--- title: How to Back Up and Move a Company File in QuickBooks description: Your QuickBooks company file is gold. Make sure you know how to back it up and restore it properly. image: https://blog.tarabyte.com/hubfs/How%20to%20Back%20Up%20and%20Move%20a%20Company%20File%20in%20QuickBooks.png --- [![TaraByte 239 x 120 ](https://blog.tarabyte.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TaraByte%20239%20x%20120%20.png?width=239&name=TaraByte%20239%20x%20120%20.png)](https://www.tarabyte.com/) - About ⌄ - [Our Story](https://www.tarabyte.com/about-us/) - [Services](https://www.tarabyte.com/our-services/) - Fishbowl ⌄ - [About Fishbowl Inventory](https://www.tarabyte.com/fishbowl-inventory/) - [Fishbowl Accounting Basics For QuickBooks](https://info.tarabyte.com/fishbowl-accounting-basics-for-quickbooks-desktop-quickbooks-online) - [Advance Fishbowl Chart of Accounts Guide](https://info.tarabyte.com/advance-fishbowl-chart-of-accounts-guide) - [Custom Fishbowl Reports](https://www.tarabyte.com/fishbowl-inventory/custom-fishbowl-reports/) - [Controller's Toolbox](https://tarabyte.com/fishbowl-inventory/fishbowl-accounting-controllers-toolbox/) - 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Make sure you know how to back it up and restore it properly.* You may not think of your QuickBooks company file as being portable. It lives safely on the hard drive of your desktop and/or laptop computer. You wouldn’t want it to be anywhere else, right?   However, the most common reason businesses move these critical files is because they’ve purchased a new computer or they may also want to share their data. QuickBooks allows you to create a backup file that you can save to a USB drive or CD, or to another folder on your company’s network. Once it’s available at its destination computer (where a copy of QuickBooks has already been installed), you (or another recipient) will be able to restore it.   *Note: These instructions were created using QuickBooks 2018. If you don’t see what’s being described here in your version, contact us.*   ### **Making a Backup** You shouldn’t wait until you have to move a QuickBooks company file before backing it up, though. This is something you should be doing regularly.   Before you start, make sure your copy of QuickBooks is updated, which shouldn’t be a problem if you’re set up with automatic updates. If you’re not, and you’ve ignored those messages about updates that appear when you open QuickBooks, we can help you launch a manual update and configure QuickBooks to automatically update. With QuickBooks in **Single-User Mode**, open the **File** menu and hover over **Back Up Company**. Select **Create Local Backup**. You’ll see this window: * ![QBC 0420 image 1](https://blog.tarabyte.com/hs-fs/hubfs/QBC%200420%20image%201.jpg?width=627&name=QBC%200420%20image%201.jpg)* *You can save your QuickBooks backup copy locally or online.*   Intuit offers a service called **Intuit Data Protect** ($99.95 annually) that allows you to back up your company file online (we can help you explore this if you’re interested). Let’s assume here, though, that you have a USB drive plugged into your computer and are ready for your backup.   Click the button next to **Local backup**, then the **Options** button. In the window that opens, you’ll select your destination location and answer a few questions about your backup. One of these gives you the option to get a reminder to back up your file every x times you close QuickBooks, should you choose to do manual backups.   Click **OK** to return to the **Create Backup** window, then click **Next**. The following screen gives you the option to save your file and/or schedule future (automatic) backups. If you choose to simply save it now, check that button and click **Next** to verify the destination location and file name.   *Note: Before you save your backup file, give it a name that is different from your regular company file. Write down the exact file name and its location.*   Click **Save**. A small window will open displaying your progress, and you’ll get a confirmation message when the file has been saved with a **.qbb** extension. You can now take the removable storage device to the destination computer, where QuickBooks should already be installed.   *Warning: If you want to schedule automatic backups by clicking on one of the two options in the **Create Backup** window, please consult with us first. Automated processes in QuickBooks can save time and effort, but when you’re dealing with your irreplaceable company file, you must get it right.* ### **Restoring a Backup File** Once that’s done, open the **File** menu and select **Open or Restore Company** on the destination computer. This window will appear:  ![QBC 0420 image 2](https://blog.tarabyte.com/hs-fs/hubfs/QBC%200420%20image%202.jpg?width=546&name=QBC%200420%20image%202.jpg) *QuickBooks displays this window when you select **File | Open or Restore Company**.*   Click the button in front of **Restore a backup copy**. Click **Next** and select **Local backup**. Then click **Next** again. Click the down arrow next to the **Look in** field and click on the location of your backup file to display its contents. Browse until you find the file (it should end in **.qbb**), then highlight it by clicking on it. Click **Open**.   QuickBooks displays a window that asks where you want to restore your file. You’ll click **Next** to find it in the **Save Company File as** window. The **Save in** field should point to your main QuickBooks directory (like **QuickBooks 2018**) and the **File name** field should show the correct file name. When everything looks correct, click **Save**. QuickBooks will convert your **.qbb** file to the standard QuickBooks file type, **.qbw**, and open it.   ### **Care Needed** Losing your QuickBooks data, as you know, would be absolutely disastrous. But there may be occasions when you’ll need to open a backup copy of your company file on a different computer. We would be happy to walk you through this the first time you do it; in fact, we highly recommend it. As always, we’re available to work with you on any QuickBooks issues you’re experiencing – or to get you up and running for the first time. ![Untitled design (1)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(1).png "Untitled design (1)") ### **Jeanne Tarazevits** **CPA, QuickBooks Maven, Fishbowl Guru** As a Top 100 QuickBooks ProAdvisor and Fishbowl Inventory Super Hero, Jeanne helps businesses change the way they do business by getting their inventory management, accounting and manufacturing systems all working together seamlessly. In providing these services Jeanne draws upon her knowledge as a CPA, her previous experience as an Auditor with Ernst & Young and long-time CFO of a publicly-traded medical device manufacturer, and the expertise gained in the 10+ years she has been working with Fishbowl Inventory. #### Recent Posts ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Tag - [Fishbowl Inventory (33)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/fishbowl-inventory) - [QuickBooks (29)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/quickbooks) - [Inventory Management (14)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/inventory-management) - [Accounting (11)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/accounting) - [Our Partners (4)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/our-partners) - [QuickBooks Online (2)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/quickbooks-online) - [netstock (2)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/netstock) - [Food Manufacturing (1)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/food-manufacturing) - [Payable (1)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/payable) - [Payables (1)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/payables) - [Purchase Orders (1)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/purchase-orders) - [Uncategorized (1)](https://blog.tarabyte.com/blog/tag/uncategorized) See all [![New Call-to-action](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/5606425/15e03d41-fea1-404a-b70e-3b0b87f5bdce.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/5606425/15e03d41-fea1-404a-b70e-3b0b87f5bdce) ![TaraByte-Logo-Wht](https://blog.tarabyte.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TaraByte-Logo-Wht.png?width=250&height=43&name=TaraByte-Logo-Wht.png) TaraByte Solutions has been providing expert QuickBooks consulting and accounting services to small and mid-market firms since 2001. 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