Excerpt:
This guide provides clear instructions for upgrading to QuickBooks Desktop 2024, offering users enhanced features like better cash flow management, faster performance, and team collaboration tools. It details system requirements, backup procedures, and upgrade methods, including automatic, on-demand, and manual updates. By following these steps, users can smoothly transition to the latest version, ensuring improved productivity and compatibility with their existing setup.
Add As A PreferredLast updated: 23 Oct, 2026. Reviewed by Rajat, eBetterBooks Technical Content Manager.
To upgrade QuickBooks Desktop to the latest version, move to the 2024 version and update your company file with a backup in hand. Versions 2023 and older have lost Intuit services, and Intuit has not released a newer Pro or Premier year. Back up first, install the upgrade, update the file, then check payroll and bank feeds.
Stuck or short on time? Call 1-802-778-9005 or fill in the no-login form on this page. Include your QuickBooks year and edition (press F2), whether you use one computer or a network, whether payroll is live, and whether you made a backup. Support hours: Monday through Friday, 24 hours a day.
Upgrade QuickBooks Desktop to the latest version: the job in order, from deciding to recovery
The latest QuickBooks Desktop version is 2024: Pro Plus, Premier Plus, and Accountant Desktop Plus 2024, and Enterprise 24.0. Intuit has not released a 2025 or 2026 Pro or Premier. Changes now arrive as updates inside the 2024 version, so upgrading means moving to 2024 and then installing updates.
If a download page or a caller offers a 2025 or 2026 Pro or Premier, do not use it. Sales of new Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Mac Plus, and Enhanced Payroll subscriptions stopped after September 30, 2024. Enterprise is still sold, as of the last Intuit notice checked on October 20, 2026. Existing subscribers can renew.
Open QuickBooks Desktop and open any company file.
Press F2 (or Ctrl + 1). The Product Information window opens.
Find the product name, the year, and the release number. For Enterprise, read the label on your screen rather than a year from a web page.
You see: the Product Information window with your year and release.
If QuickBooks will not open: stop and send the details with the no-login form on this page, or call 1-802-778-9005.
Product Information window opened with F2 showing product, version, release and file location
Updating installs a maintenance release inside your current QuickBooks Desktop year. Upgrading moves you to a newer year version, such as 2023 to 2024. Updating the company file is a third, separate step that makes your file work in the new version and cannot be undone. This guide covers the upgrade and the file update.
Press F2 and read the year. If it shows 2024, you need a plain update. If it shows 2023 or older, you need the upgrade.
Write down the exact wording of any message. If you cannot tell which task it means, send the details with the no-login form on this page.
For a plain update, use the update guide linked in this section. For an upgrade or a file update, back up first. If you keep getting upgrade reminders, see repeated upgrade notifications.
You need to upgrade now if you run 2023 or older, because Intuit has ended service for those versions. Existing Plus and Enterprise subscribers on 2022 or 2023 move to 2024 at no added cost. If you already run 2024, install the updates as they arrive and stay on that version.
Service status checked on October 20, 2026. Dates can change.
| Your version (F2) | Service status | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 and older | Ended before May 31, 2024 | Upgrade to 2024. No no-charge route is announced, so confirm cost first. |
| 2021 | Ended May 31, 2024 | Upgrade to 2024. No no-charge route is announced, so confirm cost first. |
| 2022, including Enterprise 22.0 | Ended May 31, 2025 | Upgrade to 2024 or Enterprise 24.0. Existing subscribers pay nothing extra. |
| 2023, including Enterprise 23.0 | Ended May 31, 2026 | Upgrade to 2024 or Enterprise 24.0. Existing subscribers pay nothing extra. |
| 2024 and Enterprise 24.0 | No end date announced | Install updates. No upgrade needed. |
Press F2, find your year in the first column, and read the service status and the action.
Confirm from your purchase records or Intuit account that your subscription is active. If you cannot confirm it, if it lapsed, or if you own a perpetual license, use the form before you buy anything.
An ended version loses live support, security updates, payroll, payments, and bank feeds. If you run payroll, move before the next payroll run.
Pro or Premier on a network, hosted, or payroll live? Call 1-802-778-9005 or use the form before you start. If a provider hosts QuickBooks for you, ask the provider first.
