QuickBooks Desktop 2023 was discontinued on May 31, 2026. This means you stop getting security updates and can no longer run payroll. However, you do not lose access to the software, your company data, and nothing happens to your company file.
You’ll still be able to open QuickBooks Desktop, but the software will run with many limitations, and that’s the catch. You will find that critical services such as payroll tax table updates, bank feeds, and payment processing will no longer function. You will need to switch to QuickBooks Online or upgrade to QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, or switch to a different accounting software like Xero, Zoho Books, Sage 50, or Wave.
In this article, we will discuss what stops working with QuickBooks Desktop discontinued, when, and how to make the switch, as well as the cost gap between QuickBooks Desktop 2023 and its alternatives. We will show you what you can do if your QB Desktop has stopped working and you need help right away. Moreover, we will also uncover how much time you have before you can export your data to Excel or another accounting system. If you prefer QuickBooks Desktop and want to stay with it, we will go into the details as well.
But before that, let us go through the timeline and key details regarding QuickBooks Desktop discontinuation and end of support.
|
Date |
What stops working |
Who is affected |
|
Sept, 2023 |
Intuit announced the phaseout of new standalone QBDT sales |
New QuickBooks Desktop buyers |
|
May 31, 2025 |
Payroll, bank feeds, and support ended |
QB Desktop 2022 users |
|
Late 2025 to Early 2026 |
Users receive QuickBooks Desktop discontinuation emails |
QB Desktop 2023 users |
|
May 31, 2026 |
Payroll, bank feeds, payments, security updates, live support end |
QB Desktop 2023 users |
|
Sept 30, 2027 |
Payroll, bank feeds, payments, security updates, live support end |
QB Desktop 2024 users |
|
No end date |
Enterprise continues to be fully supported |
Nobody |
If you’re a QB 2023 user, you might have woken up to the QuickBooks Desktop discontinued email in late 2025 or early 2026:
“Your QuickBooks Desktop 2023 software will be discontinued after May 31, 2026.”
If you had no news of the planned QuickBooks Desktop discontinuation, the email would have come to you as a shock. In fact, many small business owners reacted with confusion, frustration, and, in some cases, outright panic when they saw the email. They wondered what the discontinuation email meant, whether they would be able to open the QB application, and whether they would lose their data, their file, reports, payroll, bank feeds, payments, security, and support.
Let us uncover what happens to QuickBooks Desktop 2023 after May 31, 2026, and what Intuit is not telling you.
Intuit Service Discontinuation Policy
Intuit had declared long ago that QuickBooks Desktop is being phased out, one at a time every year. On May 31, 2026, QuickBooks Desktop 2023 was discontinued.
What Editions are Affected?
Service discontinuation applies to all editions of QuickBooks Desktop, including QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Mac Plus, and Enterprise Solutions 23.0.
Here is a clear list of all Intuit products affected by QuickBooks Desktop end of support 2026:
After a version of QuickBooks Desktop is announced as discontinued, the support for several services ends, and you encounter constraints in carrying out various bookkeeping and accounting tasks in your accounting software.
Here are all the services that are affected:
No, you do not lose your data. Here is everything you keep:
QuickBooks Desktop isn’t going away in 2026, but Intuit is phasing it out methodically. The last one to follow will be QuickBooks Desktop 2024 on May 31, 2027.
You should export your data and save it to local storage. Moreover, you need to either switch to another accounting software.
You continue to have access to your data. However, the safest recommendation is to export your data before May 31, 2026, while everything is still working.
Here is everything you need to store safely:
Excel/CSV exports of:
It is best if you save copies in:
Moreover, if you wish to switch to QuickBooks Online, it is best to do so before May 31, 2026, to avoid experiencing service interruptions.
Not sure what you should do or how you should handle this? You can call a seasoned accounting professional for a free consultation and get real-time assistance at +1-866-513-4656.
If you have an older standalone perpetual license for your QuickBooks Desktop, you retain it indefinitely.
However, in case you have a QuickBooks Desktop Plus subscription, for instance, Pro Plus 2023, Premier Plus 2023, or Mac Plus 2023, they expire when the subscription stops, and Intuit stops renewing it.
Thus, if licensing validation fails, subscription lapses, Windows changes, or a reinstall is needed later, access can become unreliable.
The journey for QuickBooks Desktop 2023 users comes to an end. This prompts you to change things around, and, in summary, you have four real options. The cost of each varies widely, and it is important to take cost into account when rethinking your accounting system. Other factors to consider are timing, data migration integrity, team training, cloud capability, automated workflows, scalability, and integration.
