QuickBooks HelpQuickBooksHelpIntuit

Move or reinstall QuickBooks Desktop to another computer

by Intuit Updated 5 months ago

Learn how to move QuickBooks Desktop to another computer.

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

How to manually move or reinstall QuickBooks

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 business phone and Postcode, Intuit will detect your copy of QuickBooks was already registered and will record the registration info for the new computer. Note: If you reinstall QuickBooks on a computer where it was previously registered, you won't have to register again. QuickBooks will detect your copy of QuickBooks was already registered and won’t prompt you to register.

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.
Should your USB contain files from 64-bit QuickBooks Desktop 2022 or 2023, the migrator tool may stop unexpectedly when run on a 32-bit Windows system. 64-bit QuickBooks files can only be migrated from one 64-bit system to another.
QuickBooks Desktop Pro

Sign in now for personalized help

See articles customized for your product and join our large community of QuickBooks users.