This guide covers the whole upgrade job in order: decide, back up, install, update the file, check payroll, and recover if something fails. Each fix section is complete on its own, so you can start at the one that matches your situation. The routing table in this section shows where to begin.
| Your situation | First action | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Not sure which version you run | Press F2 and read the year | What is the latest version |
| Your version is 2023 or older | Check the table, then back up | Do you need to upgrade now |
| No backup yet | Create a .qbb backup file | Back up the company file |
| You are ready to install | Use the Upgrade Now prompt | Upgrade QuickBooks Desktop |
| QuickBooks says the file needs updating | Back up, then open the file as Admin | Update the company file |
| You run Enterprise on a server | Upgrade the server first | Enterprise or multi-user |
| You run Pro or Premier on a network | Send the details with the form first | When to get expert help |
| The upgrade failed or data looks wrong | Stop, keep every copy, and find your symptom | When the upgrade fails |
It also answers the 2025 and 2026 question, marks where the file update becomes one-way, and covers the payroll key an upgrade does not activate.
To back up a QuickBooks Desktop company file before an upgrade, open the file as the Admin user, press F2 to note its location, then choose File, Back up Company, Create Local Backup. Save the .qbb backup file to a separate folder on another drive. Keep it until the new version has opened and checked your file.
Sign in to the company file as the Admin user, which is the main login that can set up users. If you are unsure who that is, ask whoever installed QuickBooks. Work on the PC that holds the file, when nobody else is working in it. If you run Enterprise with the file on a server, back it up on the server. If you run Pro or Premier on a network, send the details before you upgrade.
With the company file open, press F2.
Find the File Information section and write down the file location.
You see: the folder path of your company file. The file ends in .qbw, which is the company file itself.
Open the File menu and select Switch to Single-user Mode. If other users are signed in, ask them to sign out first. If the menu already offers Switch to Multi-user Mode, you are already in single-user mode, so continue. When you finish, if other people share this file, select File, Switch to Multi-user Mode.
Open File, hover over Back up Company, and select Create Local Backup.
Select Local Backup, then Next.
In the Local Backup Only section, select Browse. Pick a separate folder on another drive or computer, for example one named Pre-Upgrade Backup. Keep the verification test on. Select OK.
Select Save it now, then Next.
File menu with Back up Company and Create Local Backup highlighted, then three backup windows
You see: a confirmation message when the backup finishes. Open File and hover over Back up Company: the date and time of the last backup show at the top. The backup file ends in .qbb.
Keep this backup, and the old version, until you have checked the new file.
If the backup fails: write down the exact message and use the form. Do not continue without a backup.
Do this after the backup is saved, because Rebuild Data changes the file.
Open the Window menu and select Close All.
Open File, hover over Utilities, and select Verify Data.
You see: the message that QuickBooks detected no problems with your data file.
If it reports problems: open File, hover over Utilities, select Rebuild Data, and accept the backup prompt. Then run Verify Data again. If problems stay, stop and use the form.
QuickBooks 2024 has optimized system requirements which ensure smooth performance. The enhanced performance guarantees better handling of financial tasks and provides smooth user experience.
| QuickBooks 2024 – System Requirements for Upgrade | |
| Operating System | Windows 10 update/version supported by Microsoft Windows 8.1 (the updated version is preferred; do not use the version which is not supported by Microsoft. Windows Server 2012 (or R2), 2016 or 2019 The following Operating systems are Not-Supported: Windows 8.1, Windows 10 S mode, Windows 11 IOT, and Linux is not supported. |
| Processor | 2.4 GHz processor |
| RAM Requirements | Minimum 4 GB of RAM, 8 GB recommended |
| Storage Space | It is recommended to have 2.5 GB disk space for software files Additional space is required for user data files |
| DVD Drive | 4x DVD-ROM drive |
| Internet Connection | Payroll and online features require Internet access (1 Mbps recommended speed) |
| Product Licensing and Credentials | Product registration is needed |
| Screen Resolution for Optimizes Performance | 1280×1024 screen resolution or higher Optimized for Default DPI settings |
| Monitor Requirements | Supports one workstation monitor plus up to 2 extended monitors |
| Server Requirements (In case of QuickBooks Accountant) | Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, or Windows Server 2022 (Regular or Small Business Server) |
| Browser Recommendation | Google Chrome |
To upgrade QuickBooks Desktop, open your current version, select Upgrade Now when the prompt appears, select the box to keep the old version, and select Let’s go. Wait for the install, then select Open QuickBooks. If no prompt appears, bring the prompt back, or use Discovery Hub or QuickBooks Desktop Manager instead.