Let us go through the QuickBooks Desktop 2023 upgrade options, 2026, and the cost for them all.
You can continue to stay on QuickBooks Desktop until 2027, which involves no additional cost.
However, that is a high-risk strategy, because
Thus, if you need access to these services and features, you will need to make a switch.
If you are on QuickBooks Desktop 2024 instead of 2023, things will continue to work until May 31, 2027.
Intuit wants you to switch to QuickBooks Online, and it can be the most suitable option for you. It has its pros and cons.
QBO can be a good choice if you are a small business that works remotely, collaborates with accountants and bookkeepers, uses bank feeds heavily, and integrates with apps like Stripe, Shopify, PayPal, and CRM tools.
What QuickBooks Online Offers That are Good
What QuickBooks Online Offers That Are Not Good
QuickBooks Online has many shortcomings that might make it an unsuitable option for users looking to switch.
Cost
The cost of switching from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online is much higher than the monthly subscription.
|
Plan |
Monthly Cost (approx.) |
Annual Cost (approx.) |
Typical Business |
|
Simple Start |
$38 |
$456 |
Solo business |
|
Essentials |
$75 |
$900 |
Small team |
|
Plus |
$115 |
$1380 |
Most SMBs |
|
Advanced |
$275 |
$3330 |
Larger/complex teams |
Moreover, most QuickBooks Desktop users who migrate to Online end up needing Plus (inventory/projects/classes), or Advanced (larger teams/reporting/automation).
Thus, the real-world annual cost usually sums up to:
While DIY migration or free assisted migration do not cost you anything, you might need third-party data conversion services if your QB Desktop version is outdated or you have complex data needs. This is what makes up for hidden fees during QuickBooks Online migration.
Important to Consider
There can be significant data problems when converting from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online. For instance, you might find missing, duplicate, and invalid transactions, and you might need to correct and manually enter a substantial number of transactions. This is because there is a huge difference between the data forms for the two software, and each has a different set of features they allow and don’t allow.
QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise will continue to work, be developed, and it will continue to receive updates for security, functionality, and compliance.
QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise comes with advanced features and a high price. Let us see if it is right for you:
What QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise Offers That is Good
However, Intuit is clear that it plans to focus on QuickBooks Online in the future. This means that more new features will appear in QBO, and it will provide better integration with third-party applications.
Cost
Enterprise is expensive, and this is its downside and what might hold you back from migrating to it.
Here are the standard QuickBooks Enterprise subscription prices for 2026:
You might need to pay more for optional additional features and services in addition to the standard QuickBooks Enterprise Silver, Gold, and Platinum pricing.
You can switch to a different software altogether instead of committing to QuickBooks (or Intuit).
For small business cloud accounting, you can opt for:
If what you prefer is a desktop-style accounting, the closest bet is:
If you’ve outgrown Desktop and want something mid-market, you can go for:
These provide you with cloud access and are much cheaper than other alternatives. They provide better integrations with modern systems and improved automation.
Downside
Cost
|
System |
Usual Cost |
|
Xero |
$300 – $1,100/yr |
|
Zoho Books |
$240 – $1,000/yr |
|
Sage 50 |
Sage 50 ~$800 – $2,400/yr |
Moreover, there is also the migration cost.
If you decide to move to QuickBooks Online, there are a few key things to consider.
What Transfers and What Doesn’t Transfer to QuickBooks Online
Before you make the switch, you must know what moves and what doesn’t from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online.
What moves(with required adjustments)
Account balances, chart of accounts, customer/supplier lists, transactions, etc.
What doesn’t move (requires manual setup)
Bank/credit card connections, custom templates, some payroll details, company settings (name, address), and certain features that don’t match between Desktop and Online.
Here are all the steps to help you migrate from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online.
Prepare for the Migration
You need to prepare for the migration.
You will need admin access to your QBDT company file and QBO account to migrate the data.
Data Cleanup
Create a QuickBooks Online Account
You will need an active QuickBooks Online subscription before you can move your data to it. Thus, review the various plans and system requirements, and choose a plan that best fits your business needs.
Moreover, when you are asked to sign in, enter the same user ID and password you used for the QB Desktop account.
Important to Know:
You get only a 60-day migration window in QuickBooks Online after you sign up. Therefore, sign up when you are about to make the switch.
