How To Disable the Quicken Registration Prompt

I’ve been upgrading and installing software on my new machine this weekend and with that I moved away from the now defunct Microsoft Money to Quicken 2010. Personally I think the interface and other features of Quicken are quite quirky, but that’s neither here nor there. One is supported and the other is a steamy pile (even though the UI is better). Anyway, after importing everything and setting up new accounts Quicken throws up this incredibly annoying screen that says I need to register to actually use their program to download my bank info. Excuse me? WTF? I have to make an account with you to use this program? (Yet another online account I will never actually use?) That doesn’t fly. I have all my bank details and credit card info in here and now you want me to basically send that to you? I think not.

Just as I was about to remove it and write a terse vulgarity filled email I came across the answer: Disable Quicken Registration Prompt

Simply put, hold down the left CTRL + Shift keys and click the Update button toward the top. You’ll immediately get a confirmation that you are turning off the registration prompts and won’t be prompted to register anymore. But you can still get bank updates like you expect. Hopefully this little trick will keep working (I just did it in the 2010 version). I don’t really like registering software and giving companies more details about me.

Let me know about your successes.

Then again, I could be wrong.

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37 thoughts on “How To Disable the Quicken Registration Prompt

    • Author gravatar

      It works with Quicken 2011. Thanks for the advice.

    • Author gravatar

      How can I bring back the “registration” item in the help menu?

    • Author gravatar

      Thank you so much! I was having a problem getting past the Registration screen with a “please wait while Microsoft Windows configures Quicken 2010” followed by some Error 1721 Windows Installer error, so couldn’t ever get registered (hence, no updates). This trick worked to just bypass that whole mess and get me my updates — after at least an hour of searching for fixes, your quick tip did the trick!! Thanks!

    • Author gravatar

      I have an OLD Quicken (98) That works just fine thank you. It’s years old, I know, but it’s perfect for what I do. Had to re-install. NOW they will not give me a Reg. number. Want me to spend $100.oo for a new one. Well, they can kiss my Mouse !! I’ve tried the CTRL+SHIFT. Can’t seem to get it to work. Don’t have an UPDATE button. Guess I’ll keep going to Quicken.ini and setting the usage timer back to =0. WHAT A HASSLE. ! My wife says I gripe too much….. THERE’S A LOT TO GRIPE ABOUT…. Wow.. ! Got that off my Chest. Think I’ll go have a Dr. Pepper to celebrate.
      Tightwad in Apple Valley

      • Author gravatar

        You might consider running your old version of Quicken on an ancient computer. This is what I have done for years. The newer versions are fraught with problems- criminal, in my opinion. One version made mathmatical errors when totalling year end payroll figures for my small business – the year end for generating W2’s for an employee did not equal the sum of all the quarterlies! I have never known a product to get worse with each subsequent version, but the folks at Intuit have figured a way! I have stuck with Quicken 2006 Home and Business and have not had any problems with it. I run it on an XP laptop.

        • Author gravatar

          I bought my quicken disc in the beginning and it came with a registration number. I rang the helpline and they gave me the code to put in and talked me through it. It you downloaded your version then you don’t own it and they make you pay. Good luck

    • Author gravatar

      Locate quicken.ini (find it in windows search) – Alternatively, if you look for file using windows explorer the file is simply labelled “QUICKEN”) Change properties of this file to “read only.” This worked immediately for me.

      I haven’t yet figured out how to disable the Quicken Tips window that pops up each time I open the program – but I can live with that. Quicken is such a piece of ****. Shame on them and the whole Intuit empire. To have to resort to 17 year old software just to get something that works without bugs and outright mathematical errors. Unbelievable!

    • Author gravatar

      Quicken 2008 = CTRL + SHIFT, then click on “ONLINE” | ONE STEP UPDATE (Not Tools)

    • Author gravatar

      Just purchased the Quicken Home and Business 2016, CTL + Shift then One Step Update does not work. If anybody comes across a new way to disable the registration please let me know, thanks!