Checked on October 20, 2026. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025, so confirm the current Windows requirements on the day you plan the upgrade.
Do this in your current version, before anything changes, on the PC that holds the company file. If you run Enterprise with the file on a server, do it on the server. If you run Pro or Premier on a network, use the form before you start. Use the Admin user, the main login that can set up users.
You see: a confirmation message, and a backup file that ends in .qbb. If the backup fails, stop and use the form.
Open your current QuickBooks Desktop. A prompt offers the new version. If none appears, use the If no prompt appears steps in this section.
Select Upgrade Now.
Select the Keep old version on my computer box. Leaving it unselected removes the old version, and your recovery path depends on it.
Select Let’s go. Wait while QuickBooks downloads, installs, and activates the new version, and do not close the window.
Select Open QuickBooks. Register the product if QuickBooks asks.
You see: the new version opens.
Upgrade Now prompt with the Keep old version on my computer box highlighted and the Let’s go button
On a single-user 2022 or 2023 install, the home page can also show Upgrade QuickBooks, with Upgrade now or Schedule an upgrade. Select Keep the old version of QuickBooks on my computer there too.
In QuickBooks, open Edit and select Preferences.
Select General, then the My Preferences tab.
Select Bring back all one time messages, then OK, only if you want the prompt back. If you want a repeating prompt to stop instead, see repeated upgrade notifications.
Close QuickBooks and open it again. The prompt should return. If it does not, use Method 2 or Method 3.
Edit, Preferences, General, My Preferences with Bring back all one time messages highlighted
On the QuickBooks home page, select Discovery Hub, next to your profile icon.
Select Upgrade to QuickBooks 2024.
Select Proceed to upgrade, then Upgrade Now.
Select the option to keep the old version, then select Let’s go. Select Open QuickBooks when it finishes.
Look in your purchase email, your Intuit account, or the package label, or use Intuit’s License Look Up Tool. Have your product number ready too. If you run into issues during activation or validation, you may need to resolve software registration and product code issues before proceeding.
Download QuickBooks Desktop Manager from the Intuit downloads page for your country, product, and version. Open it and accept the license agreement.
Enter your license number. If Intuit sends a one-time code, enter it. Follow the prompts, and keep the old version if the installer offers that choice.
Open the new QuickBooks and activate it.
You see: the new version opens and asks you to activate or register.
Leave multi-user mode first (File, then Disable Multiuser Mode, if shown). Back up your Mac company file, then select Upgrade for Free, Let’s go, and Open QuickBooks, and register. If no prompt appears, choose Help, then Upgrade QuickBooks. The Mac install keeps the old version.
You see: F2 shows 2024. Next, update the company file. If the update prompt shows before your backup is done, do not select Update Now: back up in the old version, or use the form if it is gone.
If the install fails: close QuickBooks, open QuickBooks Tool Hub, select Installation Issues, then QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool, restart the PC, and retry the upgrade once. If it fails again, stop and use the form. Do not touch the company file.
To update a company file in the new QuickBooks Desktop version, have every user sign out, open the new version, choose File, Open or Restore Company, and open the file as the Admin user. Select Update Now, then Done. The update cannot be undone, so confirm your backup first.
Do this in the old version, the one the file was last opened in, on the PC that holds the file. If the old version is gone and you have no backup, stop and use the form before you open the file in the new version. Use the Admin user, the main login that can set up users.
You see: a confirmation message, and a backup file that ends in .qbb. If the backup fails, stop and use the form.
Open the new version of QuickBooks Desktop.
Open the File menu and select Open or Restore Company.
Select Open a company file, then Next. To work from a .qbb backup instead, select Restore a backup copy.
Select your company file and select Open.
If the file is not listed: search Windows for the file name or the .qbw extension, and check for hidden files.
Sign in as the Admin user. Only the Admin user can run the update.
