Downloading and Installing
Once you have received your order confirmation and know your Username and Password, please follow these instructions to download and install your Desktop version of TaxAct.
Note - You can re-download and install any previously purchased software at no additional charge by following these same instructions.
- Go to the Sign In page. (You can use the blue Sign In button in the upper right corner, the far right of the menu bar on any TaxAct web page.)
- Enter your Username and Password.
- After signing in, choose the Orders and Downloads tile.
- Click the Download link to the right of the product you wish to download. If the item you're wishing to download has multiple products available, such as All-States or Preparer's Evaluation, you will need to click the View link to access the Download links.
- Save the file to a location you will have access to such as "Downloads," "My Documents" or "Desktop."*
- Once downloaded, double-click on the file icon to install the software.
* If you are using Windows SmartScreen, we recommend using the default Windows "Downloads" folder if you are getting a corrupt or invalid download error.
Download times vary depending on your Internet connection and how much traffic is on the web site.
Download Difficulties
If it seems nothing happens after you click download, or you don't know where your browser saved the download, you can find a Downloads menu item or icon on your browser, or use keyboard shortcut Ctrl + J in Internet Explorer, Chrome or Firefox. This will open the downloads location and allow you to choose the TaxAct installation file. You can also use Windows search to locate the installation file on your computer. TaxAct installation file names begin with "taXX" (where XX is the last two digits of the year).
If you click on the installation file and get an error, this could be because the download is not complete. A temporary or part file is created while the file is downloading. This is usually designated by a change to the filename, for example by adding an underscore and "part." Make sure the download is complete so that you have the completed installation file to run. Check your browser for any messages showing progress of download, or change the setting on your browser to run downloads directly rather than saving first. You can also try using a different browser. Incomplete downloads can also be due to Internet connection problems.
Security software can also prevent downloads and installation, or prevent the TaxAct program from working properly after installation. You may need to temporarily disable your security software during download and installation.