      • Author gravatar

        Save yourself lots of aggravation and install an ancient version of Quicken (I use 2006.) The more recent versions are so buggy as to be inaccurate. Each new one is worse than the previous. If downloading from bank isn’t essential, you will be much happier with the old stuff.

    • Author gravatar

      What you say is correct except in the case where you have downloaded a file and is already in your “Downloads” folder and you want to call that up to be opened by the Quicken Program. It does not open without the same “registration required” reappearing.

    • Author gravatar

      Worked great but now I get update nag which is worse

    • Author gravatar

      I have Quicken 2016 Home & Business and when I use Shift + CTRL I can’t see any Tools option; All I can see is the original menu items of File & About.

      Might you be able to offer any advice?

    • Author gravatar

      Thank you so so so much. I am still using Quicken 2010 because Intuit didn’t want to properly support users abroad anymore (never mind that they only link to US banks for transaction downloads; they didn’t want my money for the upgrade at all). With a new computer, I was keen to get it set up but couldn’t stand the thought of dismissing the registration message every time. Thanks again!!

    • Author gravatar

      This didn’t work for me. I have 2006. I installed on a new laptop. I must have registered before, don’t remember. I tried to register this time, but got an error message. I’d rather not registered, though. I use Quicken as more of a glorified check register, so really updated and downloading info isn’t important to me.

    • Author gravatar

      I have been using Quicken 200 basic since it was introduced but I now have a new PC using windows 10 and can’t get rid of the registration prompt. I have tried the above control/shift trick but to no avail.
      Any ideas

    • Author gravatar

      I have Quicken personal 2012 which I only use to enter and retrieve data. It suits my needs perfect. Now they have blocked my access and want me to re register. I don’t want to upgrade as it I am comfortable with this version. How can I get beyond and into my quicken. I never connect to internet for banking while using it . Tried lots of suggestions before the deadline ran out but nothing worked. It comes up with renew registration yes or no and when I click no, denies me access. Any help apreciated thanks.

    • Author gravatar

      Can I stop the countdown in quicken 2001 says only 8 sessions left. and what will happen after?

    • Author gravatar

      Holding CTRL + Shift keys and selecting On Line | One Step Update from the main menu worked for my Quicken 2004. I’m grateful that you wrote a synopsis (“Simply put, …”) just beneath the link to the blog at binarywolf.com because that link is now effectively dead.

      I agree with the comments from others that newer versions of Quicken are inferior to older ones. I’ll never update; when this version will no longer work (I run Windows-7) I’m done with Quicken.

      • Author gravatar

        Never say never….every time I swear I will never use Quicken again, I discover that there are still no
        viable alternatives. Amazing that there is no decent personal finance software.

        • Author gravatar

          *Ode to Microsoft Money* The most lovely, user friendly accounting software ever, I miss you so much MM, I dream of you, and wish someone would reinvent you. Q, Quirky, Glitchy, Bully, no love lost. the Control Shift Update to restore function-unsuccessful on Q2018. Just when you think you’re out of the Qshark tank and can manual download, even that is kaiboshed. They just don’t love us, they don’t care, I want to break up with you Q. Perhaps after my taxes are done. Sigh, Suzanna

    • Author gravatar

      My monthly income is deposited into my Credit Union account. I use debit whenever possible. I write checks manually and mail them.

      I use Quicken 2012 off-line only. I have entered all my money and investment accounts. I manually enter transactions when they occur and reconcile Credit Union statements manually. I go on-line for 10/15 seconds to update my security values and then go off-line.

      This allows me to avoid “cloud” activities thereby keeping my personal business on my second computer. My second computer is also used for Word (my personal writings) Excel (spreadsheet activity) and photos. I try to keep the world from knowing my personal business and transactions.

      My question is how to eliminate the Quicken Registration Prompt when I disconnect from Quicken?

      PS: I liked my earlier version of Quicken much better.

      • Author gravatar

        For me, holding the *LEFT* CTL + Shift then clicking Online, One Step Update worked. I originally tried holding the right CTL + Shift, and it didn’t work. I’m using Quicken 2006, so I don’t know if it will work for 2012.