Read the update prompt. It shows the folder for the automatic backup. Write down that folder, because you need it to restore. Select Change this default location only if you want a different folder.
If the window has a box confirming that the file will be updated to the new version, select it.
Select Update Now. Wait for the progress bar.
Select Done.
Open or Restore Company wizard, then the update window with the one-way warning
If you later find that another PC opens this file, press F2 there. If its year is older, it cannot open the updated file, so use the form.
On 2024 and Enterprise 24.0, other users need a temporary password. Open Company, select Set Up Users and Passwords, then Set Up Users.
Select a non-admin user, then select Edit User. Type a temporary password and confirm it. Repeat for each user. Each person sets a permanent password at the next sign-in. If your screen differs, use the form.
You see: the file opens in the new version, and each user can sign in. Keep the backup.
If the update fails: restore the automatic backup with File, Open or Restore Company, Restore a backup copy, save it under a new name, and try the update once more. If it fails again, stop and use the form. Files created in very old versions can need extra steps, so see company file needs updating or a different version.
To upgrade QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise or a multi-user setup, prepare and verify the company file, install the new version on the server first, open the file there as Admin, scan the folder in Database Server Manager, then install the same version on every workstation. Plan it after hours.
Enterprise Diamond, Gold, Platinum, and Accountant on your own server, where the server also runs QuickBooks. A workstation is any other PC that opens the company file. If hosted, ask the provider first.
If your server only stores the file and does not run QuickBooks, send the details with the form; Pro or Premier to Enterprise upgrade covers that setup. Pro or Premier on a network also goes to the form.
On the server, in your current version, before anything changes. Use the Admin user, the main login that can set up users.
You see: a confirmation message, and a backup file that ends in .qbb. If the backup fails, stop and use the form.
Confirm the Admin user has a password.
Remove special characters such as :, &, and / from the file name. Check that the file ends in .qbw.
Open Window, select Close All, then open File, Utilities, Verify Data. If it reports problems, run Rebuild Data once, accept the backup prompt, and verify again. If problems stay, stop.
Pick after hours or a weekend. Tell every user to stay out of the file until you finish.
Close all programs on the server, including your antivirus. Turn it back on after the install.
Download the Enterprise installer from the Intuit downloads page and have your license number ready. Run it on the server and select Custom and Network Options, then Next.
Choose the option that lets you use QuickBooks on this computer and store the company file here to share it. Select Next and follow the prompts. If an error appears, restart the server and run the installer once more. If it fails again, stop.
Open the new QuickBooks on the server. Open File, Open or Restore Company, Open a company file, Next, select your company file, and select Open. Sign in as the Admin user.
Read the update prompt. It shows the folder for the automatic backup. Write down that folder, because you need it to restore.
Select Update Now. Wait for the progress bar.
Select Done. The old version cannot open the file afterward.
If the update fails: restore the automatic backup with File, Open or Restore Company, Restore a backup copy, save it under a new name, and try the update once more on the server. If it fails again, stop and use the form.
On 2024 and Enterprise 24.0, other users need a temporary password. Open Company, select Set Up Users and Passwords, then Set Up Users. Select a non-admin user, select Edit User, type a temporary password, and confirm it. Repeat for each user.
Open the Start menu, type Database, and open QuickBooks Database Server Manager. See the Database Server Manager guide if it is missing.
Open the Scan Folders tab and select Browse. Pick the folder that holds the company file and select OK, then Start Scan.
You see: your folder, with the company file, under QuickBooks company files found.
Database Server Manager with the Scan Folders tab, Browse and Start Scan highlighted
Every workstation must run the same version as the server.
Install the new version. Select Custom and Network Options, then Next, then I’ll be using QuickBooks Desktop on this computer, then Next.
Open the company file from the workstation.
You see: every workstation opens the file. If one cannot, press F2 on that workstation and compare the version with the server. If they match and it still fails, use the form.
After you upgrade QuickBooks Desktop, check the version in Product Information, payroll, bank feeds, and your data. An upgrade does not renew a payroll subscription, so activate the service key. Then spot-check recent transactions and lists, and keep your backup until you are sure. Remove the old version last.
Press F2 and check the year and file location. A different location can mean another copy of the file.
Open Employees and hover over My Payroll Service.
