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Move or reinstall QuickBooks Desktop to another computer

by Intuit•1• Updated 5 days ago

Learn how to move QuickBooks Desktop to another computer.

If you’re using QuickBooks Desktop 2018 or newer as a single customer, you can use the Migrator Tool to move QuickBooks Desktop and up to three company files to another computer. Otherwise, you’ll have to uninstall QuickBooks Desktop from your old computer before you install QuickBooks Desktop on the new one.

Note: Any 64-bit QuickBooks files can only be migrated from one 64-bit system to another. If your USB has files from the 64-bit QuickBooks Desktop 2022 or 2023, the migrator tool may stop unexpectedly when running on a 32-bit Windows system.

If you need to reinstall or move QuickBooks Desktop to another computer, we’ll show you how.



The tool will copy:

  • QuickBooks Desktop details, including the version and other details needed to install QuickBooks Desktop on your new computer.
  • Up to the last three company files that you opened on the old computer, including sample files.
  • Related files, custom templates & forms.
  • QuickBooks letters and templates.
  • Scheduled and memorized reports.
  • Local attachments.
  • Printer Setting (PrintEng.ini, wpr.ini, and QBPrint.qbp).
  • Spell Checker (spell.ini and UserDictionary.tlx).
  • Financial Statement Designer (FSD clients).
  • Financial Statement Designer (FSD data).
  • Cash Flow Projector (.cfp).
  • Business Planner (.bpw).
  • Loan Manager (.lmr).
  • Statement writer (for QuickBooks Accountant).
  • Advanced reports (for QuickBooks Enterprise).

The tool won’t copy:

  • Any multi-user setup configurations.
  • Any payroll & payment setup. You'll have to sign in again on the new computer as part of our effort to protect your data.
  • Any company files you haven’t recently opened. You can move these files manually or restore them from Intuit Data Protect.
  • Any manual backup files.
  • Intuit Data Protect. You’ll need to uninstall this from the old computer and set it up on the new computer manually. 

What you’ll need

  • Company Admin access in QuickBooks Desktop.
  • Have your new computer connected to the internet.
  • QuickBooks Desktop 2018 or newer.
  • An updated copy of Windows 10 or later.
  • An external storage device (like a USB flash drive) large enough to hold your QuickBooks files. The Migrator Tool will tell you how much free space you need. Most people need between 150 and 250 MB.
  • Your QuickBooks Desktop license and product numbers. You can find these in your Intuit Account or the original purchase confirmation email.

Move QuickBooks Desktop to the new computer with the migrator tool

As a single user, use the Migrator Tool to move QuickBooks Desktop and up to three company files to another computer.

  1. From QuickBooks, go to File, select Utilities, and then select Move QuickBooks to another computer.
  2. Select I'm Ready, then create a one-time password. You’ll only need this password once, for the migrator tool.
  3. Follow the instructions to choose the USB flash drive you’ll use. Then wait for the files to be copied.
  4. Insert the USB flash drive into the new computer. Due to Windows security restrictions, the Migrator Tool won’t automatically open.
  5. Open the flash drive to view its files and double-click the file Move_QuickBooks.bat to start the migrator.
  6. Enter the password you created, then select Let's go.
  7. Wait for the Migrator Tool to finish.
    Note: This will depend on the speed of your computer and internet, and the size of your company file(s).

Note: If the migrator doesn’t open after selecting and running the file, you may need to update your version of Windows 10.

The migrator tool automatically removes your QuickBooks files from your USB flash drive when you’re done. Your QuickBooks files will still be on your old computer. We strongly recommend you change the name of the file(s) on the old computer to avoid using the wrong file.

How to manually move or reinstall QuickBooks without the Migrator Tool

Reinstall or move your QuickBooks Desktop installation

  1. Have your product and license info available.
  2. Uninstall the existing QuickBooks program before attempting a reinstall.
  3. On the computer where you want QuickBooks Desktop installed, download the installation files or insert the CD.
  4. Install QuickBooks Desktop as you normally would.


Common questions about reinstalling or moving an existing installation

What if I don't have my CD?

If you have your license and product number but need the installation files, you can download your version of QuickBooks. See Download & Install QuickBooks Desktop for steps to access a download.

What if I don't have my license and product numbers?

See Find missing or illegible license or product number.

Will I need to register QuickBooks after I reinstall or move it?

If you move your installation to another computer you'll need to register again.

  1. Go to Help and select Register QuickBooks to start the process.
  2. After you enter your info, Intuit detects the registration status of your copy of QuickBooks and records the info for the new computer.

What about my company file(s)?

  • Moving your QuickBooks installation doesn’t move your company files. Your company files must be copied to the new location separately. See Move your company file from your old computer to your new computer.
  • Reinstalling QuickBooks over an existing installation doesn’t affect your company files. You can open your company files with the reinstalled copy of QuickBooks as you normally would.

Results

After following these steps, QuickBooks Desktop will be installed on your new computer.  We’ll copy all the data needed to get QuickBooks Desktop up and running on your new computer. None of your data is deleted from your old computer.

Next steps

On the new computer, open QuickBooks Desktop and review your data to make sure everything was moved correctly.

Since the tool doesn’t copy some info, you might need to:

  • Sign in to your existing payroll, banking, and payment services (if any).
  • Move over any additional company files from your old computer to your new.
  • Back up your company data on your new computer.
  • Uninstall QuickBooks Desktop from your old computer if you no longer need it.

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