# TurboTax import not working: fixes by symptom Source: https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/import-transfer/turbotax-import-not-working Publisher: Tax Software Desk (taxsoftwaredesk.com), independent editorial site Topic: Imports, Files and Transfers Last updated: 2026-09-19 > When a TurboTax import is not working, the cause is usually one of five things: the employer or bank is not an import partner, the form is not released yet, third-party access or browser permissions are blocking the handoff, the file is locked, scanned or over 4 MB, or the transfer was started on a return that was already open. Manual entry always works as a fallback. ## Key facts - Import file size limit: 4 MB - Transaction limit: 10,000 total; 4,000 non-covered in Online - 1099-B import ready (2026 season): About February 15, 2026 - W-2 import window: Not in Dec or early Jan; may close from April - Fallback: Type it in myself ## Why is my TurboTax import not working? A TurboTax import that is not working almost always fails at one of three points: TurboTax cannot find a matching partner, the partner has nothing ready to send, or something on your device blocks the transfer. Match your symptom to the table, then jump to the matching section. | What you see | Likely cause | First fix | | --- | --- | --- | | W-2 screen says it cannot import after the EIN | Payroll company not a partner, or too early | Upload or type the W-2 | | Bank or broker sign-in page loops or errors | Wrong partner picked, or third-party access off | Check exact name and access settings | | Sign-in works but no forms arrive | Form not released for import yet | Wait and retry later in February | | Upload says the file cannot be read | Locked, scanned or oversized PDF | Remove the password, use the issuer's PDF, split pages | | Desktop has no Transfer Return button | Existing return opened instead of a new one | File, New Tax Return | Import symptoms and likely causes ## Why won't TurboTax import my W-2? TurboTax import W-2 from employer depends entirely on the payroll company. You enter the employer's EIN from box b, and TurboTax checks whether that payroll service is a TurboTax import partner. Intuit lists six reasons it fails. 1. It is too early. In December or January the payroll company may not have posted W-2s. 2. It is too late. Some payroll services shut off imports from April onward. 3. The EIN was mistyped or is missing. It is nine digits in the NN-NNNNNNN format. 4. The control number in box d was requested and left blank. 5. The box 1 wages amount is missing. Intuit suggests the year-to-date gross federal wages from your final pay stub. 6. The payroll service is not an import partner. For the last case, stop retrying. Select the option to upload a PDF, JPEG or PNG of the W-2, snap it with the mobile app, or type it. A W-2 has 20 numbered boxes plus a few lettered ones, and most people only have entries in a handful, so typing it avoids a stuck import. > **Test with a different browser:** Intuit notes that browser permissions and pop-up blockers can stop the data handoff. Allow pop-ups for the TurboTax site or try Google Chrome, which Intuit names as an alternative. ## When the bank or broker sign-in fails A 1099 import signs you in to your financial institution from inside TurboTax. If the sign-in fails, Intuit's list of fixes starts with the institution rather than TurboTax. - Confirm you picked the exact partner. Intuit warns that names such as First National Bank belong to many separate banks, and some firms use a different name for investments. - Sign in to the institution's own website and turn on third-party access or data sharing. - Check that you are enrolled for online access and are using the right credential, such as a username versus an account number. - Change the password at the institution, then retry with the new one. - Pause any VPN and relax strict antivirus web filtering during the import. - In TurboTax Desktop, install the latest update before retrying. ### Signed in, but nothing imported If sign-in works but no forms appear, the institution probably has not released them. In the 2026 season Intuit said most 1099s were importable by January 31, 2026 and 1099-B forms by February 15, 2026, and warned that some brokerage forms are not ready until late February or March. Dates for the 2027 season are not yet announced. Large trading accounts can also stall. Intuit's limits are 10,000 transactions in total, 4,000 non-covered transactions in TurboTax Online, and a 4 MB file. Above that, enter summary totals by category or use Desktop. Crypto accounts have their own quirks, explained in [Form 1099-DA in TurboTax](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/import-transfer/form-1099-da-turbotax). ## TurboTax PDF upload failed: what to change When a TurboTax PDF upload failed message appears, the file is usually the problem, not your account. Intuit says TurboTax may not read a PDF that is password protected or that is a scan of a paper document. 