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QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 and Pro: Features & Setup Guide

• 
• By Jonathan Browns
• Nov 03, 2026
• Accounting
• 7 min read

If you’re running a small business and want to keep your books current, QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 and Pro are among the most-used accounting packages. It’s the subscription version of QuickBooks Desktop Pro for Windows, and it includes invoicing, bill tracking, bank reconciliation, inventory, and reporting in a single installed application.

This guide covers what QuickBooks Desktop Pro and Pro Plus 2024 include, how they differ from the previous version of QuickBooks Desktop Pro (the perpetual license version), what your computer will need, and how to install it using the standard Intuit process. It also covers an important availability change you need to know before spending any money.

Availability note (updated October 30, 2026): Intuit has stopped selling new QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus subscriptions to new U.S. customers as of 30th September 2024. Existing customers can of course continue to renew. If you’re not already a customer, then please see the ‘Availability’ section below before you go looking for a purchase option.

Quick Overview of QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 and QuickBooks Desktop Pro

The table below gives you the lowdown on QuickBooks Desktop Pro and Pro Plus 2024.

Detail	QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024	QuickBooks Desktop Pro (older perpetual license)
Licensing model	Annual subscription	One-time purchase of a specific year’s version
Platform	Windows only (64-bit)	Windows only
Best suited for	Small businesses that want installed software with ongoing updates	Small businesses that bought a fixed version years ago
Updates and patches	Included while your subscription is active	Available only until that version reaches its sunset date
Support	Included with an active subscription	Ends when the version is discontinued
Multi-user access	Up to 3 users	Up to 3 users
Availability to new U.S. customers	No longer sold since September 30, 2024	No longer sold
Existing customers	Can renew	Cannot renew into a discontinued version

What is QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 and QuickBooks Desktop Pro?

Both names refer to Intuit’s installed accounting software for small business on Windows. They’re both in the ‘Pro’ tier, but they’re different editions because they are licensed differently. The following two sections explain each one so you can work out which one is relevant to you.

What is QuickBooks Desktop Pro?

QuickBooks Desktop Pro is the original version of the tier. For many years, you bought a specific year’s version (e.g., QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2021), paid once, and installed it on your PC. It’s a full-fledged solution for small businesses, covering invoicing, bill tracking, bank reconciliation, inventory, and reporting, and allowing up to three users in a single company file.

As it’s a one-off purchase, each QuickBooks Desktop Pro version has its own sunset date. Once that date has passed, Intuit no longer provides security patches, product updates, or support for that version. All of the 2021 versions are sunset by Intuit on 31st May 2024. If you’re still running one of those older versions, you’re running QuickBooks Desktop Pro without any ongoing vendor support, and you should be looking at moving to a supported edition.

What is QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024?

QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 is the 2024 release of the subscription version of QuickBooks Desktop Pro. You install it on your own machine, and your company file will be on your hard drive or a shared network location, depending on your setup.

The “Plus” in the name is important. The old QuickBooks Desktop Pro that you bought once and then kept is different from QuickBooks Desktop Pro and Pro Plus 2024, which is sold on an annual subscription basis. As long as your subscription is active, you get product updates, technical assistance, and access to connected services (online banking, payment features, etc.).

You’re working in the very familiar desktop interface that accountants and bookkeepers have used for years. That consistency is one reason so many businesses stick with QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 instead of migrating to a cloud product.

QuickBooks Desktop Pro vs. QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024

You’ll often see both names used interchangeably, so it’s worth separating them clearly.

QuickBooks Desktop Pro is the long-established product line. For many years, you could buy a specific version (e.g., QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2021), pay once, and use it for as long as you wanted. That model of buying a version and having a perpetual license has now been retired, and older versions will reach a sunset date after which Intuit will no longer provide security updates or assistance. For example, all 2021 versions of QuickBooks Desktop Pro have been sunset by Intuit as of 31st May 2024.

QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 is the subscription version of that same product family. You get the same core accounting engine, plus recurring updates and assistance as part of your subscription.

In practical terms, here is how the two compare for you:

Cost pattern: 

Pro was a one-off larger expenditure; Pro Plus 2024 is an ongoing annual cost.

Staying current:

Pro Plus 2024 will continue to get updates as long as you’re subscribed. A perpetual license Pro version will stop getting updates when it is sunset.

Data compatibility: 

You can upgrade a company file from an older version of QuickBooks Desktop Pro to QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024. You’ll need to back up your file first, as the upgrade changes the file format and that cannot be undone.

Interface: 

If you’re already using QuickBooks Desktop Pro, you’ll find the layout of QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 very much the same.

Availability of QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 and QuickBooks Desktop Pro

Intuit’s announcement that it is discontinuing the product is the most important thing for anyone looking at QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024. In its own help content, Intuit states that in 2024 it announced it would no longer sell QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Mac Plus, and Enhanced Payroll to new customers. The cutoff date for new U.S. subscriptions was 30th September 2024.

Here is what that means for you:

• If you’re already a subscriber, you can of course just go ahead and renew and keep on using QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 as long as that version remains supported.
• If you’re a new customer, Intuit doesn’t sell you a new Pro Plus subscription. QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise is the desktop product they sell to new customers, and QuickBooks Online is the cloud product.
• Be very careful with third-party sellers. Marketplace listings for “lifetime” activation of QB Desktop Pro Plus 2024 are not an Intuit offering, as the product is a subscription. A license you can’t verify through Intuit may fail to activate, leave you without assistance, and expose your financial data. Always manage your license via your own Intuit account.
• Check your version’s support date. Each QuickBooks Desktop release has a sunset date. Third-party sources are currently quoting 2027 for the 2024 line, but you should check the exact date on the Intuit service discontinuation page and plan accordingly well in advance.

