Restoring a QuickBooks Desktop file can be challenging, especially when errors or failures occur. Common issues include overwriting an existing company file, using incompatible software versions, or dealing with corrupted files. These problems often arise from simple mistakes, such as restoring from a USB or network drive or having special characters in the file name. In this blog, we’ll guide you through troubleshooting QuickBooks Desktop restore failures and backup errors, ensuring your data is safely and successfully restored without unnecessary complications.

Causes for Unable to Restore a Backup of QuickBooks Company File

You may face a QuickBooks Desktop restore failure or error because of the below-given reasons.

1. Over an existing company file the backup was restored.

2. The backup is being restored from a USB flash drive or a network drive.

3. Restored over an existing company file.

4. The backup has been made in a newer version (2019) but is being restored to an older version (2018).

5. The company file is damaged or corrupted.

6. The company file name includes special characters.

7. The file that you are trying to restore isn’t an actual backup file.

How to Troubleshoot QuickBooks Desktop Restore Failed or Backup Errors

When restoring a QuickBooks company file, follow these steps to avoid errors: never overwrite existing files, remove special characters from file names, restore from local copies rather than external drives, ensure the file is a valid QBB format, and always restore to the same or newer QuickBooks version.

Step 1: Do not overwrite an Existing Company File when Performing the Restore

1. Follow the basic hygiene of file saving.

2. When saving the restored file, select the destination folder where the file is to be saved.

3. If you find that the name clashes with an already existing company file, rename the company file in QuickBooks and pick a different name.

4. If so, then the program will overwrite your existing file.

5. Thus if QuickBooks gives you a message like the one below then hit “No”:

Step 2: Remove Special Characters from the File Name

1. Look for the file that you would like to rename.

2. Now right-click on the company file and from the options provided, choose to rename the file.

3. Give a new name to the file and hit enter and your file will be saved with a new name, avoid special characters like /\<>!$.

Step 3: Restoring a Backup From an External Drive or a Network Drive

1. To avoid any permanent data corruption in the QBB file always take a backup from the external media.

2. Use in the backup like a USB or a network drive and make a local copy.

3. So that even if the backup fails, it doesn’t terminate the process abruptly.

Step 4: Ensure that the File you are Trying to Restore is a Valid QBB file

1. If you try to perform a restore task on a file that’s not a valid QBB format then in all likelihood it will throw a QuickBooks restore failed error.

Step 5: Restore the QBB to the Same Version or Newer Version of QuickBooks when Restoring the Backup

1. QuickBooks when restoring the backup.

2. However, in the process, you may need to review the QBWin.log or the QuickBooks.log files.

3. It may be a complicated task and sometimes too technical for regular users.