Error Message when Launching 2025 Desktop App

[user17690998417]

I get a dialog when I launch the newly installed app (Turbo Tax Standard) which says there were problems installing (I"ve done it 3 times now) and that I should try and launch the App as an Administrator on my machine.  

I tried calling TurboTax phone help but the robot is useless and they dont' let you talk to anyone so I asked AI about this dialog.  It says:

TurboTax 2025 Desktop for Canada requires administrator privileges due to its digital rights management (DRM) system, registry manipulation requirements, and legacy software architecture that predates modern Windows security models. This requirement introduces measurable security risks by expanding attack surface, enabling potential malware propagation, and violating the principle of least privilege. Analysis of Intuit’s implementation reveals that the administrator requirement stems from technical debt rather than modern security architecture, creating a conflict between operational necessity and security best practices.

That sounds like they are being lazy and dangerous, and even tho they raised the price of this product they still rely on outdated software which increases the attack surface.  I'm afraid of identity theft.  It goes on to say:

Expanded Attack Surface

Running TurboTax as administrator fundamentally alters the Windows security model:

Attack Vector Multiplication: When executed with elevated privileges, TurboTax processes ( tt2025.exe ) operate at High Integrity Level, granting access to:

•All user accounts on the machine

•System restore points and shadow copies

•Windows Security Account Manager (SAM) database

•Kernel driver loading capabilities

Is TurboTax unsafe in 2025?  Should we be looking at better options?  Any suggestions?

Thank you for any help you can provide.

[TurboTaxAniqua]

Are you using Windows 10 or 11? It can be installed on Windows 10, but we recommend Windows 11 because Windows 10 lacks certain security features. If you need more assistance with this issue, please contact us by phone.

Minimum Requirement: The baseline requirement is Windows 10 (64-bit).

Unsupported Versions: Older systems like Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 are strictly unsupported, and the software will not install on these platforms.

Selection During Launch: When you launch TurboTax Desktop, you may see recommendations to upgrade to Windows 11, but the software will function correctly on a fully updated version of Windows 10.

For the most current hardware and software specifications, refer to the official TurboTax Canada system requirements: How does the end of support for Windows 10 affect my TurboTax Desktop experience?

These steps need to be followed:

You have administrator rights on the profile where you are installing TurboTax. Windows has been updated.

You are not attempting to install on the cloud.

Turn off your antivirus software and Windows Defender before installation, and make sure to turn them on once activation is successful.

I suggest uninstalling the software and reinstalling it by using this updated link for 2025.

If the problem persists, I recommend contacting phone support so that they can screenshare and help you. After entering some basic info about what you need help with, the page will give you the phone number for the team best suited to help.

Thank you for choosing TurboTax.

[user17690998417]

Thank you for the reply.  

I'm using Windows 11 with the latest updates.  This is a new Surface computer from Microsoft, so nothing strange.

Installed from the website you link below - 3 times.

I elevate to Administrator when I install the software.  I'm happy to do this and understand the requirement.  I'm not so happy running this software as administrator due to security risks mentioned in my original post.

I'd love to contact phone support, but the AI is difficult to deal with and unhelpful.  I tried to ask for an agent but clearly I'm not using the right code-words to trigger that, or you make it extremely difficult.  Is there a button combination I could press, like a secret code which would direct me to a human?