How to Fix the TurboTax won’t Install Problem on Windows?

TurboTax is an American tax preparation software tool developed way back in the 1980s. Since then, it has developed in the number one tool for the purpose and its users are generally satisfied with what they get when installing this program. That is if the installation process goes without problems…

Some users reported not being able to install TurboTax on their Windows computers. Either an error message appears or the installation simply stops at a certain point and no progress is made afterward. We have been able to gather several working methods so make sure you check them out below!

What Causes TurboTax to Fail to Install on Windows?

The installation of TurboTax shouldn’t be a big deal but the installer often fails due to a few causes. The best-case scenario is that the installer is simply lacking administrator permissions and it fails to install until you provide them for the Setup.exe file. Occasionally, you might need to run it in compatibility mode for an older version of Windows.

Otherwise, your antivirus tool may be acting up and it needs a quick reinstall! Make sure you check out the step-by-step method below!

Solution 1: Run the Setup File in Compatibility Mode and with Administrator Permissions

Providing administrator permissions to the Setup.exe file used to install TurboTax is a simple yet effective method used to resolve this problem and it has helped many users deal with this problem. Providing admin access can resolve some ownership and permissions issue which may be preventing the installation from completing. Follow the steps below to provide administrator permissions to the Setup.exe file!

1. Navigate to the location where the Setup.exe is located. It might be in your Downloads folder or the DVD drive you might have used to install it.
2. Locate the Setup.exe file and change its properties by right-clicking its entry either and choosing Properties. Navigate to the Compatibility tab in the Properties window and check the box next to the Run this program as an administrator.

3. Under the Compatibility mode section, check the box next to the Run this program in compatibility mode for option if it was unchecked and choose an older version of Windows. Make sure you choose the last version of Windows before the one you are currently using. Exit while accepting the changes.
4. Make sure you confirm any dialogs which may appear for you to confirm with admin privileges and the launcher should launch with admin privileges from now on. Open it by double-clicking its icon and try to see if installs successfully.

Solution 2: Reinstall Your Antivirus Tool

Reinstalling the antivirus tool you currently have installed on your computer should provide you with the latest and the most stable version which shouldn’t cause further problems with the TurboTax installation. Updating the antivirus is enough as well but it’s better to reinstall to possibly resolve other minor issues which may play a role. Follow the instructions below in order to reinstall your antivirus tool!

1. Click the Start menu button and open Control Panel by searching for it. Alternatively, you can click on the cog icon in order to open settings if you are using Windows 10.
2. In Control Panel, select to View as – Category at the top right corner and click on Uninstall a Program under the Programs section.

   

3. If you are using the Settings app, clicking on Apps should immediately open a list of all installed programs on your PC.
4. Locate TurboTax in Control Panel or Settings and click on Uninstall.
5. Its uninstall wizard should open so follow the instructions to uninstall it.
6. Click Finish when the uninstaller completes the process and restart your computer to see whether errors will still appear. Make sure you visit the manufacturer’s website, download the installation file, and install it again to see if TurboTax is not able to install properly!

Solution 3: End All Relevant Tasks in Task Manager

There might be a couple of processes to look out for in Task Manager. Installations you may have run earlier might have left a trail in the form of a remaining task which is giving you headaches while you try to install TurboTax. Even TurboTax’s own processes may cause this problem to appear. The best thing you can do is to simply end all tasks and run the installation again.

1. Run the installation as you normally do and wait for it to stop showing any progress or end with an error code.
2. Use the Ctrl + Shift + Esc key combination by pressing the keys at the same time to open the Task Manager utility.
3. Alternatively, you can use the Ctrl + Alt + Del key combination and select Task Manager from the popup blue screen which will appear with several options. You can also search for it in the Start menu.

4. Click on More details at the bottom left part of the window in order to expand Task Manager. Navigate to the Details tab and search for all msiexec.exe entry. Select it and choose the End task option from the lower right part of the window. Next, navigate to the Processes tab and repeat the same process for the Intuit Update Service entry.

5. Confirm any dialogs which may appear when trying to end the task and check to see if you are now able to install TurboTax properly on your computer!