Activation Problem

Hi there HelixChrom,

Thanks for joining us here in the Community. I'm glad to lend a hand with activating your QuickBooks Pro account.

To thaw out the Desktop Activation Screen, I recommend running a repair. Completing a repair on your account is sometimes necessary to fix any issues within the program. This article explains how this can be done: https://community.intuit.com/articles/1436997-repair-quickbooks.

Additionally, this link will direct you to another article that offers pointers on activating your Pro account: https://community.intuit.com/articles/1437411-how-to-register-activate-quickbooks-desktop.

You'll be up and running in no time. Please let me know if there's anything else I can help out with.

I have just downloaded and installed QBPro 2018 because my previous version was going to become useless according to Intuit.

After installation and a first time run, it requests activation. I have tried this several different ways with the same result.

Pressing the BEGIN ACTIVATION AGAIN button does nothing and the program needs to be restarted. I have tried running a REPAIR on the installer, as well as restarting my machine several times. Nothng appears to work and I am left without an operating copy of QB that I just paid for.

Hello

Today i purchased Quickbooks 2018 Premier VAT edition from Authorised Reseller.

Upon entering the license & product numbers, it displays that my license and product numbers are incorrect

What is the solution to this ??

Please help us to rectify this issue ASAP.

I have this problem every single time I have to activate quickbooks.  Usually triggered when I have to re-install QB or if QB is broken again and the intuit repair tool fails...again.  There are literally 1000's of companies which use some form of online activation with their software, QB is the only one I know of that fails all the time...    

Hello there, shadab1 and ITimpel. 

Thank you for taking the time posting in the Community. Allow me to help and share some information about activating QuickBooks.  

Let me address first @shadab1's concern. For incorrect license or product number error, we need to ensure that the numbers are entered correctly.

To do that, I recommend calling our Technical Support. This way the phone agents can check your account and verify if the product information matches on what you have. They can also help you get to a resolution quickly to register QuickBooks. 

You can call them by following the steps provided by my colleague, @MichelleT. 

For @ITimpel question, let me share some additional troubleshooting steps to help you get past this error.  To begin, let's verify that the system date and time settings are correct.

Here's how: 

1. Close QuickBooks Desktop.
2. Right-click the time display in the Windows taskbar, then select Adjust Date/Time.
3. Select the Date & Time tab, then set the date for the current year.
4. Select Apply, then select OK.

After that, let's try to activate QuickBooks again.  

Here's how: 

1. Click the Help menu.
2. Select About QuickBooks.
3. Press Ctrl + R + P on your keyboard.
4. Enter the Validation Code.
5. Click Next to complete the activation.

If you get the same result, I recommend checking this article for more solutions: The validation code and product number is incorrect or the service is temporarily unavailable when a....

For additional help, please reach out to our Technical Support. They can initiate a screen sharing session to help you get to a resolution quickly. Just follow the steps provided by my colleague, @MichelleT. 

That should do it. Drop a comment below if you have any other questions about activating QuickBooks. I'd be happy to help you out. 

Seriously! This problem has been going on since 2018? It's the 2019 and the screenshot above is the exact same problem I'm having now. Instead of setting up my new software I have an approximate hold time of 35-40 minutes. When someone buys something we expect it to work, and not to be required to call Tech Support on day 1.  Looks like it may be a good time to try out Xero!

I appreciate the feedback, @dkimble.

Allow me to step in and share some insights about your activation issue.

As mentioned by my colleagues, if you're unable to activate your QuickBooks license; you also have the option to let one of our agents generate the activation code for you.

I can understand your desire to speak with our phone support right away. At this time of the year, we typically have a high call volume and longer than normal wait time. Many of our customers call in for assistance with year-end payroll.

Let me know if you have other concerns I can help with. I'm always here for you. Thank you for understanding and patience.

