Is your Quickbooks Desktop software stuck on an update? You might be seeing the following message: Quickbooks is updating files please wait. Read further to know what causes Quickbooks to get stuck on updating files and how you can resolve this issue.
Causes of ‘Quickbooks is updating files please wait’ message
The ‘Quickbooks is updating files please wait’ message is associated with the Payroll Updates. This issue usually arises due to Quickbooks not having certain permissions or requiring administrative rights to complete the update process. If the program lacks the required permissions, it can get stuck on this message. This message is also accompanied by another error message stating that the ‘file you specified cannot be opened’.
Other causes behind this issue can be incorrect date & time on your system or a damaged/corrupted Quickbooks Desktop program.
How to get rid of the ‘Quickbooks is updating files please wait’ message?
It is not uncommon to be facing the ‘Quickbooks is updating files please wait’ message. One can see the same error being brought up in various Quickbooks Desktop communities. Fortunately, the issue can be resolved very easily. Here’s a list of various troubleshooting methods that were reported by users to have resolved the ‘Quickbooks stuck on update’ issue.
Run Quickbooks As Administrator
When you see a constant ‘Quickbooks is updating files please wait’ message, the first thing you need to do is try launching Quickbooks as administrator. This can be done by following these simple steps:
- In the Windows search box (located in the left bottom corner of the screen), type ‘Quickbooks’.
- Locate Quickbooks in the search results and right-click on it.
- Click on the ‘Run as administrator’ option.
- Run the payroll update by navigating to the ‘Get Payroll Updates’ option.
Once the payroll update process is complete, you can run Quickbooks as usual (running as administrator shall no longer be required.
Update Windows Permissions For Quickbooks Desktop
Another method to get rid of the annoying ‘Quickbooks is updating files please wait’ message is by updating windows permissions for Quickbooks Desktop. Here’s how you can do so:
- Open ‘File Explorer’ from the Windows Start Menu.
- From the File Explorer, locate the Quickbooks Program File.
- Once the QuickBooks program (QBW32.EXE) is located, right-click on it.
- Select the ‘Properties’ option.
- Click on ‘Security’ and then ‘Edit’.
- Choose the ‘Add’ option.
- In the window, enter ‘Everyone’ and click on ‘OK’.
- Now in the ‘Security’ window, tick the checkbox next to ‘Full Control’ and select ‘OK’.
- Select the ‘Add’ option again.
- Type ‘Users’ in the Window and click on ‘Ok’.
- Repeat step 8.
- Finally, apply the settings and click on OK.
If you have followed this process correctly, your Quickbooks Desktop should no longer be stuck at the ‘Quickbooks is updating files please wait’ message. If the issue is not resolved yet, try the other troubleshooting methods listed below.
Change System’s Date & Time
Update issues can arise with multiple programs including Quickbooks due to an incorrect date & time on your system. If you are still seeing the ‘Quickbooks is updating files please wait’ message, we suggest you make sure that the date & time on the system are correct. You can change the date & time by following these steps:
- Open the Start Menu.
- Now open Settings.
- Choose the Time & Language option.
- Click on the Change option and you will be able to manually enter the correct Date & Time.
Restart your system and launch Quickbooks Desktop again to check if the issue is resolved.
Repair Quickbooks
If your Quickbooks Desktop has certain damaged or corrupted files, this can hamper the basic functionality of the program. This can also be a cause behind the program being stuck on the ‘Quickbooks is updating file please wait’ message. To fix this, we recommend you repair Quickbooks by following these steps:
- Open the Control Panel via the Windows Search Box.
- Under ‘Programs’, click on the ‘Uninstall a program’ option.
- Locate Quickbooks Desktop from the list of programs.
- Right-click on Quickbooks and click on the ‘Repair’ option.
If this does not solve your problem, the issue is not being caused due to Quickbooks running improperly. Alternatively, you can also try repairing Quickbooks using the Quick Fix My Program tool.
Talk To Quickbooks Experts To Resolve ‘Quickbooks Is Updating Files Please Wait’ Issue
If none of the above-mentioned troubleshooting methods help you get rid of ‘Quickbooks Is Updating Files Please Wait’, your best option is to contact the Quickbooks experts. Simply get in touch with the Quickbooks help team and communicate your issue. You will then be provided assistance with resolving the file updates issues related to Quickbooks.
Related: Quickbooks Payroll Not Updating