    • Author gravatar

      I have a Quicken SE Version 6 .. My computer crashed a few weeks ago and I finally got it up and running. Now Quicken is telling me I must registered it. What? I have had this program for 20 years. How can I disable the Registration prompt? Please help.

    • Author gravatar

      I have Australian Quicken 2008 on Windows 8.1. It keeps asking me to renew my licence which Reckon did for me however the activation won’t work. I tried this to disable the registration prompt however it did not stop the licence from expiring since the activiation won’t work. Reckon won’t help me because there is no support for this version any more. I have a backup and a copy of the file so I haven’t lost the data although I’m stuck at what to do now since Quicken won’t let me in without a licence. I don’t use any of the online access since I don’t need it.
      Any suggestions appreciated.

      • Author gravatar

        Today I rang Reckon Australia again, got a different guy and he talked me through the process of getting me a new product key to enter since I already had the licence and it had been extended. Reckon have only extended it by 1 year so I’ll have to go through agai nnext year unless I either upgrade or change software.

    • Author gravatar

      A BIG Thank you! I regularly reinstall Windows OS’s using different hardware configs. In short, Quicken 2011 (it’s March of 2020 as I write this) has been a program I’ve been very happy with and continue to use. This latest install was problematic when it came to registering as the internet connection could not be made to the Quicken server because of current network settings; hadn’t been an issue the last 20 or so times I’d installed Quicken. Being this version’s a dinosaur and Intuit couldn’t care less if it was registered or not, the idea of having to see and dismiss that “… register Quicken” popup when running opening the app was a major annoyance. I’m not sure who discovered this ‘hack’ but your having posted it here helped me out, big time. Thanks to you and Google.

    • Author gravatar

      Hi, I have a registered Quicken 2016 and now my files are being held hostage by Intuit, cannot log in with my ID unless I upgrade therefore buy a subscription, I need to access my files, please HELP. Thanks

    • Author gravatar

      Hi, for anyone still trying to run older versions of Quicken, mine is 2004, I hope this helps.

      I managed to get it running on my old laptop by adding the three missing dll files, when I needed to upgrade I thought I would be able to do the same thing. Unfortunately the server is now shut down preventing Quicken from registering. I tried the Ctrl+shift trick I found on here, but the toolbar was greyed out.

      Eventually I came upon a financial software problem solving site
      https://www.justanswer.com/accounting-software/7s57z-good-eveningi-using-quicken-years-purchased.html
      They suggested to download and run this http:tinyurl.com/banrrzn
      This worked a treat, and got me past the register issue. I was then able to use the Ctrl+shift one step upgrade.
      It seems to running well, on my old win 10 machine it refused to print reports, now seems to do this.

      Hope this helps someone

    • Author gravatar

      Wow… post from 2010, I’ve got Quicken 2020 Version R24.14 — and this still works.

      Thanks for this info!! Of course Intuit doesn’t make this info readily available… they will nag you til you re-subscribe just to make the darn notices go away.

    • Author gravatar

      holding the *LEFT* CTL + Shift then clicking Online, One Step Update only works on newer quicken n not Quicken 98. Does any know how to delete this in the register or any other method.

    • Author gravatar

      Left CTRL + Left SHIFT & clicking “One-Step Update” button (top of screen, just to right of Home button (house icon)) works on Quicken Deluxe 99. Thanks!

    • Author gravatar

      Here’s my story.
      I’ve been using Quicken for AT LEAST 20 years, probably more. I’ve never much relied on the download back records, etc and just manually entered everything. I stopped using it regularly in 2017 and need to resume now. But Intuit is working VERY HARD to defeat my use. Quicken 2016 started crashing regularly. It now crashes before I can finish entering a transaction! I decided to disable Wi-Fi thinking the “bad guys” were checking to see if I am subscribed. That didn’t work.
      Then I figured they’ve set a switch that indicated I’m not registered. I found a likely candidate in the Windows Program Files under Intuit. There is a Notepad file which has an entry RegistrationCount=0.
      Do I dare change this to RegistrationCount=1???

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