QuickBooks is user-friendly accounting software which offers multifaceted benefits and far reaching applications for professionals engaged with accountancy, entrepreneurship and a plethora of other non-accountancy related fields as well.  It offers assistance in myriad of domains including cash flow, management of customer data, sales management and book keeping activities. However, at times the QuickBooks software is fraught with technical issues. In such cases, the QuickBooks software ceases to start or open. In most cases, an error is encountered which prevents the software from executing. In few other cases, the software crashes without any warning and is accompanied by a severe system lag. As such it becomes imperative to go through the causes leading to such error and the necessary solutions for resolving QuickBooks won’t open issue.

Causes which prevent QuickBooks from starting or opening

 There can be many reasons which prevent QuickBooks software from starting. Some of the principle reasons behind the same are mentioned below:

  • The Company name being too long.
  • Damaged or corrupted Hard Drive.
  • QuickBooks software not installed properly.
  • Due to damaged ‘.ini’ files .In this context, any damage caused to ‘QBWUSER.ini’ file and other essential QuickBooks ‘.ini’ files prevent the QuickBooks Desktop from opening.
  • If the Windows operating system which you are using is out of date. 

How to fix the QuickBooks doesn’t start or open issue?

Since you are now acquainted with the causes which might prevent the QuickBooks Desktop from starting, let us now proceed towards the necessary walkthrough which you need to follow in order to get a viable resolution to fix this issue.

Method 1: Running the QuickBooks Tool Hub

The QuickBooks Tool Hub is a indispensable utility which helps in resolving a myriad of common errors associated with QuickBooks software. In order to use this Tool Hub for solving the problems related to QuickBooks not starting, follow the below mentioned steps:

  • In the inception, you are required to close QuickBooks Desktop software.
  • Download the QuickBooks Tool Hub from your Internet Browser.
  • Subsequently, open the downloaded file and install the QuickBooks Tool Hub by following all the necessary onscreen instructions.
  • Once installed, open the QuickBooks Tool Hub and Click on ‘Quick Fix my Program’ option. Wait for the scan to finish.

  • Now, you can open QuickBooks Desktop and access your data file.

If you still encounter any issue related to the execution of QuickBooks Desktop software, you are required to conform to other method mentioned below.

Method 2: Repairing /renaming the ‘QBWUSER.ini’ file

In order to rename the file, follow the steps mentioned below:

  • You need to first search for the folder that contains the ‘QBWUSER.ini’ file. It is imperative that before locating the file, you enable the ‘search hidden files and folders’ option and then proceed for the search.
  •  Once the ‘QBWUSER.ini’ file has been located, right click the same and click on ‘Rename’.
  • Rename the last file name as ‘Insert.old’.
  • You are also required to rename the ‘ecml.file’.
  • Once you are done with renaming both the file, attempt to open the QuickBooks Desktop software again and check if the issue is resolved.

If the issue is still persisting, you can navigate to Method 3, stated below.

Method 3: Forcibly stop the QuickBooks Desktop installation process

In order to suppress the QB Desktop installation, you are required to:

  • Right click on the QuickBooks Desktop icon.
  • Hold the ‘Ctrl’ key and select on ‘Open’. You need to keep pressing the ‘Ctrl’ key until the ‘No Company Open’ window pops up.
  • Once the window appears, open QuickBooks Desktop software.

Although unconventional, this method is viable towards fixing issues pertaining to starting of the QB Desktop software. If the problem still persists, follow the next method.

Method 4: End QBW32.exe process through the Task Manager

  • Press ‘Ctrl+Alt+Delete’ keys simultaneously. Select the ‘Start Task Manager’ option.
  • Once the Task Manager is open, click on the ‘process’ tab.
  • Now navigate and search for any processes related to QB Desktop including the ‘QBW32.exe’. Once identified, Right click and click on ‘End Process’ one by one. 
  • Try opening the QB Desktop software again.

If the problem hasn’t been sorted yet, jump to the next alternative method.

Method 5: Try Creating a Different Admin User

In some cases, creating a new Admin User Account might help in solving the QB Desktop opening issue. In order to create a new User account, follow the instructions:

  • Open ‘Control Panel’
  • Navigate and search for the ‘User Account’ and ‘Manage User’.
  • Click on the ‘Add’ option.
  • Proceed with the filling of the requisite admin name and proceed by clicking ‘OK’.
  • Try opening the QB Desktop and check whether the software runs successfully.

Method 6: Repair QuickBooks Desktop in Control Panel

  • Open ‘Control Panel’.
  • Navigate to ‘Programs and Features’.
  • Scroll down and search for the ‘QuickBooks Desktop’. Once identified, click on ‘Uninstall/Change’, followed by ‘Repair’.
  • Wait for the process to culminate and then click on ‘Finish’.
  • Restart your computer and try opening QuickBooks Desktop.

In case the aforementioned solutions didn’t solve the issue, try resorting to other miscellaneous methods mentioned below.

 Other Miscellaneous Methods:

  • Uninstalling and re-installing the QB Desktop software might solve the issue as it would clean up any corrupted or damaged files associated with the software.
  • Ensure that your Operating system is updated to the latest version.
  • Turn off your Firewall and other Security softwares running in the background and then open QB Desktop software.

You may also read: set up Landed Cost in QuickBooks

Resorting to the above stated methods can assist you towards fixing the QuickBooks doesn’t start or won’t open issues. We understand how annoying it gets when users encounter such issue randomly and hampers their work. We hope that the contents of this page were informative and helped you in evading the problems related to opening the QB Desktop software.