Hello there, @toddbartel. I'm here to help you activate your QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) 2021. 

To start, let's ensure that your QBDT program is updated to the latest release to get the latest program components and fixes. Here's how:

1. Open your QBDT account and go to Help.
2. Then, select Update QuickBooks Desktop.
3. Next, click Update Now and select Get Updates.
4. Once the update finishes, close and reopen QuickBooks.
5. If prompted to install the update, select Yes.
6. When the installation finishes, follow the on-screen instructions.

Once done, activate your QBDT again. 

If the same thing happens, you can run the Quick Fix tool in the QuickBooks Tool Hub. Please refer to the steps below:

1. Close your QBDT program.
2. Then, download the most recent version (1.6.0.3) of the QuickBooks Tool Hub.
3. Once the installation finishes, double-click the icon on your Windows desktop to open the tool hub.
4. Next, in the QuickBooks Tool Hub choose Program Problems.
5. Click Quick Fix my Program.
6. When the tool finishes, start QBDT, then open your data file and activate it again.

For reference, check out this article: Fix activation, license, and product numbers issues.

However, if you're still unable to activate QBDT 2021, I recommend reaching out to our Technical support team. They will further help you in activating the program.   

Once everything is fine, you can now restore the company file so you can get back to working order. 

I'm just around the corner to provide additional help in activating your QBDT program. Have a good one and stay safe. 

Ok thank you for the information. I tried your suggestions, and that did not resolve my problem. If you have any other suggestions, I would be open to them. 

Hello there, toddbartel.

I appreciate you for trying the steps shared by my colleagues.

Since the issue persists, I'd recommend reaching out to our Phone Support team. One of our agents has the tools that can investigate this issue further.

You can reach out to them through the Help menu.

Once everything is fine, you can now restore the company file so you can get back to working order. 

Let me know if there's anything else you need help with managing your QuickBooks Desktop. I'm always here to help you anytime. 

Hello,

I am experiencing the same problem as the original poster. Quickbooks Desktop keeps asking me to activate my product after I already input the information to activate it.

I have tried and failed to resolve this problem with Support, as my product (QuickBooks Premier Canadian Edition 2021, 3 User License (Includes Nonprofit Edition) G-48829) is not supported. I cannot refund my product.

I have tried everything said in this thread and nothing has worked.

What shall I do?

@prince_michael 

Did you get your license from TechSoup Canada? Have you contacted their Support? QB Desktop 2021 is still supported until May 2024. I can share a workaround to use the trial version for QB Desktop 2021 for good but it doesn't apply for multiuser mode.

I got my license from TechSoup Canada. Upon your reply, I have now contacted their Support and await a response.

Same issue as the others, activation loop.  Did anyone ever find a resolution to this issue?

Hello there, OGIT97. I appreciate you joining this thread and informing us that you experienced the same thing. Please know that this isn't what we want you to encounter.

There isn't any ongoing issue about the activation loop. Thus, you shouldn't normally be experiencing this kind of behavior as long as your internet connection is good, there's no user restriction occurring on your personal computer, and you're not having a problem with the antivirus program. 

If you haven't tried turning off the antivirus, check your firewall and temporarily turn off your antivirus.  Turning off the antivirus can help determine if it is causing any interference with the activation process.

Then, install and activate QuickBooks. Once the activation is complete, re-enable your antivirus to ensure the ongoing security of your computer.

If the details above don't resolve the issue, you can contact QuickBooks support directly. They'll helps us investigate what's causing this problem. Then, assist you in resolving activation problems and running QuickBooks seamlessly. Go to the Help menu and select QuickBooks Desktop Help F1.

Alternatively, we can use the link below.

1. Go to this link: Contact Support Team.
2. Enter your full name and email address.
3. Then, follow the on-screen instruction to complete the process.

Feel free to reach out again if you have any further concerns or questions regarding QuickBooks Desktop. I'm here to assist you in any way I can. Goodbye for now, and take care!

New install of Windows was the fix for me after wasting too much time trying to correct QB.  Good luck!

~Betsy

Thats a bummer, did you ever try getting support to manually activate it?  We are going to try this tomorrow.  fingers crossed...

@OGIT97 

Which QB Desktop year version do you have?

For us we had to do a manual activation with QuickBooks support and this fixed it.  Hopefully this helps someone else who is having the same issue.  Was a huge waste of time.  Hopefully they can figure out why this happens in the first place.

Hello BetsySal,

Thank you for sharing your input to help address the issue. We love to see members supporting one another! Have a great day.

How do you reinstall Windows if the computer came already loaded with the os already installed?

I understand that reinstalling Windows on a computer that came preloaded with the operating system can be a bit challenging, Cathi. I'm here to share insights about this. 

When reinstalling Windows on a computer that has the operating system installed, I suggest contacting your manufacturer/vendors. It's important to back up your data before proceeding with the reinstallation. You can save it to a local folder on your computer.  Once Windows is reinstalled, you can then reinstall QuickBooks Desktop and restore your company file from a backup. 

Here's how to create a backup copy of your company file:

1. In your QBDT company, go to the File menu and select Switch to Single-user Mode.
2. After that, go back to the File menu again and hover over Back up Company. Then, select Create Local Backup.
3. In the window, click Local Backup and then Next.
4. From there, select Browse and select a local folder you want to save your backup company file.
5. This runs a test to make sure your backup file is in good shape before you save.
6. Once done, select OK.
7. Click Save it now and Next. You'll get a confirmation message once done.
8. After that, move or copy the backup data to your external drive.

To restore the backup company file, follow the steps below:

1. Go to the File menu and select Open or Restore Company.
2. Click Restore a backup copy and then Next.
3. Select Local Backup and then Next.
4. Browse your computer for your backup company file. It should look like this: [Your company name].qbb.
5. Choose a folder to decide where to save your restored company file. Then select Open.
6. Click Save. 

For complete information, refer to this article: Restore a backup of your company file.

If you need further assistance reinstalling QuickBooks, don't hesitate to mention me in the comment section below. I'll be happy to help you out again. Take care, and have a nice day. 

I think qb has a glitch with certain versions of Windows.  I used the same installable on 2 different fresh vanilla Windows 2012 R2 installs all the latest updates - no luck - activation loop.  Tried it on a windows 11 machine and it works.

Intuit needs to document the manual method of documentation or fix their code.  I doubt they'll fix their code so the manual instructions would be appreciated.