QuickBooks Won’t Update! Here’re the Solutions

Last Updated on October 17, 2024

QuickBooks won’t update is a common but challenging issue encountered by users worldwide. Let’s look into this matter in-depth and gain insights into its causes and effective troubleshooting ways.

With every update, QuickBooks seems to evolve and add more features to the program. Intuit also recommends its users download the updates right away to avoid missing out on the good stuff. However, many users complain about the issues while downloading essential updates. There are many reasons why QuickBooks won’t update, and they can be fixed by the solutions mentioned in the blog below.

Your QuickBooks won’t update and will keep showing issues while downloading the updates in the future if you do not seek professional assistance from a QB expert. Call on the toll-free number 1.855.738.2784 and get immediate help on the problem

What is QuickBooks Not Updating Error?

Often, QuickBooks users complain about their QuickBooks not updating for hours. Users encounter different error messages with varying codes and experience sluggish performance, system hanging, incomplete download and crashing, and other related signs. All these issues prevent them from using QuickBooks to its fullest.

What are some of the Critical Update Issues in QuickBooks?

The problem of users unable to download the QuickBooks update can come up on the screen with numerous error codes. It is important to take note of the update error code because different codes call for different solutions. Some of the major QuickBooks Desktop update errors are listed below.

1. QuickBooks Error 12157
2. QuickBooks Error 12037
3. QuickBooks Error 15103
4. QuickBooks Error 15104
5. QuickBooks Error 15106
6. QuickBooks Error 15107
7. QuickBooks Error 15215
8. QuickBooks Error 15105
9. QuickBooks Error 15223
10. QuickBooks Error 12045
11. QuickBooks Error 15240
12. QuickBooks Error 15271
13. QuickBooks Error 15243

What are the Causes of the Intuit QuickBooks Update Error?

Let’s check what induces QuickBooks Update Stuck error to pop up on the user screen in the first place.

1. The computer system has incorrect date and time settings.
2. The internet connection is very slow, or the user is not connected to a Wi-Fi network.
3. The internet connection settings are not configured properly.
4. Windows Firewall is not allowing QuickBooks to download the update.
5. The user has installed more than one QuickBooks Desktop of the same version year on the computer system.
6. The digital certificate for QuickBooks is missing.
7. Some other program running in the background is interrupting the update.
8. One of the previous QB updates is corrupted.
9. The system requires admin rights to download and install the QuickBooks updates.
10. There are some program issues in QuickBooks.
11. QuickBooks misreads a file on the Windows computer.
12. Invalid Employer Identification Number.

What are the Steps to Fix the QuickBooks Won’t Update Problem?

Below mentioned are the solutions to troubleshoot the QuickBooks Update Stuck issue while updating QuickBooks Desktop.

Solution- 1: Reconfigure the Incorrect Date and Time Settings on the System

While downloading the update, if the digital signature certificate of Intuit shows validity dates that do not match your system’s date and time, the browser fails to recognize the website as secured, and the update fails to download. You can try to correct the date and time settings by following the steps mentioned below.

1. Close QuickBooks and right-click the digital clock on the taskbar (at the bottom-right corner).
2. Click on Adjust Date / Time and choose Change Date and Time.
3. Enter the current date and time and click on OK
4. Reopen QuickBooks and try to download the update again.

Solution- 2: Verify the Internet Connection Settings

If your internet connection is down, try to check into your bank’s website through the web browser. If you can’t visit the website, contact your internet service provider. However, if you can surf the internet on the browser, follow the steps below.

1. Visit the Help menu in QuickBooks.
   Choose Internet Connection Setup and click on Use my computer’s Internet connection settings to establish a connection when this application accesses the Internet.
2. Click on Next and go to Advanced Connection Settings.
3. Visit the Advanced tab and choose Restore Advanced Settings.
4. At last, click on OK and Done.
5. Try to update the QuickBooks again.

Solution- 3: Change the Firewall Settings to Allow QuickBooks Desktop

There is a possibility that your firewall settings are not compatible with the QuickBooks or its executable files or ports are not enabled. Go through our blog on the “subject” and make the necessary changes to fix the error while downloading QB updates. – “Link the firewall settings blog”

Solution- 4: Try to Update Different QuickBooks Versions Manually

If the user has installed and is currently running two different year versions of QuickBooks Desktop on the same computer, the automatic update download will malfunction. In this case, you must download the updates manually for each QuickBooks version, one at a time as follows

1. Exit from QuickBooks after closing down the company files and go to the desktop.
2. Right-click on one of the QB icon and choose Run as administrator.
3. Select the Help menu and click on Update QuickBooks Desktop.
4. Under the Options tab, click on Mark All and choose Save.
5. Go to the Update Now tab and put a tickmark on the Reset Update checkbox by clicking on it.
6. Select Get Updates, and once the update finishes, close QuickBooks.
7. Reopen QuickBooks and click on Yes to install the updates.
8. Repeat the same steps for the other QuickBooks version as well.

