A Guide for QuickBooks Download, Installation, and Activation

QuickBooks, the accounting software that Intuit developed, offers excellent assistance to businesses worldwide. With every year, this software becomes even more feature-rich and suitable to cater to the needs of diverse companies. But to truly understand its worth, you need to use the software for some time. To do that, it is essential to follow the process of QuickBooks download and installation.
The newest version of this accounting software, QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2022, offers an even more seamless experience. Its intuitive interface and automated data backup and recovery help users to work confidentially, knowing that their files are safe. Keep reading to learn the exact steps for downloading, installing, and update QuickBooks for the software.
How to Carry out QuickBooks Download for Different Versions
Perhaps the first question when you decide to use QuickBooks is about its download and installation. Well, the process to download QuickBooks Desktop is very systematic and uncomplicated. You can follow this process to download the following QuickBooks versions:
- QuickBooks 2009
- QuickBooks 2010
- QuickBooks 2011
- QuickBooks 2012
- QuickBooks 2013
- QuickBooks 2014
- QuickBooks 2015
- QuickBooks 2016
- QuickBooks 2017
- QuickBooks 2018
- QuickBooks 2019
- QuickBooks 2020
- QuickBooks 2021
- QuickBooks 2022
Firstly, you need to check the system requirements, and then download, install, and activate it.
1. System Requirements for QuickBooks download
If your system doesn’t fulfill the requirements for this software, you cannot employ it. So, check that your device meets these prerequisites.
- Windows 8.1 or 10 version must be installed on your system.
- The system must have a 2.4 GHz processor.
- You can have Windows server 2012 R2, 2016, or 2019.
- 8 GB RAM is necessary.
- 2.5 GB disk space
- Stable internet connectivity.
- The screen resolution must be 1280 X 1024 or beyond that.
- Internet Explorer 11 32-bit is the browser requirement.
- To integrate QuickBooks with Microsoft Word and Excel, you must have Office 2013 to 19 or 32 and 64-bit Office 365.
- To integrate email estimates and invoices, you need MS Outlook 2013 to 19.
- Integration with QB Point of Sale 19.0 is essential for email clients supporting SMTP servers.
2. Perform the QuickBooks Download Process
You only need to abide by a few basic guidelines in order to carry out the download process perfectly. Go through the instructions below for it.
- Open the official Intuit website, and select the QB desktop version you need.
- You will find three versions, namely, QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Enterprise, and Premier. You need to click the version you require.
- To pay for your QB version, give your debit or credit card details.
- After that, you can see your license and product code. Also, check your email for the confirmation message from the site.
- Tap the ‘Download QuickBooks’ button.
- Browse the location where you want the application to be saved.
- Click ‘Save‘ to start the download.
If you registered your QB before but cannot find the license or product number, there’s no need to worry. Just use the License Look-Up Tool to locate the relevant information quickly.
3. Install QuickBooks Desktop
After the QuickBooks Desktop download, you need to install it. For that, you will require your product and license number.
- Click open the downloaded QuickBooks.exe file.
- You will see a set of instructions on the screen. Agree to the license agreements and hit ‘Next.’
- Type in your product and license number, and tap ‘Next.’
- You will find two options to install QuickBooks Desktop. Both these options are explained in detail below.
A. Express install
You can express install QuickBooks if you are using it the first time or reinstalling the software. Apart from that, if you use it on one computer and not as a part of a network, you can also use this installation method after completing the QuickBooks download process.
- Opt for ‘Express‘ and then choose ‘Next.’
- Now, select ‘Install.’
- Lastly, select ‘Open QuickBooks‘ after the install ends.
B. Custom and network install
You can use the custom and network install method if you are installing the software on a server rather than its default location. Apart from that, use this method if you’re hosting company files on the server or setting up a multi-user network.
- Select the option ‘Custom and network options’ and then choose ‘Next.’
- Choose the option that describes how you’ll employ QuickBooks.
- Next, select ‘Change the install location.’
- Choose ‘Browse‘ to keep the QB folder at your desired place.
- To commence the custom and network install of QuickBooks, select ‘Next.’
- Now select ‘Open QuickBooks‘ and activate it.
4. Activate QuickBooks Desktop
After completing the QuickBooks download and install, you must activate it. Although QB will ask you to activate, you can do it yourself too by following these points.
- Open the software and navigate to ‘Help.’
- Now select ‘Activate QuickBooks Desktop.’
- Abide by the onscreen instructions to confirm your data.
You will encounter an error while activating QuickBooks if you input incorrect product or license numbers. So, check that the license number and product code match.
Look for the purchase confirmation mail if you bought QB Desktop from Intuit’s website. Find a brightly coloured sticker on the CD envelope if you purchased QB from a retail store.
Also Read: how to backup quickbooks desktop
How to Update QuickBooks Desktop 2022?
QB Desktop 2022 is the most current release. This latest release combines the features of Basic and Plus models. Users can avail of it through a subscription-based model.
Here is how you can update your QB to this latest version.
- Navigate to the QuickBooks Desktop icon and right-tap it.
- Now, select the ‘Run as Administrator’ option.
- From the top of the QB window, tap the ‘Help‘ menu.
- Choose the ‘Update QuickBooks Desktop’ option from the dropdown menu.
- Tap the ‘Options’ tab.
- Tick the checkbox called ‘Mark all.’
- Tap ‘Save‘ to save all the applied changes.
- Navigate to the ‘Update now‘ tab and tap the ‘Reset update’ checkbox.
- Now, tap the ‘Get updates’ button.
- Lastly, restart your system, and start QB again.
Read Also: how to update quickbooks
How to Upgrade the company File?
