file) and as a Portable Document Format (PDF).
Your tax data file can be opened, read, and edited in TurboTax.
Your PDF is a noneditable "snapshot" of your tax return that can be opened, read, and printed in a PDF viewer program.
Tax data file vs. PDF
Can it be amended?
Tax data file: Yes
PDF: No
Can it be transferred?
Tax data file: Yes
PDF: Limited
Can it be edited?
Tax data file: Yes
PDF: No
Can it be used for troubleshooting?
Tax data file: Yes
PDF: Limited
What can it be opened with?
Tax data file: TurboTax CD or downloadable software
PDF: Adobe Reader or other PDF viewer
