Quickbooks Pro 2016: will it really stop working?

For your reference

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-uk/other-questions/access-to-qb-desktop-will-be-perma...

You should be fine. But make sure to start creating backup files starting next week.

Thank you - it certainly wasn't clear from the desktop alert.

I do appreciate we're on a very old version, and that future activation if we e.g. move machines may be in jeopardy, so we will be looking at migrating to an alternative solution. I'm reluctant to go to a subscription service purely because we don't actually need the notional 'benefits', as they're not really relevant to our operation.

I was somewhat alarmed that we might be looking at two weeks notice of certain death, though :)

If you have all your license numbers you can contact intuit support,  they will give you the activation code for your product and instructions how to get around the online activation and use the code they give you.  Did this a couple of years back when I upgraded laptops they sent me through activation codes for the two copies of 2016 Premier I purchased,  together with step by step instructions how to use the code.  On their website they did have a downloadable copy of 2016 and it's last update which you'll need if your data was opened with an updated version of 2016.   If you have all this then you should be safe to change computers and be able to get quickbooks up and running again.   Hope that's some help. 

Good afternoon.

I too am using 2016 desktop version for nothing more than very basic invoicing tasks and have also received the message about no being able to log in after May.

How do I check if my version will still be usable?

I have my customer / licence / product number 

Regards Rob

Hi Rob, thanks for joining this thread

If you originally purchased the license outright, you will continue to have access to the product. Please contact our Live Support team (Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 7 PM) so that one of our experts can check your license and product number on our system to provide further information if required. Thank you.

I too purchased this Quickbooks pro 2016 outright. I have no need for the updates and perks. No online payroll etc. At the moment, I’m down to the last time I can access without logging in. I would absolutely log in to the intuit account (although it shouldn’t be necessary) but every time it has come up, it just spins. Been spinning for about half an hour now. Intuit customer service was returning my call half an hour ago in 5 or 10 minutes. My next step will be canceling the log in, backing up the account, printing everything and doing it by hand for the near future. Any ideas out there?

Very frustrated. 

We understand you rely on this version to keep your business running without the online features. Let me explain why this is happening to ease your concern. 

QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2016 has been discontinued in the United Kingdom, meaning Intuit no longer provides updates, patches, or support. As security protocols evolve, older versions often face disruptions like login issues due to outdated compatibility and unoptimized server support.

To ensure uninterrupted access moving forward, you may want to consider migrating to QuickBooks Online for a more updated and reliable accounting experience. 

If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to reply below.

@Lynda Miller 

QB Desktop US version or UK version?

I am also concerned about this issue. I am a small business owner and use a legally purchased version of QuickBooks Desktop 2014, which I bought in 2014 through Barclays Bank, to manage three companies. Unfortunately, I am unable to migrate to the online version because it does not adequately support stock control or the creation of product assemblies.

At present, every time I launch QuickBooks, I have to change the date on my computer to prevent the software from blocking my access. This is worrying, as there is always a risk that I may forget to do this. I do not want to continue using this workaround, especially considering that I paid for this software years ago and it still works perfectly well for my business needs.

Please can you confirm whether any measures have been put in place to ensure that my access to QuickBooks will not be blocked if I attempt to use it without this workaround?

Hi, Andrew.

I understand your concern about QuickBooks blocking access if you forgot to change the date on your computer.

The QuickBooks Desktop relies on certain authentication systems that can expire over time. Once it expires, the software may no longer function, unless you have a valid license.

Additionally, no formal measures have been established to ensure continuous access to QuickBooks Desktop 2014 without relying on the date-change workaround.

If you must continue using the 2014 version of QuickBooks Desktop, it's crucial that you regularly back up your data in a secure manner.

Please respond to this thread if you have additional concerns in your QBDT.

@AndrewRobotham 

Did you reinstall your license? I suspect you are running your QB program in trial mode and you are unable to activate your license after reinstalling it.

Hi there,

Thank you for getting back to me. However, this is precisely my concern. I should not have to worry about losing access to software that I paid a significant amount of money for and hold a valid licence for. I understand the decision to no longer support an older version, but I do not understand how or why it is considered acceptable to block users from accessing software that has been fully purchased and paid for. This is neither fair nor acceptable.

I do not want to have to constantly remember to change the date on my computer just to ensure I am not blocked from using software that I legitimately own.

Unfortunately, having a license doesn't mean you own the product. They simply grant you permission to use their product, and they reserve the right to revoke that permission at any time. You can use the trial version as a workaround, and you won't have to worry about changing your PC's date any longer.

I'm not sure why this thread has woken up two years after it was resolved, but the notifications are quite annoying :)

The already accepted solution was the correct answer: perpetual QB desktop licences keep working, but you'll be out of luck for support, and when you eventually have a reinstall/install issue you'll have no real choice other than to upgrade or migrate to a different product. So keep taking balance reports :)