Your company file can be upgraded manually. Perform the following steps.
- Firstly, check if anyone is accessing the company file you will be upgrading. No one should be accessing it.
- Next, launch QuickBooks Desktop 2022 installed on your system.
- Click the ‘File‘ menu. It’s on the top-left part of the QB window.
- Next, choose ‘Open or Restore company.’
- Hit ‘Open a company file.’
- Now hit ‘Next‘ to proceed.
- Open a company file that has a. QBB extension. You must restore its backup copy. So, perform the local backup.
- Now look for the company file in your system.
- Open the file and sign in as an admin. QB automatically takes a backup of the existing file before upgrading the company file.
- Select the option to change the default location. It will allow you to save the backup file to your preferred place.
- Press the ‘Update Now‘ option to kick start the process of upgrading.
- After the update process ends, click ‘Finish‘ followed by ‘Done.’
- That’s it. The process to upgrade the company file in QuickBooks Desktop 2022 is complete.
QuickBooks Pro Versus QuickBooks Pro Plus – Which One Should You Download?
When looking for a QuickBooks Desktop download, you must find yourself looking at various versions of QuickBooks. So, it is essential to know the differences between two of its recent offerings, that is, QuickBooks Pro and QuickBooks Pro Plus.
In 2022, QuickBooks did away with its license fee-based sales. That’s why you can now buy QuickBooks only through subscription fees. When you want to download QuickBooks Desktop 2022, you will first notice that it’s available in three versions, Pro Plus, Premier Plus, and Enterprise Plus.
The Pro Plus and Pro support three users at a single time. Here are the key differences among them.
One-time vs. subscription purchase
You can buy QuickBooks Pro for a one-time license-free, but you can only buy QuickBooks Pro Plus as a subscription. Currently, QuickBooks is encouraging those who have Pro versions to upgrade to Pro Plus.
Purchase validity
When you buy the Pro version, you can use the program for three years at the most. However, you can buy Pro Plus on a yearly or monthly subscription. Your right to use it will end when you halt the subscription payment.
Additional functionalities
There are many features that both QuickBooks Pro and Pro Plus provide. Using them, you can track expenses and sales, manage tax reports, make professional invoices, and the like.
But apart from these features, the Pro Plus version also offers sales and expense tracking, inventory management, and payroll services. It also provides a free automatic data backup.
Performance
The Pro Plus version is 38 per cent faster in executing accounting tasks than QuickBooks Pro. So, if you or your company has high-volume accounting tasks, Pro Plus will be a better choice.
Mobile access
Mobile application access is present in QuickBooks Pro plus and not in QuickBooks Pro. You can automate bill entries via its import feature through the mobile app. It’s also easy to attach documents to transactions and upload them with the help of the mobile app.
Upgrades
You can find security patches and yearly product upgrades in QuickBooks Pro Plus. On the other hand, the QB Pro version will only remain what you purchased. Any upgrade to it can only be done by shifting to Pro Plus.
Support
You can get unlimited phone support with the Pro Plus version. On the other hand, with QuickBooks Pro, you can only take advantage of community support via the forums.
After closely assessing both the Pro and Pro Plus versions, it’s safe to say that QuickBooks Pro Plus has many additional functionalities. However, they come with the condition of shifting to a subscription-based payment rather than a one-time payment.
For small and medium businesses, QuickBooks Pro is ideal. So, you can carry out the QuickBooks download process as mentioned in the preceding sections to access robust accounting software.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to set up QuickBooks for updating automatically?
To set up automatic updates, visit the ‘Help‘ menu. Then follow these points:
- Choose ‘Update QuickBooks Desktop.’
- Navigate to the ‘Update Now’ tab.
- Opt for ‘Get Updates.’
- After the download ends, restart QB.
- Accept the installation of the new release when prompted.
2. How to install QuickBooks on a second computer?
It’s easy to enable QuickBooks to use on a second system. Follow these points to install and use QuickBooks Desktop on another computer.
- On your new system, install QuickBooks using the steps in this article.
- After that, go to the old one and make your company file’s backup copy.
- Copy this file to the new computer through a flash drive or any external device.
- Lastly, restore the backup on the new system.
3. I want to change from QuickBooks Online to QuickBooks Desktop. What Desktop version will I need to import data?
Now You can easily export your QuickBooks Online data to QuickBooks Desktop. Follow these steps to start the conversion.
- Sign in to your QuickBooks Online account, and tap the gear icon.
- Select ‘Export Data‘ and input the reason for exporting data. Then, tap ‘Continue.’
- After reviewing your data from the screen export overview, tap ‘Export to Excel.’
- On the page ‘Exporting from QuickBooks Online,’ choose ‘Continue to Download.’
- Now, follow the on-screen guidelines to finish the exporting process.
4. Can I carry QuickBooks download on a Mac?
Yes, you can download QuickBooks Online Mac app to your system. Follow these steps and get started with it.
- After downloading, hit the ‘QuickBooks.dmg’ file present in the download section.
- Drag QB to the applications folder.
- Now sign in or make your account to begin a free trial.
5. How many times can you download QuickBooks and install it?
QuickBooks offers a single or multi-user access to software that enables businesses to track their finances. The number of systems on which you can install QB relies on your license terms.
If you bought a single-user license for a QuickBooks edition, you could install the software on only two computers. But if you have a multi-user license, you can install QB on five systems.
Final Thoughts
This long post must have given you adequate insight into the whole QuickBooks download and installation process.
After the installation process, you can use the stepwise instructions and start using the software to track your income and expenditure. Furthermore, you also know how to update QB and upgrade company files. If you require more assistance in any area related to QuickBooks usage, connect with expert QuickBooks technical support services.