Select Activate Service Key or Manage Service Key, whichever the menu shows, enter the service key, and follow the prompts.
Accept the payroll update when QuickBooks offers it.
You see: the payroll service shows as Active.
If error PS036 appears: send the details.
Open the banking center and check that your connections still update. If they stopped, see bank feed not working after upgrade.
Open a few recent transactions and check the dates and amounts.
Open the customer, vendor, and item lists and compare the counts with what you expect.
Open File, Utilities, Verify Data once more.
You see: the message that QuickBooks detected no problems with your data file.
Do this only when the file opens, payroll shows Active (if you use payroll), and Verify Data passes. Keep your backup, and keep the old version’s installer if you can.
Open the Start menu, search for Control Panel, and open it.
Select Programs and Features (or Uninstall a program).
Select the old QuickBooks Desktop year, then Uninstall/Change, Remove, and Next. Leave the new version alone.
For backup and restore help, see QuickBooks backup and restore support.
When a QuickBooks Desktop upgrade fails or data looks missing, stop, keep every copy of your files, and follow the row that matches your symptom. Never delete company files or reinstall over the only copy. The table covers install failures, file update errors, a locked-out or missing old version, missing data, payroll, and sign-in problems.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Safe next move |
|---|---|---|
| Install fails | Damaged install, Windows, or antivirus | Run the Install Diagnostic Tool, restart, and retry. |
| File update stops or errors | Cause varies | Restore the automatic backup under a new name and retry once. |
| Old version no longer opens the file | The file update cannot be undone | Restore your own backup made before the update. |
| Old version is gone | It was removed during the upgrade | Reinstall it in a new folder, then restore. |
| Data looks missing | A different copy of the file is one possibility | Check the file location in F2 and compare with your backup. |
| Payroll stopped | The upgrade does not renew payroll | Activate the service key under Employees, My Payroll Service. |
| Sign-in page blank or no 2024 product code | Reported by some users | Use the Upgrade Now prompt instead, then send the details. |
A different restore tool is documented for moving a Pro or Premier file up to Enterprise, with Rebuild Data only if the restored file shows errors. Use Pro or Premier to Enterprise upgrade for that case, or use the form.
Close QuickBooks and open QuickBooks Tool Hub. If you do not have it, the Install Diagnostic Tool guide shows where to get it.
Select Installation Issues, then QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool. It can take up to 20 minutes. Do not close it.
Restart the PC and run the upgrade once more. If it fails again, stop and use the form. Do not touch the company file.
Use one rule: two attempts, then stop.
In the new version, open File, select Open or Restore Company, choose Restore a backup copy, and select Next. Pick the automatic backup the update made, from the folder the update prompt showed. Save the restored file under a new name, not over the original.
Open the restored file as Admin and select Update Now.
Do not try a third time. Use the form, or call 1-802-778-9005.
The update cannot be undone, so to go back to the old version you need a backup made before the update. Your own .qbb backup restores in the old version with File, Open or Restore Company, Restore a backup copy, under a new name.
If you have only the automatic backup the update made: send the details with the form before you try anything.
If you have no backup at all: do not update or uninstall anything, and send the details.
In the old version, open File, then Open or Restore Company.
Select Restore a backup copy, then Next. Pick your .qbb file and save the restored file under a new, unique name.
Anything entered in the new version after the update is not in the backup. Desktop cannot export transactions or merge files, so re-enter that work by hand.
If you installed the new version over the old one: reinstall the old version in a different folder, then restore.
You need the old version back before you can restore. This may not work for every old year, so stop at the first step that fails and use the form.
Open the Intuit downloads page, choose your country, product, and old version, and download it. The page may not list every old year.
Install it in a different folder from the new version.
Register it with the same license number. A version you registered before can usually be registered again, but a discontinued product cannot be registered for the first time.
Open File, then Open or Restore Company, select Restore a backup copy, and restore your own .qbb backup under a new, unique name. If you have only the automatic backup the update made, send the details with the form before you try anything. If you have no backup at all, do not update or uninstall anything, and send the details.
Press F2 and read the file location in File Information.
If the location differs from your usual file, close it and open the correct copy. If it matches, keep every copy, delete nothing, and use the form.
