Quickbooks Desktop 2020 - Can't Reset Admin Password

I can only imagine what you've been through, Jamie-W.

Let me help and share some information about password security in QuickBooks Desktop.

To ensure the safety of your company's data, QuickBooks will ask you to create a complex password when you sign in to the file. It will also prompt you to change your password near the end of the 90 days as well as on the expiration date itself. Here's an article for more information: Password Security for QuickBooks Desktop.

If you don't have a dropdown list for emails upon choosing the option I forgot my password, you need to select Don’t see your email in the list above? and enter an email address where you'll receive the token. Emails from us can show up in your spam folders. Check your spam and junk folders if you don't see your code in your inbox.

Otherwise, if the password reset still doesn't work, I recommend contacting our Support Team. They have the right tools and can securely remote in to your computer to help you fix any issues.

I wanna make sure I got you covered, feel free to add some details by click the Reply button below. I'll be around if you need help. Have a nice day!

Please see the issue in my email -- When I click "Forgot Password" it doesn't give me the list of emails at all, it just opens a help window showing me the steps to reset my password.  

I spent 45 minutes on the phone today with the Support Team and the woman told me that she "really wanted to help me" but there was nothing she could do, and refused to transfer me to anyone else who might help me.  It's Case Number [Removed] if you'd like to listen to the whole frustrating call.  Your link looks like it just takes me back to that support number I called today, so how do I contact a specialist to remote into my computer?

I understand this isn't an easy process for you, @Jamie-W.

I know of another way for resetting your QuickBooks Admin password.

You can use the Automated Password Reset tool instead if you can't reset the password. Here's how:

1. Download the Automated Password Reset tool.
2. Choose your version of QuickBooks Desktop.
3. Enter the QuickBooks license number and business info used when you registered QuickBooks and then hit Next.
4. Accept the license agreement.  If it asks you to Run or Save the file, select Save and save it to your Desktop.
5. Open the Automated Password Reset tool and then type in the token number received via email.
6. Choose the same QuickBooks version from the QuickBooks Desktop Products drop-down.
7. Click on Browse for Company File, and then select the company file you want to reset the password for.
8. Fill in the right Company File Admin User Name.
9. Fill in your New Password and then Confirm New Password.
10. To complete the process, click on Reset Password.

Feel free to read this through for more information about password reset: Use the Automated Password Reset Tool for QuickBooks Desktop.

Don't hesitate to message us back by leaving a comment below. We're always happy to help. Stay safe always.

Thank you but that also does not work.  The Automatic Password Reset Tool doesn't work for QuickBooks Desktop 2020 or newer.  I get this message (see attached screenshot) when I try to download it and choose 2020+.  "For version 2020 and above you can reset password from within the product."  But when I try to reset the password from within the program, it doesn't let me, it just opens the help window.  

I still have access to the other dozen companies I have created in the past, the only issue is this one new company I'm trying to create.  I can't risk losing access to the other companies, but I really need to be able to create new ones like I've always done.  Please send me instructions for the remote-in help because I'm completely frustrated.

Thank you but that also does not work.  The Automatic Password Reset Tool doesn't work for QuickBooks Desktop 2020 or newer.  I get this message (see attached screenshot) when I try to download it and choose 2020+.  But when I try to reset the password from within the program, it doesn't let me, it just opens the help window.  

I still have access to the other dozen companies I have created in the past, the only issue is this one new company I'm trying to create.  I can't risk losing access to the other companies, but I really need to be able to create new ones like I've always done.  Please send me instructions for the remote-in help because I'm completely frustrated.

Hello there, Jamie-W.

I can see how important it is for you to be able to reset the password. This lets you add a new company file smoothly. Let me provide some information about the unexpected behavior you’re experiencing.

We’ve received reports from other users that they’re having issues resetting the admin password on a company file. Rest assured, our engineers are diligently working to get this feature up and running again.

That said, I recommend contacting our Technical Support Team to sign up to the list of affected users. Adding your company to the notification list ensures you’ll get email updates about the investigation.

