How do I change the default directory for my Turbo Tax documents?

[JeanneLO]

Please follow the instructions in this TurboTax FAQ to contact customer support for assistance:  What is the TurboTax phone number?

@teklein26

[jmcawthon]

Contacted turbo tax support and representative had no idea how to do this. This very common feature needs to be added to the program!

[BlueForest]

Hello rmcray, I share your pain, I think this may be the answer/work-around you are looking for?  The key is that TT "remembers" a tax file when it is saved.  Only then will it be displayed as a tax file icon/option when TT is started again.  Sadly, I see no option to reset this manually, as is the norm for software (as you have pointed out).

Here is my scenario - I completed and filed my return.  Then today, I decided to relocate the directory that holds the TT return files (*.taxYYYY).  Of course, now when I start TT, it does not display/find the tax file. 

Now, if I open Windows Explorer, and navigate to the new location of the tax file, and "open it" (click on it), it will come up in TT.  But, when I exit TT, it asks me to save the file, and if I do not save the file, it will not "remember" it.  And, here is an additional requirement of my own - I did not want to save it, because I did not what the date/time of the file to change (as seen in Windows Explorer).

So, here is what I did:

1. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the new location of the tax file.
2. Create a folder (ex. Tmp), and copy the tax file into the Tmp folder (which preserves its date & time)
3. Open TT with the tax file in the new location (either click on the tax file OR open TT and File-Open and find it)
4. Exit TT and save the tax file when prompted.  You may then want to re-open TT from the Start menu to prove that the tax file icon is now listed on the TT "home" page.  Re-Exit TT.
5. Back in Windows Explorer, you will see the tax file date/time has been updated (in the new location).
6. Delete the file in the new location and copy the file over from the Tmp folder.
7. Open TT from the Start menu, and you should see the tax file icon to select, AND the tax file date & time should be as it was.
8. Note: I had to do this twice, but it worked after the second try.

I realize my scenario adds the twist of preserving the date & time of the tax file, but I trust this is helpful anyway.

Take care

[mimmi2009]

You are the most patient person!  I absolutely agree - TurboTax needs to have a default directory option.  It's always Save, when you go to open, it'll default to the last opened file (which is nice).  It's the Save As that needs to default - at the very least to the last opened file location, then you only have to back up once or twice

[Porter14k]

Mine is saving to One drive . Driving me crazing....

[CarissaM]

When you save the return, it should prompt you to save the return to the directory you choose. 

Does it open a box to save the return? @Porter14k

[guitargirl]

same problem here on Apple MacBook, I can select iCloud (with some difficulty) but Turbo Tax refuses to allow me to save to my 2022 Tax folder.  

[guitargirl]

Turbo Tax BLOCKS us from selecting a subdirectory on Apple MacBooks, it only allows you to select the parent directory it won't drill down.