Get expert help when the file is large or damaged, when you run a network or a hosted server, when payroll is live, or when the version is very old. Also stop and call after two failed attempts at any step, or when the backup window shows an error.
Note your QuickBooks year and edition (press F2), whether you use one computer, a network, or a hosted server, whether payroll is live, whether a backup exists, and any on-screen message word for word.
Get help upgrading QuickBooks Desktop. Call 1-802-778-9005 or fill in the no-login form on this page. Do not send passwords in the first message. Support hours: Monday through Friday, 24 hours a day. Specialists use a secure, industry-standard remote desktop application to diagnose and work on the problem directly on your computer. Never share passwords during a remote session, and close the remote tool when the work is done.
Allow remote access only to a provider you contacted yourself.
More upgrade help is on the QuickBooks Desktop upgrade support page.
Users ask these ten questions when they upgrade QuickBooks Desktop to the latest version. Each answer ends with a narrowing question and what each reply means, so you can pick the exact next step for your setup. If your case does not fit, send the details with the form.
No. Plus 2024 and Enterprise 24.0 were the last annual versions, and changes now arrive as updates inside 2024. Treat any page, download, or caller offering a 2025 or 2026 Pro or Premier as unreliable, and check your own year in Product Information before you act.
To narrow it down: which year does F2 show? If 2024, you only need updates. If 2023 or older, back up first, then install.
Existing Plus and Enterprise subscribers on 2022 or 2023 move to 2024 or Enterprise 24.0 at no added cost. A no-charge route for 2021 and older versions is not documented, and the same applies to perpetual licenses, so confirm the cost before you buy anything.
Your answer decides the next step: is it 2022 or 2023 on an active subscription? If yes, back up and upgrade. If no, send the details first.
No. Keep the old version until the new one has opened your company file and you have checked it. Uninstalling early removes your way back if the file update fails. Select the keep-old-version box during the upgrade, and remove the old version later.
To plan the cleanup: do you have the old installer and license number? If yes, remove the old version once the file checks out. If no, keep it.
The prompt is a one-time message, so it can stay hidden after you dismiss it. Bring back all one time messages under My Preferences, or use Discovery Hub or Desktop Manager. If the prompt keeps coming back instead, see repeated upgrade notifications.
To pick the method: do you see Discovery Hub next to your profile icon? If yes, use it. If no, use Desktop Manager with your license number.
It is expected the first time you open a file in a newer version. The update runs once per file, and the Admin user should run it. It cannot be undone, so back up first, keep that backup, and do not delete it until you have checked the file.
Before you select Update Now: do you have a .qbb backup you made yourself? If yes, continue. If no, back up in the old version first, or send the details if it is gone.
Not with the updated file. You need a backup made before the update: your own .qbb backup restores in the old version with Restore a backup copy, under a new name. If you have only the automatic backup the update made, send the details before you try anything. Work entered after the update must be re-entered.
To judge the damage: did you enter transactions after updating? If no, restoring loses nothing. If yes, write down their dates and amounts first.
Only after you activate the service key. An upgrade does not renew your payroll subscription, so activate the key under My Payroll Service (Activate Service Key or Manage Service Key, whichever shows), and check that the service shows as Active before the next payroll run.
To check it: is your payroll subscription active in your Intuit account? If yes, activate the key now. If no, renew it first, or send the details.
Yes. After the file update, an older version cannot open the file, so a computer left on the old year is locked out of it. Every computer that opens the file needs the same new version. The file itself is updated only once, by the Admin user, before the other computers open it.
To narrow it down: is the file shared over a network? If no, upgrade the one PC. If yes on Enterprise, upgrade the server first. If yes on Pro or Premier, send the details first.
Treat an unsolicited call as unsafe. Do not give remote access to anyone who contacts you first. Allow access only to a provider you reached yourself, and never share passwords in the first message. None of these steps needs a caller.
To decide: did you contact the provider, or did they contact you? If you contacted them, continue. If they called you, end the call.
An ended version may still open today, but it loses live support, security updates, payroll, payments, and bank feeds. Nothing promises it keeps opening. For existing 2022 and 2023 subscribers the move costs nothing extra, so plan it while your backup is fresh.
To set your urgency: is payroll live on this PC? If yes, do not wait: move before the next payroll run. If no, plan the move soon, and back up first.