Here’s how to reach them:

1. Click the Help icon at the top menu bar and choose QuickBooks Desktop Help F1.
2. In the Have a Question window, scroll down and press the Contact us link.
3. When the Contact Us screen opens, go to the Tell us more about your question section.
4. Then type the issue or topic in the field box. For example, unable to change the admin password.
5. Click the Search menu to display the Get Phone Number or Start a Message option.
6. Provide this information to expedite the process: INV-41741.

I’ve included a link for future reference. It outlines the complete steps on how to reset your QuickBooks password. The article contains screenshots and a video tutorial to visually guide you through the process.

Reach out to me again if you have additional questions about creating a company file or managing passwords. I’m always ready to help and make sure you’re taken care of.

After spending 2.5 hours on the phone with a support tech yesterday (on top of the 45 minutes the day before), and having him remote in to my computer to see what was happening, he was still unable to solve the problem. 

We did figure out that the reason QuickBooks is requiring a password the second time I open the company file is because it reads that I am inputting EIN/SSN numbers.  However it won't accept any admin password, and there is no way to reset the password, and even with the file open, there is no way to create a password (because in order to create a password you must input the admin password that doesn't exist).

With the tech's help I uploaded my file and they have escalated it to a higher team, which is what I asked the first tech the day before to do but she told me it wasn't possible, so now I have to wait.  The work around is to not input any EIN/SSNs, even though that is an integral part of my file so that's very annoying, but at least I can continue to open the file.  This whole experience has me looking for a different, non-QuickBooks solution for my business.  Very frustrating.

Was this issue ever resolved?  I have just created a new entity for the first time since updating to QB Desktop 2021 and have been asked to input a password I have not created.  I am very concerned that I have to go back and redo all the work to create the entity the first time!

Hello, @Pattie B. I understand the urgency of getting this issue fixed. I'm here to share some details about password security for QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) and direct you to our support team.

To ensure the protection of your critical data, QuickBooks Desktop requires passwords for data files to meet certain complexity requirements. Setting a password is mandatory for users with sensitive information or credit card security. It ensures that only those who are authorized have access to your information.

For more details and the minimum requirements when setting up a password, you can click this article.

I'd also suggest reaching out to our Technical Support Team. They can look at your account and offer further suggestions for resolving the problem you're having.

Here's how:
 

1. Click Help at the top menu bar, then select QuickBooks Desktop Help.
2. Select Contact us and then enter that you get Reminder prompts and Continue.
3. Then choose either to Message an Agent or Talk to a Specialist.
    

Please check out this article for QuickBooks support hours: Contact QuickBooks Desktop Support.

In case you forgot your password you can check out this article: Reset your password for QuickBooks Desktop.

If you have any other problems logging into your QBDT account, please leave a comment. I'll be here to help you at any moment. Have a successful business!

I understand why you want a password on the account.   That is not the issue.  The issue is the known glitch in the Quickbooks software that asks me for a password to continue when I was never prompted to create a password in the first place, and there is no way for me to change any password.  I am dead in the water at this point and will need to recreate my work to move forward.  The original commenter had the exact same problem as me 3 months ago, talked to tech support who couldn't solve the problem, and then had the issue escalated.  I just wonder if going through the time consuming process of talking to tech support will get me anywhere, or if I just do the work around of not putting an EIN in when I create the company.  

Hi Pattie - I'm the original poster, and NO this issue was never resolved. I have to use the workaround with my new files and not put in the EIN. Their tech support/ escalation team took my file, looked at it, sent me back some bizarre alphanumeric password that I didn't create (and never would have created) to access the locked file, but I still can't use it to -change- the admin password. They also sent me the "fixed" file when I was in a time crunch at work, and since I didn't respond within 48 hours, now if I want to talk to anyone about it again and how my issue wasn't resolved, I'd have to do the whole process over, and I'm not wasting 4+ more hours on that. Sorry I can't help and sorry they won't, good luck!

Jamie,

Thank you!  I greatly appreciate your reply :>  This is exactly what I suspected would be the case, that going the tech support route would not solve the problem, only infuriate me.  So, to the work-around it goes!

Quickbooks,

I have used you for over twenty years.  I have not been interested in learning new software, but these customer tech support/software glitch issues are piling up.  I too might start looking around for a different program......