However, do not set up your QuickBooks company. You do that later
Run the Migration Tool
Now, utilize the online tool to move your company data to QuickBooks Online easily.
Post-migration Validation
After you migrate, make sure that your data is transferred correctly. For that, check the Balance Sheet Report, the Trial Balance, the Supplier Balance Summary (All Dates), the Sales Tax Summary Report for the most recent period, the Customer Balance Summary (All Dates), and any other reports you’d like to check
Moreover, confirm the company settings, sales tax settings, and connect the bank and credit card accounts. If needed, clean up bank reconciliations, and link payments and credits to open invoices. You will also need to check the accounts details’ types and finish the payroll setup. Link your payment accounts and add users as needed.
QuickBooks Desktop 2023 will continue to open if you intend to stay on it after May 31, 2026. You can still log into your company file, access your reports, and so on. However, you will find QB to be more of an unsupported offline application than a functional, robust accounting system you need.
The live services will stop working.
Updates
Intuit will no longer provide product and feature enhancements and payroll tax table updates for QBDT 2023.
Credit Card Processing
QuickBooks Desktop 2023 will no longer process credit card and check transactions, and you’ll receive a message including instructions for processing them outside QuickBooks. Moreover, QuickBooks Desktop Plus 2023 will stop downloading credit cards and checking in-product info. It won’t download recurring payments, although the transactions will continue to be processed. However, QBDT 2023 won’t be able to process eInvoice.
Payroll Services
QuickBooks Desktop 2023 will no longer automatically calculate payroll taxes, offer payroll forms, or send payroll data. In addition, if you use Assisted Payroll, your subscription is deactivated, and tax forms aren’t filed on your behalf. Moreover, you and your employees will lose access to QuickBooks Workforce.
Multi-currency/Exchange Rate
You can’t use the multi-currency or exchange rate feature in QBDT 2023 after May 31, 2026, and you won’t be able to assign specific currency types to the profiles and accounts.
Accountant Copy Transfer Service
You can no longer send accountant copies in QBDT 2023 using the accountant copy transfer service.
Online Banking
You can’t download transactions, send online payments, or send online transfers after May 31, 2026.
QuickBooks might even show an error message on your screen, like:
“QuickBooks Desktop is unable to verify the Financial Institution Information for this download.”
Contributed Reports
You will not be able to use the Contributed Reports feature in QuickBooks Desktop 2023.
You cannot email forms or reports anymore in QuickBooks Desktop 2023.
Upload Transactions
You won’t be able to upload transactions anymore.
Shipping Manager
You cannot access the new shipping experience in QuickBooks 2023.
Security Patches
You stop receiving security patches, leaving your QB Desktop vulnerable to threats.
Live Technical Support
After May 31, 2026, Intuit no longer offers support for technical issues and troubleshooting for the desktop version 2023.
In conclusion, you can use QuickBooks for merely basic local bookkeeping after the discontinuation.
If you’re past the deadline and QuickBooks has stopped working, there is little you can do to fix it. There are some workarounds you can try for the time being, but remember, it won’t be a permanent fix.
1. Payroll Has Stopped Working:
This was expected after May 31, 2026. Please do not run payroll again. Instead, export your last payroll summary as a PDF. You can call Intuit for a rare extension or connect with a QB specialist. They might help you manually run the week’s payroll while you transition.
2. Bank Feeds Have Stopped Working:
Books will not update automatically as QuickBooks has stopped downloading them. Instead, you can upload transactions using a CSV file. This will keep your books updated.
3. Credit Card Processing Has Stopped
QuickBooks will no longer process credit card and check transactions. You can set up a payment processor like Square or Stripe while you move things around.
4. QuickBooks Won’t Open:
Restart your computer and run QuickBooks as an administrator. Moreover, press and hold the Ctrl key to open QB Desktop in No Company Window and then log into your company file.
5. Company File is Corrupt or Won’t Open:
If QuickBooks opens in the No Company Window but your company file doesn’t, troubleshoot the company file. Get QuickBooks Tool Hub, launch it, and navigate to the Company File Issues section. Finally, run QuickBooks File Doctor.
6. Backup Crucial Files:
The most important thing you need to do is back up your crucial files. Therefore, create a backup of:
Moreover, copy them to an external SSD, USB drive, and cloud backup.
Important: Do not rely on only one computer or instance of backup
However, this isn’t a solution. Every day you wait, more data accumulates, and in turn, there is more for you to manually enter into your next accounting software.