I'm having the exact same problem!  I bought a copy through TechSoup for a non-profit I'm on the board and it times out during the activation process no matter how fast I fill out the information fields.  When I try and activate through the website it can't even find the product but I have an email from QuickBooks with the license code and product ID sent to the same email I used to log into the website with.  Of course you can get an activation code from customer support but ONLY during the high demand hours when you can't get through anyway.  So right now I'm SOL!  I wish I had know about Xero before I stepped in this mess!!!  

Firewalls and anti-virus programs can sometimes block the internet access needed when activating QuickBooks, Zdenek668.

Let's try to configure these programs so you can successfully activate QuickBooks. Please note that QuickBooks Desktop 2019 currently uses dynamic ports which are assigned during the installation process. You can also consult your IT guy to help you update your firewall to its latest release.

Here's how to get the dynamic port number for QuickBooks 2019:

1. Open the QuickBooks Database Server Manager.
2. On the Port Monitor tab, find QuickBooks Desktop 2019.
3. Take note of the Port Number. You will use this for your firewall port exception.

Then, run the QuickBooks File Doctor as it will automatically open and configure the firewall ports. Lastly, proceed with creating firewall exceptions for QuickBooks using the Port Number.

If you're still having troubles with the activation process, it would be best to give us a call. We can do thorough investigation to know what caused the behavior. Please refer to the phone number given by my colleague above.

I'll be around if you need anything else. Thanks for dropping by.

I have spent all morning trying to activate my QB!  I can't find help anywhere and I am about to SCREAM!

When you call the phone number to get the code, you get nothing!

Hi there, @lexi214,

We want to make sure you're able to activate your license without any issues. If you're still unable to do it on your own, I recommend contacting our Support Team to generate a validation code for you. This code is used to automatically activate the software without going through the manual information entry.

Please note that our representatives are currently available through chat or messaging. Make sure to enable pop-up windows on your browser settings to launch the chat box and connect with our live agents. To get our Support, follow the steps below:

1. Open QuickBooks and click the Help menu.
2. Select QuickBooks Desktop Help.
3. On the pop-up screen select Contact us.
   
4. Click the Search for Something else button then type your concern in the Ask us anything box.
5. Hit Search then scroll down to get your contact options.

Another option to contact us is through the web. Here's how:

1. Go to this link: https://help.quickbooks.intuit.com/en_US/contact
2. Select QuickBooks Desktop then Continue as guest.
3. Pick your QuickBooks version.
4. The self-help topics are listed in the What can we help you with section.
5. For live help use the Search for something else button.

When you're connected, our representative will ask the license and product number of the software you purchased.

Let me know how it goes as I want to make sure this is resolved. I'll be right here if you need further help.

Did you ever figure out what to do?  I am about to SCREAM now!!! 

I have tried to "reactivate" and entered new billing, etc.  There is not ACTIVATE button.  My account says ACTIVE.  What am I missing?!   Please help.  Payroll needed to go out YESTERDAY.  :( :(  I would really appreciate a number to call and talk to a human.  How is that not a thing?!! 

I’m here to help you get past the activation process so you can run payroll today, mkts.

Since your account is showing Active, that means the reactivation is complete. You can also find the status through your Intuit Account.

If it's showing Resubscribe, you need to go through the reactivation process. Let me guide you through the steps:

1. In your QuickBooks Desktop company file, go to Employees, and select My Payroll Service.
2. Click Account/Billing Info.
3. Sign in using your Intuit Account login. Your QuickBooks Account page will open.
4. Under Status, choose Resubscribe.
5. Follow the on-screen steps to reactivate your payroll service.
6. It may take up to 24 hours for the reactivation of your subscription to fully complete. 

If you're still unable to run payroll, I recommend contacting our QuickBooks Desktop Team. They can check what's blocking you from reactivating the service.

You can visit this link and choose your product to get in touch with our support team: Contact QuickBooks products and services Support.

Let me know how the contact goes by commenting below. I'll be around until you're able to pay your employees.

