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Restore your file

SOLVED•by QuickBooks•11•Updated March 04, 2024

Learn how to restore your company file in QuickBooks Desktop.

Unable to locate your file? QuickBooks can restore your company file to get you back to business in no time!

Note: When you download the file, you're asked where to save or map it. Make sure to choose a file location you can easily remember.

How to restore a file

Open QuickBooks.
Select the File menu, then Open or Restore Company...
Restore the file based on its type:
- - Windows company file (.qbw)
    1. Select Open a company file, then select Next.
    2. Open the appropriate folder, then choose the company file.
    3. Select Open, then enter the password.
  - Windows backup file (.qbb)
  - Windows portable file (.qbm)
- - Mac company file (.dmg or .qbxxx)

Can't find the mapped network drive (even though the drive show properly in your computer and Windows Explorer)?

It could be that the Network Security set by your admin is conflicting with the use of the software. Consult your IT for further assistance.

Tips and tricks

Forgot where you saved your file?

Don't worry! A copy is always available in your Downloads folder. To check:

Windows	On your keyboard, press the Windows key+E. Select This PC, then Downloads.
Mac	From the top, select Go. Select Downloads.

Have a lot of files and don't know which one to pick?

You can put your QuickBooks folder in Detail View to get timestamps. Here's how:

Windows	Right-click anywhere on the folder. Select Sort by, then Date Modified. Choose the file with the latest date stamp.
Mac	Select the Gear icon. Choose Sort by, then Date Modified. Choose the file with the latest date stamp.

Forgot your password?

You can always check password details in the ReadMe.doc.

Do you have Assisted Payroll?

If you have Assisted payroll, you may get the following error message after restoring the file:

This QuickBooks file may be missing some of the payroll data that you have already sent to the Payroll Service.

Resolve this issue before creating any new transactions:

To restore the missing data, select Send Payroll Data from the Employees menu.
Select Send.

Note: Select Send if the Items in the Send field contains 0 Paychecks for $0.00. If there are transactions listed, you may send duplicate transactions to the payroll service. Contact payroll support to check what items have already been sent."

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