Running QuickBooks Desktop After Windows 10 End of Life
Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. The OS still boots, but it no longer gets security patches -- and Intuit no longer supports QuickBooks Desktop on it. If your books live on a Windows 10 machine, you have two safe paths.
Path A: Move QuickBooks Desktop to Windows 11 (recommended)
- On the Windows 11 PC, install the same version of QuickBooks Desktop (keep your installer -- see reinstall & reactivate).
- On the old PC, create a backup (
.QBB) via File › Back Up Company. - Move the backup to the new PC and restore it.
- Re-enter your license/product numbers if prompted, and confirm the company file opens and reports match.
Check hardware compatibility. Windows 11 will not run QuickBooks Pro versions older than 2021. If you are on an older edition, either use Path B or plan a version move.
Path B: Keep the Windows 10 machine -- but isolate it
If moving is not practical, reduce the risk instead:
- Disconnect it from the internet, or firewall it so only local network access is allowed. An offline accounting machine is dramatically safer.
- Do your bank imports on another PC and carry the file over, or import downloaded files locally. See importing bank transactions.
- Keep rigorous local backups on separate media, following the company-file health routine.
Either way
Freeze the QuickBooks version so an update doesn't change it (block updates), and keep verified backups. Windows 10's end of life forces a decision, but it does not force you onto a subscription or into QuickBooks Online.