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Question

Activation Code

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
February 3, 2020
41 replies
0 views

I already installed and activated TT in my computer with the activation code and it worked perfect. The next day I attempted to review my taxes and it is again asking for an activation code. Why?

Show previous replies

Harwich2021

Lost my activation code . Trying to download Turbo Tax 2019 from desk computer to a laptop

VolvoGirl

Employee

Then you have to call in and ask for another code

Contact Customer Service
5am-9pm Pacific Time
7 days a week
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact/

What is the Turbo Tax phone number
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number/00/25632

arjdevadas

I respect protecting all intellectual property. I've been in software for 30 years. But honestly, I've never seen any modern software product ask me to RE-ENTER my license / activation key after an update. I installed the software two weeks ago and already did my mother-in-laws taxes last week and now I am doing mine. I am on vacation now. Turbo Tax just asked me to do an upgrade (I have no problem with updates -it's normal) and I said sure like I've always done. Now, it's asking to RE-ENTER the license code again? After it's already been installed, activated, and used on this computer? Seriously Intuit? I hope you have really good reason for this step. Don't you think this is ridiculous software development? I am away from home and don't carry the software packaging with me everywhere I go (Iike most software users). I encourage you to ask your own employees, product management, and QA team when was the last time they needed to RE-ENTER any software license key? I am a disappointed customer today. A user since 1996.

bdstenn

I activated the product using the activation code almost 2 months ago and have been using the software. Now it is asking for the activation code again, and I cannot find it.

VolvoGirl

Employee

Make sure your computer is the same way when you originally installed it. Like with no flash drives plugged in or plugged in if one was. It asked me again so I just closed the program and took out a flash drive that was plugged in and tried again. It worked. Or you may need to connect a flash drive or printer or something that was connected when you originally installed the program.

stevekayak

I turned on my USB-connected Canon printer to print out a Quicken Tax Summary and TT started asking me for an activation code. I've been using TT all day doing different returns and jumping between different returns; I'll bet I've opened and closed TT thirty times today alone, with no problems. Then, all of a sudden, it starts asking for my activation code. Panic....., did some research online and low and behold......

Turned the printer off and got in to TTax again with no problems.......

TT appears to be using the age-old method of hardware footprint in determining how many computers you load the software on (a method Microsoft quit using decades ago). When you first install the software, TT takes a 'picture' of your connected hardware. Any deviation from that setup, TT assumes it is a different computer. If, after successfully getting in and working in TT you suddenly start being asked for the activation code again, look at your hardware!!! What printers or thumb drives or external hard drives, etc.; ANY USB DEVICES; were plugged in / turned on / not plugged in, etc. when you loaded the TT software the first time. Get your pc back to that original configuration and you should have no trouble getting back into the software.

WHY TT TECH SUPPORT DOESN'T STILL OFFICIALLY MENTION THIS FIX WHEN SO MANY OF US HAVE DISCOVERED IT (see other threads along this same subject line) IS BEYOND ME! IT IS SO SIMPLE, YET FOLKS LIKE @EbonyA , SUPPOSED EXPERTS, STILL DIRECT PEOPLE TO THE COMPLICATED, AND MOST LIKELY WRONG, SOLUTION VIA THAT LINK.

KISS PRINCIPLE; Keep It Simple Stupid.....

Start simple and work from there.

BTW, use the @ feature to target/include folks in your reply; give credit where credit is due and if you need to ask a specific person a question, that is the way to get their attention. Again, type the "@" symbol in your reply and a list of commenters will pop up. Type or highlight their screen name, with no space after the "@" sign, and you can target your comment to them.

jgraves35a1

I installed Turbo tax months ago and entered the Activation Code. I never needed it again until asked for it today when I tried to open program. Have no idea what it is. Dead line approaching HELP!

KathrynG3

Since the activation code has been entered before, then there is a connection issue.

For several options on how to resolve this, see: TurboTax 2019 and TurboTax 2020 requests license activation at every launch.

I cannot find the box that has the activation code and it will not let me in even though I have entered it before!

mvan48309

hello

I threw the box away after I loaded turbotax on my computer. I need the activation code please

linaj20201

I am attaching a TurboTax Help article for your information. Click here:

activation code

Or you can create an online account if you do not have one and file online.

https://turbotax.intuit.com/

millionjuiceplus

How do I activate my 2019 turbo tax without my activation code? I am trying to look up the 2019 tax that I have done.

pcejirika

I need the activation code for Deluxe Turbotax for 2019 Tax Year. The message the system gives is that all of the activation codes have been used.

VolvoGirl

Employee

We are just other users. You have to call in and ask

Contact Customer Service
5am-5pm Pacific Time
Monday-Friday
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact/

What is the Turbo Tax phone number
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number/00/25632

nunaya

Using Turbotax Premier 2020. I just had the same issue of asking for the activation code even though I had activated and opened the program a dozen times without having it ask for the code. It turns out that one of the posts below mentioned having that issue when a flash drive is plugged in. Even though my flash drive has nothing to do with where I save my turbotax files, THAT WAS THE ISSUE! Very strange but at least it was an easy fix.

mikelella

The computer I used turbotax for 2020 taxes is asking me for the activation code, however i lost the box with code. Tried calling to speak to a live person but just "AI" responses. So now what to do?

mesquitebean

Employee

@mikelella wrote:
The computer I used turbotax for 2020 taxes is asking me for the activation code, however i lost the box with code. Tried calling to speak to a live person but just "AI" responses. So now what to do?

Are you installing the software for the first time, or is it already installed, but when you recently ran the program is it asking you to activate again? If it's asking you to re-activate, then you may not need the license code. It may be due to a hardware configuration as described below.

If it's asking you to reactivate, that can often be due to a USB drive or USB device that has changed since you installed TurboTax, such as a thumb drive, other external drive, USB printer, etc.

If you have a USB drive/device plugged into a USB port at the same time you are launching TurboTax, then unplug (or turn off) the USB drive/device, and then try launching the TurboTax program again. See if that solves the problem. Or try it the other way around. i.e., if you had a USB drive/device plugged in initially when you installed TurboTax originally, but don't now, then plug that USB drive/device back in and try.

It can work both ways depending on what the system config was like at initial activation.

That happened to me one day when I forgot I had a USB thumb drive plugged in. TurboTax asked me to reactivate, but once I removed the thumb drive, TurboTax launched normally.

Another user reported it can also happen if one inserts one of those tiny SD memory cards after activation, or the other way around if there was one inserted at the time of initial activation.

Even if you are able to resolve that with a USB solution as above, you should keep the license in a safe place in case you ever need it in the future. You apparently bought a CD, and the license code should be on the packet insert inside the box, unless you saved the packet insert somewhere separately. I don't know if you installed from that CD, or if you used the option to download the software from TurboTax. If you used the option to get the download, then the license code should also be displayed in the Downloads section of your TurboTax account.

If you end up needing to speak to TurboTax Support, use this contact form to be assigned a phone number, or it may schedule a callback.

Hours are currently 5AM-5PM Pacific (8AM-8PM Eastern) Monday-Friday.

https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact

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