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@Pattie B wrote:

I have used you for over twenty years.  I have not been interested in learning new software, but these customer tech support/software glitch issues are piling up.  I too might start looking around for a different program......

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@Pattie B 

If you are using QBD Pro/Premier, your option is very limited to replace it. Otherwise you can migrate to QB Online or another cloud based accounting app. Purchase a 3rd party conversion service if required.

I am using QuickBooks Desktop 2019 and i was getting an error message that i need to update my password and i wasn't able to figure out. But I have finally reset my QuickBooks admin password and if anyone looking for help then i would suggest you should also try the following full guide on reset admin password.

Allow me to join you here and help with your password, Richard.

It's possible that there are some details that are not similar to what we have on our records. You can log in to your account on the Customer Account Management Portal Site to check and verify if the information is the same.

It's a site where you can see and manage your accounts, products, contacts, billing, and user ID access. You can review charges, update your payment method, change a credit card, as well as update billing information and email addresses.

Here's how:

1. Go to camps.intuit.com
2. Sign in with your Intuit Account info. This could be different from what you use to sign in to your company file.
3. If you see multiple products to choose from, select QuickBooks Desktop to go to CAMPs.

In case the details are the same, I would recommend reaching out to our phone or chat support teams. They can take a look at your account and help you reset your password. Go to this article to get their contact details: Contact QuickBooks Desktop Support.

Don't hesitate to reply to me and share updates if you're able to reset your password. I would also love to get back here in case you need anything else.

@Richard_eynolds 

Last resort, purchase a 3rd party password reset service.

Thank you for the EIN workaround, I'll try that next time I set up a new company.

I have run into this same issue with most versions of QuickBooks desktop (2019 to 2023), including the Enterprise edition (19.0 to 23.0).  My workaround was to set up a company in QB 2018, QBE 18.0, or earlier, making sure to set up Admin passwords as well as one or more other users.  Then I upgrade this datafile by opening it in the newer versions until I get it to the version I need.  I also have to do it this way because you cannot set up any additional users in a newly created file, because QB requires the Admin password to do so, which of course I didn't set up and don't have.

Having been a ProAdvisor for several years, I have access to the older versions so many newer users may not be able to use this option.  

The problem appears to have begun when they started requiring you to login/create an Intuit account when setting up a company.  I haven't seen any way to bypass this step, and don't know if creating/logging in sets up some random password in the datafile where one doesn't already exist.  I just know it is annoying to have to do this every time because I really can't justify billing for the time wasted upgrading a customer's new file through several upgrades just so they can use it on their version.

I reset my password now I have to of the same company with 2 different passwords Qb lost all my data from 2019 to 2022 tech support has no answers very disgusting

@Heinz2 

Do you still have the backup of the original file? 

Hello there, @Heinz2.

I'd recommend getting in touch with our Customer Support for the fix. This way, our data service team can further check if they can recover or retrieve the lost data.

Here's how:

1. Go to the Help menu.
2. Select QuickBooks Desktop Help. 
3. Click the Contact us button. 
4. Type a brief description of your concern.
5. Hit Let's talk, and then choose a way to connect.

You'll also want to check our support hours page to see when our support will be available. 

For additional information about the Data Services team, check out the following article. It also contains detailed steps regarding the type of files you can upload: QuickBooks Data Services FAQ.

You can visit this link about recovering data in QuickBooks: Recover lost data with QuickBooks Auto Recovery.

Let me know if you need further assistance with your lost data. I'm always here to help.

@Jamie-W 

I recently received a notice saying I won't be able to use the QB 2020 Desktop program that I purchased after May 31, 2023

If you have a one-time license, you can still use QBD 2020 after May 2023 without online features.

Hi Pattie -- I wanted to make sure you saw that I figured out a solution to this highly annoying problem finally (one year later, and by myself, with no help from QB).  If you ever get this error again, make sure you're NOT connected to the internet when you next try to open the company file.  At that point, it just prompts you for a NEW password, and doesn't ask for the non-existent Admin password.  Cheers!

Hello Jamie-W,

I have reviewed the solution you’ve shared and it's correct and accurate. Thank you for sharing your inputs to help address the issue.

We love to see members supporting one another! Have a great day.