QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2016 to new Mac

Which Mac OS do you run?

Can you still open your QB file on your PC?

Do you want to stay with QBD 2016 or switch to QBD 2023 for Mac?

Hello there, sharicedarconstruction.

I'm joining this thread to provide additional help. While waiting for your answers to Fiat Lux - ASIA clarifying questions, I want to provide steps on how we can move your data from QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2016 to QuickBooks Mac Desktop 2023.

First, open your QuickBooks from your PC and create a MAC.qbb file. A MAC.qbb file is a copy of a QuickBooks Desktop company file that you can restore in QuickBooks for Mac. The steps below will walk you through completing this task.

1. If you can still open your QuickBooks on your PC, update it to the latest release.
2. Search QuickBooks on your computer. Then, Run as administrator.
3. Go to the Filemenu, then select Utilities. Select Copy Company File for QuickBooks Mac, then follow the onscreen instructions. QuickBooks will create a MAC.qbb (backup) file.
4. You’ll see a message that says "It looks like ‘QuickBooks for Windows’ might be a better fit for your company," Make sure to check what data isn’t converted from Windows. If you want to continue, select Yes.
5. Go to the folder you want to save the file in. Name the file, and select Save. Make sure to not use special characters in the file name.
6. Move the file to your Mac by using any storage device such as a USB flash drive, etc.

Next, restore the backup copy on your Mac. Here's how:

1. Ensure to meet the system requirements for QuickBooks Mac.
2. If you haven't downloaded it yet, visit our website page to install it: Downloads & Updates.
3. Make sure to update QuickBooks Desktop for Mac to the latest release.
4. Close and reopen QuickBooks. Then, copy the backup to the Documents folder on your Mac.
5. Go to the File menu. Then, select Open Company.
6. Select the MAC.qbb file, then select Open.
7. When asked if you want to restore a QuickBooks for Windows file, select OK.
8. Enter a name for the restored file. Then, Save.

If you have created a backup copy of your 2016 file and can't open it from your new computer, we can download our 30-day trial to restore the backup copy of your QuickBooks file (2016): Download a trial of QuickBooks Desktop. Then, follow the steps above to move your data to QuickBooks Mac.

Visit our QuickBooks help articles page for more insights about managing your business in your software.

• QuickBooks Desktop Mac User’s Guide.
• QuickBooks Mac help articles.

Please let me know that you can always tap me on my shoulder if you have more concerns about moving data from one device to another. I'll be around. Take care and stay safe!

Thank you very much for all your information. I really appreciate it.

Thank you so much for chiming in.

Yes, I can still get into my old PC and access QuickBooks there.  The new Mac is running on macOS Ventura 13.2.

I want to get rid of the old PC and just want QuickBooks to work on my new Mac.  I was fine with continuing to use QuickBooks Pro Desktop 2016 (there was nothing wrong with it).  But I don't think it's possible for me to download my QuickBooks software onto my new MAC and then just restore.  I am not happy that I may be forced to buy a subscription based version. I think I can still get an older one time purchase QB on the internet.

You may consider to purchase the license for Parallels and Windows 10 Home to run your QBD 2016 on Mac. Use the trial version to make sure it works on your machine.

Dear @Fiat Lux - ASIA,

You seem to be the authority on my question (https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/account-management/re-archiving-old-quickbooks-des...) with two different contributors recommending I contact you!

I am a Mac user, and a QBO user. I need to move data from a Quickbooks Pro 2016 company file so that I can continue to access it for historical reference ONLY. I plan to build a new/clean company account in QBO moving forward. I first thought there might be a way to convert data to QBO account and "close" that file but be able to keep read-only access. It doesn't seem like that would remain accessible for more than a year, even with a current account subscription for the same "company".

So I am looking into converting the Quickbooks Pro 2016 company file to Quickbooks Desktop for Mac, and understand you have a workaround to be able to continue to access as historical data, hopefully without having to purchase a current license in addition to new QBO subscription?

Currently I've downloaded Quickbooks Desktop for Mac 2024 Trial and converted the company file from Pro 2016. It won't let me open the new 2024 file without entering Intuit account information, even in Trial version. Would entering my Intuit account and linking this "file" to my account, impede any workaround to accessing this data in the future without a current 2024 license?

Your knowledge and advice would be much appreciated!

Thank you,

Billy

@billymoon 

Click my user profile and you will find our website address to send an email. We have a few options you may consider to access your archive file.