This is ridiculous . Just bought Quickbooks Desktop Pro 2012 for $400 and I can't even activate it . No support either on the weekends apparently . How aggravating . 

Hi Juliana.

I appreciate for sharing your concern in this thread. I'm here to help you with QuickBooks and the activation process.

To get started, may I know where you've purchased your QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) Pro 2012? This way, we can review this further and figure out how you can activate and start using QuickBooks.

It would be best to have the supported versions of QuickBooks (QBDT 2021, 2020, 2019) to avail of the latest features and other Intuit services. The good news is, Intuit still allows users to download the old version of QuickBooks. 

For additional tips about downloading and installing QBDT, I recommend opening these links:

• Install QuickBooks Desktop
• Downloads & Updates

Moreover, I would also recommend connecting with our Support Team during their business hours. In that way, a live representative can check your account securely. To contact support:

1. Open this link: https://help.quickbooks.intuit.com/en_US/contact.
2. Click on QuickBooks Desktop.
3. Set the product and edition, then enter your question, then click on Continue.
4. Choose a way to connect with Support.

For your future tips, while working with QuickBooks, I also suggest opening the topics from our help articles.

If you need additional help with activating QuickBooks, please notify me by adding a comment below. I'm always here to help. Have a good one!

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@julianapoulin48 wrote:

This is ridiculous . Just bought Quickbooks Desktop Pro 2012 for $400 and I can't even activate it . No support either on the weekends apparently . How aggravating . 

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@julianapoulin48 

QB Desktop 2012?

What about pro plus 2021?

Activating QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) Pro Plus 2021 made easy for you, @Nicki43054. I'm here to guide you how.

Once you successfully install QBDT Pro Plus 2021 on your computer, you're now set to activate or register the program. Generally, QuickBooks will prompt you to activate, but you can also do it manually with these steps:

1. Open QBDT Pro Plus 2021.
2. Go to the Help menu.
3. Select Activate QuickBooks Desktop.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to verify your info.

QuickBooks makes sure you have access to training materials, do-it-yourself articles, and experts to help you in managing the growth of your business. To learn more about these resources, I'd recommend checking out this article: Get QuickBooks Desktop user guides.

Feel free to let me know how it goes in the comments below. I'm just around to help if you have other concerns about QBDT program activation. Take care always.

I activated my Premier 2021 QB desktop but it won't let me past the confirmation page. I click on the stars and nothing happens, I click on start using quickbooks desktop now and it does nothing. I am completely frustrated.

Hello, kdillard. 

Did you encounter an error message while activating your QuickBooks? In the meantime, you can contact our support team, they can help you pass through with the confirmation page. 

Here's how to reach our support team: 

1. Open QuickBooks.
2. Go to Help, then select QuickBooks Desktop Help.
3. Select Contact Us.
4. Give a brief description of your issue, then select Let's talk and then choose a way to connect. 

For additional insights, you may check out this article: Error: The validation code and product number is incorrect, or the service is temporarily unavailabl.... 

Let me know how this goes by commenting below. Please post again and I'm glad to help ensure you're able to install the software. Stay safe!

this did not solve the problem for me. it just brings me back to the screen with the loading circle before the step of putting in the activation code sent to me by support.

Good day, @Gil7. I'll help you resolve your activation issue in QuickBooks.

I recommend contacting our support team, as they can help you with any issues you may have.

Here's how to reach them:

1. Visit this link.
2. Click on the product and hit Continue.
3. Select Edition after selecting your specific product from the Dropdown menu.

4. Choose either to Chat with us or Have us call you options.

5. Enter your information and hit Get a call or Start a Chat.

Feel free to visit this page about how to contact QuickBooks Desktop customer support.

Moreover, find out where you can get QuickBooks Desktop user guides, training, and expert advice. Check out this article for your reference.

Always come by for more information about your QuickBooks Desktop account. We're here to help.