You can carry out basic local bookkeeping, but cannot run payroll, download bank feeds, or process credit card transactions. Moreover, although not direct, there is a compliance and security risk in using unsupported accounting software as they stop receiving crucial security patches and lose functionalities.
An option is to create a QuickBooks Online account now, you get 30 days of free trial and a window of 60 days to move your data. QuickBooks Enterprise is still supported until 2026, which remains another expensive option for users who prefer and are accustomed to QuickBooks Desktop.
Now that QuickBooks Desktop has been discontinued, and you’re looking for the best alternative to it, the research can take a while. It includes exploring a number of accounting software in the industry, knowing the services and features they offer, and their cost. Finally, decide based on the services you will need, such as payroll, inventory, job costing, collaboration with an accountant, or only invoicing and bookkeeping.
To save you time and effort, we have done our share of research for you and have curated a list of top QuickBooks Desktop alternatives for small businesses that you can switch to. This will help you get started.
If you want the least disruptions, QuickBooks Online might be the closest and most suitable option. It is seamless and easy for an existing QuickBooks user to switch to.
Pros
Cons
ṁ is the best for businesses that have multiple users or growing teams and need integrations and cloud access.
Pros
Cons
For freelancers and service-based businesses that invoice heavily, FreshBooks is the most suitable choice. It is excellent for consultants, agencies, and solo businesses.
Pros
Cons
If you need an accounting software that offers free unlimited accounting, invoicing, and banking for small businesses, Wave might have just the plan for you. You can choose to pay for optional services such as payment processing, payroll, or an upgraded Pro plan in Wave.
Pros
Cons
In summary, if you have inventory or job costing, you might need to stick to QuickBooks (QBO Plus or Enterprise). If all you need to do is to invoice clients, use FreshBooks or Xero. However, if you’re growing fast, Xero might be your preferred option with its feature for unlimited users.
After QuickBooks Desktop discontinued, you do need to change things around. Staying on the unsupported Desktop version, although an option, will hurt your finances. Migration can take a while and might be a bit of work, of course, but it’s better to do it and be done with it than to postpone it to later. There are good alternatives in the market, such as Xero, Wave, FreshBooks, and QuickBooks Online, each with its own pros and cons.
Choose the software that best fits your business requirements, budget, and your future plans (and trajectory). If this is your first time switching to new software and moving data, connect with a Booksmerge expert for advice and assistance so you don’t make common migration mistakes.
You will be able to open QuickBooks Desktop after its discontinuation on May 31, 2026. It will operate like an offline program where you can view your data and carry out basic local bookkeeping. However, services like payroll, bank, and credit card transactions, and security updates will no longer work.
After the discontinuation of QuickBooks Desktop 2023 on May 31, 2026, QBDT 2024 remains the only version supported. This means if you are an existing QuickBooks Desktop 2024 user, you can expect it to be running just fine until May 31, 2027. However, Intuit is not selling new subscriptions for it.
No, QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise is not being discontinued. In fact, in contrast to the Pro/Premier/Mac lineup of QB that has been phased out, Intuit continues to sell, update, and support QuickBooks Enterprise.
You can easily migrate your QuickBooks Desktop data to Online for free using Intuit’s free migration tool. To do so, navigate to the Company menu > Export Company File to QuickBooks Online. However, you should know that the tool will only transfer the transaction history of the last two years, and it is common to find discrepancies in data. You can opt for professional data migration if you have complex data.
After QuickBooks Desktop 2023 became unsupported and discontinued on May 31, 2026, payroll services stopped. The tax table froze, QuickBooks no longer automatically calculates taxes, and direct deposit and online payroll tax filing stop working. You shouldn’t calculate withholding with an outdated tax table and risk non-compliance, but choose to switch to a supported payroll service, preferably before the deadline.
QuickBooks Desktop 2024 still works for existing users, but no longer offers subscriptions to new users. QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise is the only version that continues to work and be available for new subscriptions.
Migrating from QuickBooks Desktop to Online can take 2 to 4 weeks if done properly. You should expect to spend a week on data cleanup, an hour to two on the actual data transfer, and 2 to 3 weeks on validation and reconnecting bank feeds and payroll. Make sure not to rush the data migration, as accounting data is complex; move it methodically.
Top alternatives to QuickBooks Desktop for small businesses include Xero, QuickBooks Online, FreshBooks, and Wave. Sage 50 is also worth considering if you are looking for robust inventory management, advanced job costing, and audit trails with deeper security.
