Listen to this articleNo matter how well an application is designed, it is bound to have certain issues that arise in the form of errors and glitches, and the same applies to QuickBooks Desktop. Intuit has undoubtedly developed several advanced tools to help users deal with such issues. Some intricate issues require a complete reinstallation. But what if reinstalling also doesn’t help? In such difficult circumstances, what you need is a clean install.
In this guide, we will discuss the complete process to clean install QuickBooks Desktop on Windows and Mac operating systems so that you can resume your regular financial operations with QuickBooks as soon as possible.
 | Clean installing QuickBooks will require you to uninstall QuickBooks completely. When all necessary precautions are followed, the process is entirely safe. However, if you still have concerns and fear losing crucial data, reach out to our support team and follow the procedure under expert supervision. |
Prerequisites Before Reinstalling QuickBooks
Before you proceed to reinstall QuickBooks, there are some essential points that you must consider to smooth down the process.
- Go to the QuickBooks Product Download page and download the installer for your version of QuickBooks Desktop.
- Keep your product and license info ready; you will need it to activate QuickBooks after you reinstall.
- If you bought QuickBooks offline, the product and license information is on the original package. If you purchased it online, check out the purchase confirmation email. You can also find this information in the Account Management Portal.
- Ensure you have an active and stable internet connection to activate QuickBooks after the installation.
- Also, a local backup of the company file should be created to avoid data loss if something goes wrong.
Clean Install QuickBooks Desktop on Windows
Following the stepwise instructions below, we will uninstall QuickBooks and install a fresh copy after renaming the leftover residual folders.
Step 1: Uninstall QuickBooks Desktop
- Press the Windows + R keys together on your keyboard and open the Run dialog box.
- Enter the appwiz.cpl command in the text box, press Enter, and you will get a list of all programs installed on the system.
- Scroll down to find QuickBooks and select it in the results.
- Choose Uninstall/Change, Remove option at the top, and click Next.
- Keep following the on-screen instructions until QuickBooks is completely removed from the system.
Step 2: Rename the Leftover Installation Folders
- Press the Windows + E keys to open the Windows File Explorer and go to the QuickBooks installation folder.
- You can find this folder in one of the following paths.
- C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks (year)
- C:\Users\(current user)\AppData\Local\Intuit\QuickBooks (year)
- C:\Program Files\Intuit\QuickBooks (year)
- 64-bit version C:\Program Files (x86)\Intuit\QuickBooks (year)
Once you find the QuickBooks installation folder, right-click it and choose the Rename option.
- To rename the folder, add OLD at the end of the name and save the changes made to the folder name.
- Renaming the folder will prevent QuickBooks from using this old folder after you reinstall it.
If you receive an error message indicating issues with the access permissions while renaming the folder, follow the instructions below.
- Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys on the keyboard and open the Task Manager.
- To sort the processes in the list alphabetically, select the Name column.
- Find the following services used by QuickBooks, right-click them, and select End Task for each.
- QBCFMonitorService.exe
- QBDBMgr.exe
- Qbw32.exe
- QBDBMgrN.exe
If you receive an error message that reads, WARNING: Terminating a process can cause undesired results…, click Yes.
Step 3: Reinstall QuickBooks Desktop
Before reinstalling QuickBooks, ensure your system meets the minimum system requirements to run QuickBooks.
Installing QuickBooks on a Standalone System
These instructions must be followed when installing QuickBooks on a system with no network.
- Go to the folder where you have downloaded the QuickBooks installation file (QuickBooks.exe) and double-click it to begin the installation.
- Choose the Express Install option to proceed with the installation.
- Choosing the install type as Express will let you keep all the preferences and install QuickBooks over the previous installation.
- Select Next, then Install, and once the installation is complete, launch QuickBooks.
Now, use the product registration information to activate QuickBooks and install the most recent updates after the activation.
Installing QuickBooks on a Dedicated Workstation or Server
If you want to install QuickBooks on a server to host the company file in the network, follow the steps below.
- Go to the folder where you have downloaded the QuickBooks installation file (QuickBooks.exe) and double-click it to begin the installation.
- Select the Custom and Network Options and click Next to proceed with the installation.
- Choose I’ll be using QuickBooks Desktop on this computer AND I’ll be storing our company file here so it can be shared over our network if you want to use QuickBooks and host the company file.
- Choose I will NOT be using QuickBooks on this computer. I will be storing our company file here so it can be shared over our network if you only want to host the company file from the server.
- Click Next, and on the next screen, click Next again to run the installation.
- If you want to change the installation folder, select the Change the Install Location option and hit Browse to select it.
- Launch QuickBooks once the installation is completed.
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Clean Install QuickBooks Desktop on Mac
The instructions below will help you uninstall QuickBooks, remove the residual files, and install a fresh copy on Mac operating systems.
Step 1: Uninstall QuickBooks Desktop
Ensure to download the installer file for the version of QuickBooks you have and keep the product registration information handy before proceeding with the uninstallation.
- Exit QuickBooks Desktop if it is running on the system and go to the Finder menu.
- Select Applications and drag and drop the QuickBooks Desktop’s icon to the Trash.
Step 2: Delete PLIST Files Left after the Uninstallation
Deleting the PLIST* files from both the System and User folders is necessary. Once you delete these files, QuickBooks will revert to the default settings, and all preferences set by you will be removed. Also, this action will unregister the QuickBooks program; thus, you will need to reactivate it after installation.
Deleting the User PLIST Files
- Go to the Finder menu on your system, hold down the Option key, and select the Library option.
- Now, open the Preferences folder and look for the PLIST files with com.intuit.QuickBooks20XX in them.
- Move these files to the Trash and later empty the trash.
Deleting the System PLIST Files
- Open the Macintosh HD from a new Finder menu and go to Library and the Preferences folder.
- Now, look for the PLIST files with com.intuit.QuickBooks20XX in them and move them to the Trash.
NOTE: The XX in the file name represents your QuickBooks version. If you can’t find the Macintosh HD icon in the Finder menu, go to the Finder menu, choose the Preferences option, and then move to the General tab. Now, you must ensure that the Hard disks option is checkmarked.
- Finally, empty the trash to conclude this step and restart the system later.
Step 3: Reinstall QuickBooks Desktop
Before reinstalling QuickBooks, ensure your system meets the minimum system requirements to run QuickBooks.
- Exit all programs running on the system and open the QuickBooks installer file. If you have a physical installation disk, insert it into the Mac CD drive.
- The QuickBooks installation window will automatically appear on the screen.
- Now, the Applications folder will appear on your screen automatically. Proceed by dragging and dropping the QuickBooks icon to this folder.
- You can now launch QuickBooks by clicking the QuickBooks icon on the desktop.
This guide elaborates on the complete stepwise instructions to clean install QuickBooks Desktop on Windows and Mac. Hopefully, your QuickBooks will be back on track after a clean installation. If you cannot perform the procedure for any reason or you want to carry out the procedure under expert supervision, reach out to the support team at 1855-546-5024.
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