TurboTax 2021 Won't Open on Mac

It works beautifully on both my primary iMac (2020 27" Intel) and its backup/mirror (2015 21.5" Intel).

I have read of problems, but there is not one with all Macs. All I did on both was install normally using my admin user on each.

THIS WORKED FOR ME!!!

Remove and reinstall TurboTax for Mac

SOLVED•by TurboTax•TurboTax Mac•128•Updated July 27, 2021

To remove TurboTax from your computer, you'll need administrative rights.

Note: Substitute XX in these instructions for the 2-digit tax year of your TurboTax software.

1. Remove the application TurboTax [version] 20XX in the Applications folder.

• • Version is the version of TurboTax you currently have installed, such as Basic, Deluxe, Premier, Home Business.

1. In the Finder, select Go Go To Folder.
2. Enter ~/Library and select Go.
3. Remove the following files and folders (~/Library represents the Library folder in the current user’s home folder):

• ~/Library/Application Support/TurboTax 20XX
• ~/Library/Caches/com.intuit.TurboTax.20XX
• ~/Library/Caches/TurboTax 20XX
• ~/Library/Preferences/com.intuit.TurboTax.20XX.plist
• ~/Library/Preferences/com.intuit.TurboTax.20XX.LSSharedFileList.plist
• ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.intuit.TurboTax.20XX.savedstate
• ~/Library/Cookies/com.intuit.turbotax.20XX.binarycookies
• ~/Library/WebKit/com.intuit.turbotax.20XX
• ~/Library/Containers/com.intuit.turbotax.mac20XX 
  • (This folder will only appear if you installed from the Mac App Store instead of a CD or download.)
• ~/Library/ApplicationSupport/com.apple.sharedfilelist/com.apple.LSSharedFileList.ApplicationRecentDocuments/com.intuit.turbotax.20XX.sfl 
  • (This folder will only appear for OS X 10.11, El Capitan.)
• ~Library/Caches/KSCrash/TurboTax

Once you've removed those files and folders:

1. Empty your Trash.

• • Check first to that there's nothing in Trash you want.
  • If you get any errors deleting the above folders from Trash, restart your Mac and empty Trash again.

1. Install TurboTax again from the CD or download file to the Applications folder.
2. Start TurboTax from the Applications folder and let it run the updates.
3. Empty the Trash again.
4. To make sure everything is working smoothly, restart your Mac again.

I had that problem last year with Turbotax 2020 and again this year with 2021. You should be able to find several discussion threads on this topic. I followed one that suggested simply creating a new user and dedicating it to Turbotax. That worked perfectly.

Another solution I have seen but not used is below with a link to the discussion:

TurboTax 2021 Won't Open on Mac 

I've used TurboTax for 20+ years and 2021 tax is the first time (MacBook Big Sur) I couldn't open. Based on the above, I did the following and it finally worked stayed open. If they ask for a crash report, don't send it because then it closed again.

1.     Quit TurboTax application.

2.     In Finder, hold down the Option key when using the Go menu.  Click on the Library folder > Preferences

3.     Delete all references to TurboTax 2021

4.     Reboot

5.     Open the TurboTax application (it should open with the default settings)

Good luck!

This helped me out since I had the same issue. My issue seams to stem from clicking on the quit turbo tax after you file a return. After doing that, turbo tax crashed, and if you respond by sending the crash report to intuit, that's when you get locked out. Every time when you try to reopen, it would open the "please wait while we check if everything is up to date" message, then disappear like you never tried to open the app. What I've found out is you don't need to delete everything that's outlined by Hammonddave. All I did was delete the TurboTax folder KSCrash (~Library/Caches/KSCrash/TurboTax).

I've used TurboTax for 20+ years and 2021 tax is the first time (MacBook Big Sur) I couldn't open. Based on Wolfesimba's post (3/10/22), I did the following and it finally worked and stayed open. If they ask for a crash report, don't send it because then it closed again.

1.     Quit TurboTax application.

2.     In Finder, hold down the Option key when using the Go menu.  Click on the Library folder > Preferences

3.     Delete all references to TurboTax 2021 (some will start with "com." others with TurboTax)

4.     Reboot

5.     Open the TurboTax application (it should open with the default settings)

Good luck!

Spent over two hours on the phone with TurboTax support, but with no success. It surprised me that they acted like they have never heard of this problem. I then called Apple support who was fully aware of the problem but said it wasn't theirs to solve. However, I did coax the support tech into saying the solution is to create another account also with admin authority then load TurboTax on that account. It took a while, but that did it. Unfortunately, a TurboTax message stated the license code I had purchase was no longer valid. Thankfully, in my many efforts with the TurboTax tech support, they had given me a new license code for free. Without that, who knows what would have happened. Interestingly, once I load the s/w on the new user account, it pulled all the data from the file I had already been working on. Anyway, thank God it's over!

shhirlee's solution worked for me on my 2016 MacBook Pro running Monterey 12.3.1 I had the same experience with turbotax "specialists" wasting many hours.

This totally did it for me. Easy. I just deleted the Turbotax folder under ~Library/Caches/KSCrash/ and then emptied my trash. Thank you !

I actually started using it under my Mac user, but then it crapped out. I have the same problem when running Big Sur or Monterey. i can run it with an administrator user. Interestingly, on a different Mac with Catalina, I can run TurboTax under my own user account.

I only had this problem after upgrading to Big Sur last year. Why Intuit support is unaware of this problem I don’t know

I have been using Turbotax for 30 years and this is the first time I came across this problem. I have a 2017 MacBook Pro running Big Sur and I successfully installed Turbo Tax. It worked fine for a few days, then whenever I tried opening it the bar that checks for updates appears briefly, then nothing... I tried uninstalling the software, deleting the TurboTax libraries, reinstalling... same problem. I went ahead and made a new user account and it works fine. ..but what a PITA!!!!

i was not able to reset the parameters under the current version of Mac software. Instead I had to create a separate administrative user and run the software under that user. I did that after working with an Apple support agent who didn’t seem enthusiastic about going into the libraries and resetting parameters.

I had this same problem with turbotax 2020 and now with turbotax 2021. Last year I gave up and completed my return on a PC. This year I started on my2026 MacBook Pro. It worked for several days and then quit initiating. I spent 3 hours yesterday working with a turbotax "specialist" to no avail. Creating a new user with administrator privileges has solved the problem. Thanks.

I had this same thing happen. Fortunately it installed on my old Mac air. I did look at Safari preferences under the websites tab.

my computer was blocking intuit popups and some other intuit connection under that tab as well. I can’t say if it made a difference sine my old computer seems to be letting me complete the darn taxes. Worried about next year now of course. I was also able to re-install under a new user that I faked in the newer MacBook but the serial number gave me a hard stop. The install ran, but I still couldn’t do my taxes. Don’t know if Safari could jam up the program, I know that turning off the firewall made no difference

I got the same message, but it flashed so quickly that I had to try it several times until I could see all of the words.

I deleted all of those files, too, except that I couldn't find the KS Crash folder.

I called Apple support and requested a Tier 2 agent. I shared my screen and he went through and cleared out a bunch of stuff in the library and other places. It works just fine now, but I still an leary, so I keep saving the returns several times while I am working on them.

Thanks for your input!

Susan

You can't be running Monterey as the only Mac from 2013 that can run Monterey is the Mac Pro: macOS Monterey is compatible with these computers - Apple Support

Would you please specify in more detail the Mac model and year you're using?