Solution- 5: Install the Digital Signature Certificate for QuickBooks

Suppose the existing digital signature certificate goes missing or gets deleted accidentally by some program. In that case, the Intuit servers cannot allocate the user’s software credentials, and the QuickBooks Desktop update fails even before the download starts. Follow the steps below to re-install the digital signature certificate for QuickBooks.

1. Exit from QuickBooks and press the Windows Key + E to open the File Explorer.
2. Go to This Computer or My Computer and double-click on C: Drive.
3. Under the Program Files folder, open the Intuit
4. Visit the QuickBooks folder and right-click on the exe file.
5. Choose Properties and click on the Digital Signature tab.
6. Verify that Intuit is checked in the signature list and go to Details.
7. Click on View Certificate, and under the Certificate Window, choose Install Certificate.
8. Keep selecting Next until the Finish button appears.
9. Reboot the system and open QuickBooks to download the updates again.

Solution- 6: Try to Download the Updates in Safe Mode

Safe mode refrains any program from running automatically unless started by the user itself. If some other program is interfering in the QuickBooks update download, the user can try to download the QB updates in safe mode.

1. Exit from QuickBooks and restart your computer system while holding the Shift
2. The computer will start to Choose an Option
3. Click on Troubleshoot and select Advanced options.
4. Choose Startup Settings and click on Restart.
5. Once it restarts, press the F4 key to start the computer in Safe Mode.
6. Download the QuickBooks updates.
7. Once the updates are downloaded, press the Windows Key + R to open the Run
8. Type MSConfig in the search box and press Enter
9. Under the Boot tab, click on Boot options and uncheck the Safe Boot
10. Restart the PC to open it in the Normal Mode and install the updates by opening QuickBooks Desktop.

Solution- 7: Rename the QuickBooks Components Folder

It might be possible that one of the previously downloaded updates is corrupted and is now instigating issues in downloading the new updates. The only fix is to rename the folder by following the given steps.

1. Exit from QuickBooks and go to the C:\ Program Data\ Intuit\ QuickBooks 20[YY]\ Components.
2. 64-bit users, go to the C:\ Program Files (x86)\ Intuit\ QuickBooks 20[YY]\ Components.
3. Right-click on the Components folder and select Rename.
4. Add .WBG at the end of its name and press the Enter key to save the action.
5. As soon as you open the QuickBooks and access the company file, the program will create a fresh folder automatically.

Solution- 8: Run the QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool from the Tool Hub

Fix the program issues by running the Quick Fix My Program and QuickBooks install diagnostic tool from the QuickBooks Tool Hub. Download the Tool Hub from Intuit’s website if you don’t have it installed on the system and follow the steps mentioned below.

1. Open QuickBooks Tool Hub and click on Installation Issues from the left pane.
2. Select the QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool button and let the tool finish its process.
3. Once the diagnostic is done, restart the system and try to download the update again.
4. If you still can’t update QuickBooks, go to the Tool Hub again and select Program Problems this time.
5. Click on Quick Fix My Program, and once the tool finishes, try to update QuickBooks again.

Solution- 9: Run the QuickBooks Desktop as Administrator

Your system may require admin rights to allow the programs to download updates from the web. If so, then you can run the QB Desktop as administrator by following the given steps.

1. Close QuickBooks and go to the desktop.
2. Right-click on the QB Desktop icon and select Run as Administrator.
3. Click on Help and select Update QuickBooks Desktop.

Solution 10: Run Reboot.bat File

You can narrow down the cause of abnormal QuickBooks behavior and problems by running the reboot.bat file. It will enable the system to re-register .DLL and .OCX QB files on Microsoft Windows.

1. Restart your system and then right-click the QuickBooks application.
2. Go to the Properties tab and hit the option that says Open File Location.
3. In the search space at the upper right corner, write reboot.bat.
4. When you see the reboot.bat or reboot file, right-click and opt for Run as Administrator option.
5. Windows will close after the reboot.bat file runs.

As we conclude our blog on the popular user query, “Why QuickBooks won’t update”, we would like to suggest one last resort to our readers if the solutions mentioned above do not help you out resolving the error. Call on the technical helpline number 1.855.738.2784 and get immediate guidance from a QB ProAdvisor to fix the problem for once and all.

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Edward Martin

Edward Martin is a Technical Content Writer for our leading Accounting firm. He has over 10 years of experience in QuickBooks and Xero. He has also worked with Sage, FreshBooks, and many other software platforms. Edward’s passion for clarity, accuracy, and innovation is evident in his writing. He is well versed in how to simplify complex technical concepts and turn them into easy-to-understand content for our readers.