1. Download a fresh copy of the form from the issuer's website instead of using a scan or email attachment. 2. If the PDF opens with a password, open it and save or print it to a new PDF without the password. 3. If it is a consolidated statement, save only the pages for the form you are entering as a separate PDF. 4. Keep the file under 4 MB. 5. Upload again from the Upload option on the form's screen. Brokerage statements bring their own upload questions, which are covered in [TurboTax import 1099 PDF](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/import-transfer/turbotax-import-pdf-1099). ## TurboTax desktop import not working In TurboTax Desktop, most import problems are about last year's return rather than forms. The Transfer Return option only appears on a new, empty return, so opening an existing return and selecting Continue skips it. - Start from File, then New Tax Return. - If last year's file is not listed, select Browse and change the file type filter to All Files. - Make sure the file is last year's. The 2025 edition transfers from a .tax2024 file. - If the file is on an old computer, copy it over first. If Desktop crashes or freezes during the transfer, that is a program fault rather than an import fault; see [TurboTax keeps crashing](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/turbotax-desktop/turbotax-keeps-crashing). ## TurboTax transfer return not working in Online The TurboTax transfer return tool in Online accepts a Desktop .tax file, not a PDF, and only from a computer. Remove any password on the Desktop file before uploading. If last year was also TurboTax Online, there is no upload at all; the data appears only when you sign in with the same user ID as last year. For every combination of old and new products, see [TurboTax import previous year](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/import-transfer/turbotax-import-previous-year). ## Manual entry as a fallback Every import screen has a Type it in myself option, and entering by hand gives the same tax result as importing. Copy each box exactly as printed, including zeros in withholding boxes. After manual entry, run Review. A form that keeps showing a flag usually has one missing box, and the fixes in [TurboTax needs review](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/turbotax-online/turbotax-needs-review) apply. For the full list of import routes, go back to the [TurboTax import guide](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/import-transfer). > **Independence:** Tax Software Desk is independent and is not affiliated with Intuit, H&R Block, TaxAct, FreeTaxUSA, TaxSlayer, Block Inc. (Cash App Taxes), Wealthsimple, UFile or any other software company. ## Step by step 1. **Identify the symptom.** Note whether the failure is at partner lookup, sign-in, form delivery or file upload. 2. **Check partner and timing.** Confirm the exact partner name and that the form has been released for import. 3. **Clear device blocks.** Allow pop-ups, pause any VPN and try another browser. 4. **Fix the file.** Use a password-free, issuer-generated PDF under 4 MB. 5. **Fall back.** Select Type it in myself and enter the form by hand. ## Common questions ### Why does TurboTax say my employer is not a partner? The EIN you entered belongs to an employer whose payroll company does not send W-2s to TurboTax. No setting can change that, so upload a PDF or photo of the W-2 or type it in. ### Why is TurboTax not importing my 1099-B? Brokerages release 1099-B import files later than other forms. In the 2026 season Intuit expected them by February 15, and some came in March. Also confirm third-party access is on at the brokerage. ### Does a VPN stop TurboTax imports? It can. Intuit says an active VPN or aggressive antivirus software can block the connection between your bank and TurboTax. Pause the VPN during the import. ### Why can't TurboTax read my PDF? The file is most likely password protected, a scan of paper, or larger than 4 MB. Download a fresh PDF from the issuer, remove the password, and upload only the relevant pages. ### Is it OK to type my W-2 instead of importing it? Yes. Manual entry produces the same return. Check each box against the paper form, and keep the W-2 with your records. ## Sources - [Why can't I import my W-2?](https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/import-w-2/L9pVBFuj7_US_en_US) - [What if I can't import my 1099?](https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/banking/import-1099/L73REMMxe_US_en_US) - [How do I import my 1099s?](https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/import-1099s/L2hPcduMb_US_en_US) - [How do I transfer last year's return into TurboTax Online?](https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/transfer-last-year-return-turbotax-online/L279eUvY2_US_en_US)