Removing an Unwanted QuickBooks Desktop Download (2024)

You failed to turn-off 'Auto Download' and now you've got a Maintenance Release waiting for install and the new counter is telling you that there are only a couple more times to install later before mandatory install. What do you do?

Well, we are going to take you through the steps to remove that unwanted QuickBooks Desktop Maintenance Release download. If you are a QuickBooks 'user' and you are not comfortable performing work within the Windows directories of your computer involving the deletion of application files₁ contact a qualified QuickBooks Professional to assist you. ₂

Turn-off Auto Download

The first step in this process is to turn-off Auto Download, we don't want QuickBooks immediately updating again and simply downloading the maintenance release we are about to get rid of.

• From the QuickBooks Help Menu, select Update QuickBooks.
• When the Update QuickBooks window opens, select the 'Options' tab.
• On the Options tab, turn Auto Updates to 'Off'.

Note the 'Download Location' shown in the illustration above. This is the location of the windows directory where the download we will be removing can be found. You need to keep this path and directory in mind, or make a 'windows screen capture' of it, or jot it down on a piece of paper so that you have the specific directory for your specific QuickBooks. (The path shown here is the 'default path', if you selected a different path for your QuickBooks application installation your path will be different. Directories will be specific to the version of QuickBooks.)

• Close QuickBooks Before Proceeding.

Remove Pending Maintenance Release Update

The following steps are based upon the path illustrated in the Download Location shown in the prior screen shot. As mentioned that path is the default application installation path (in this case for QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 21.0). Your path and windows directories may vary based upon the version of QuickBooks, or if you selected an alternative path for QuickBooks installation.

QuickBooks should be closed prior to undertaking these steps.

• Follow the windows path to the 'Download Location' displayed on the 'Options tab' of the Update QuickBooks Desktop window. (Note that the 'Program Data' Directory is a hidden directory, you will have to set Windows to display hidden files and directories in order for you to locate 'Program Data'.) The path (in our example) is highlighted in the green box of the illustration below.

• Once you have reached the Download Location directory (in this case DownloadQB31), identify the 'EPatch' and 'NewFeatures' directories. These should have recent dates corresponding to when QuickBooks downloaded the update that hasn't been installed. They are highlighted in red boxes in the graphic above.
• Open the EPatch Directory (as shown below) and then follow the steps below:

1. When the directory is open, 'Select all' to highlight all of the contents of the directory.
2. With all of the contents highlighted, select 'Delete', to delete all of the contents of the directory, then close the directory.

• Open the NewFeatures Directory (as shown below) and then follow the steps below:

1. When the directory is open, 'Select all' to highlight all of the contents of the directory.
2. With all of the contents highlighted, select 'Delete', to delete all of the contents of the directory, then close the directory.

• Close Windows Explorer since you have now finished the process of removing the maintenance release update.

Open QuickBooks, if you have followed the step appropriately for your installation of QuickBooks and QuickBooks version, you should notice that you DO NOT receive the message than an update is waiting for installation.

What if You Made a Mistake?

If after removing the update you decide that you made a mistake and you actually did want the maintenance release you deleted, then there is nothing that prevents you from manually downloading it. You have two options:

Your first option is to download the maintenance release directly from the QuickBooks Downloads & Updates website and then install it as in the example shown below.

In some case you may be required to restart your computer to fully install this type of update, in other case you may not be required to make such a restart. When you install the maintenance release in this manner, it is fully installed, and when you open QuickBooks after installation the maintenance release has been incorporated into your version. You may get a message that QuickBooks needs to update your Company-file depending on the complexity of the maintenance update.

Your second option is to simply update QuickBooks from within the product even with 'Auto Updates' turned-off.

• From the QuickBooks Help Menu, select Update QuickBooks.
• When the Update QuickBooks window opens, select the 'Update Now' tab.
• On the 'Update Now' tab, click: (1) 'Reset Update', then (2) 'Get Updates' (as shown below).

Using this option you will be prompted that an update is waiting for installation the next time you open QuickBooks. You will be prompted to install the update when you launch QuickBooks the next time, and if you choose to ignore installation then the counter will display again how many time you have left before mandatory installation. In other words, you are right back to where you started.

_Disclosures:

_{¹-The information provided herein is for informational purposes, neither Insightful Accountant nor the Author can recommend if an individual QuickBooks user should or should not follow the steps outlined here because we do not have (1) a knowledge if the downloaded update is in fact inappropriate to the user's configuration, (2) if the user (or other individual) is properly identifying the correct download per the instructions outlined, and (3) if the user (or other individual) is taking the appropriate steps as outlined. Insightful Accountant is NOT Responsible for any result arising from actions taken by any individual in response to this article.}

_{²- Find a ProAdvisor website and the ProAdvisor Program are services and trademarks of Intuit, Inc. The link provided here is a courtesy to our readers, it is not 'sponsored content', and the URL was active at the time of publication. Insightful Accountant is not responsible if the URL changes at any date/time subsequent to the original date/time of publication of this article.}