Intuit has not announced when QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise will be discontinued, so it remains the long-term desktop path if you’re looking to stay on desktop.

Key Features of QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 (and What QuickBooks Desktop Pro Shares)

QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 focuses on the day-to-day tasks a small business will do. The sections below look at the areas you’re most likely to use.

Invoicing, Estimates, and Sales Receipts

You can create professional invoices, estimates, and sales receipts from the Customers menu. To create an invoice, you go to Customers, select Create Invoices, pick the customer, add the items you’ve sold, and then select Save & Close or Save & Send. You can customize your templates with your logo and layout, and email invoices straight from the program.

When a customer pays you, go to Customers > Receive Payments, select the customer, and apply the payment to the right invoice. This keeps your accounts receivable accurate without extra spreadsheets.

Bill and Expense Management

You track what you owe via the Vendors menu. Select Enter Bills to record a vendor bill and then Pay Bills when you’re ready to pay it. You can also write a check, record a credit card charge, and assign every expense to an account in your chart of accounts so your reports are still relevant.

Bank Feeds and Reconciliation

You can, of course, link your bank and credit card accounts via Banking, then Bank Feeds to download your transactions and then match them against what you’ve already entered. Reconciling is absolutely fundamental to good bookkeeping. To reconcile, go to Banking, then Reconcile, select the account, enter the statement date and ending balance, and mark each cleared transaction until the difference is zero.

Inventory Tracking

If you’re selling products, QBDT Pro Plus 2024 can track quantities on hand, cost of goods sold, and reorder points. You set up your inventory parts from Lists -> Item List and then record your purchases via purchase orders and item receipts. That’s a big reason product-based businesses tend to choose the installed desktop version.

Reports and Insights

The Reports menu and Report Center provide you with the standard reports (Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Accounts Receivable Aging, Sales by Customer). You can, of course, change the date range, apply filters, change the columns, and then save the report so that you can run it again in one click.

Multi-User Access

QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 can support up to three users working in the same company file at the same time. You achieve this by hosting the company file on one machine or shared location and then selecting File, Switch to Multi-user Mode. Each individual then logs in with their own username, which enhances accountability.

Users, Permissions, and Security

You can assign different permission levels to each user from Company, then Set Up Users and Passwords, then Set Up Users. This allows you to restrict access to sensitive areas (e.g., payroll, bank accounts) so that staff only see what they need to see.

Payroll and Payments Options

Payroll is available as a separate add-on service, and payment acceptance is integrated with your invoices. Pricing, eligibility, and availability of these services are subject to change at any time, so please check with Intuit on the current details before you rely on them.

System Requirements for QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 202

Your computer must meet Intuit’s requirements before you install QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024. Intuit’s help article for QuickBooks Desktop 2024 lists the following as the essentials:

• OS: Windows 11 (64-bit) or Windows 10 (64-bit) – natively installed. QuickBooks Desktop 2024 requires a 64-bit Windows OS and will not run on a 32-bit OS.
• Windows Server: Windows Server 2022 is supported for hosting. Windows Server 2012 is not supported.
• Processor: 2.4 GHz minimum.
• Memory (workstation): 8GB minimum, 16GB recommended.
• Security protocol: TLS 1.2 is required for connected services to function properly.

As Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows 10 on 14th October 2025, you should definitely consider running QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 on a fully updated Windows 11 machine. The requirements can of course change, so be sure to check the current list on the Intuit system requirements page before you go ahead and install.

QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 doesn’t run natively on macOS. Mac users have QuickBooks Mac Plus 2024.

How to Install QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024

If you’re an existing subscriber, then just follow the normal Intuit steps.

• Sign in to your Intuit account and go to your QuickBooks Desktop downloads page. Download the installer for your version and make a note of your license number and product number.
• Close any other programs you may have running, then double-click on the downloaded installer file.
• Follow the on-screen prompts, accept the license agreement, and enter your license number and product number when prompted.
• Choose your installation type. Select Express if you’re just using QuickBooks on one PC. Select Custom and Network if you’re going to be sharing the company file across a network.
• Select Install and wait for it to complete.
• Open QuickBooks Desktop and activate the product via Help > Activate QuickBooks Desktop, then follow the on-screen prompts.

If you want to check your subscription status, you can go to Help > Manage My License > Sync License Data Online.

How to Set Up Your Company File in QuickBooks Desktop Pro

Once the software is installed, you create your company file (this is where all your financial data will be stored).

• Open QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 and select ‘Create a new company’ from the No Company Open window. Alternatively, you can go to File, then New Company.
• Choose between Express Start, Detailed Start, and the various other options. Express Start is appropriate for the basic setup, whereas Detailed Start will walk you through each of the preferences.
• Enter your company name, industry, legal entity type,e and tax details.
• Save the file in a location you can easily back it up. QuickBooks will create a company file with the .QBW extension.
• Go to Lists, then Chart of Accounts, and review/adjust your Chart of Accounts.
• Set your preferences by going to Edit > Preferences so that features such as accounting, sales, and reminders are set to suit the way you work.

If you’re moving from QuickBooks Desktop Pro, open your existing company file, and QuickBooks will prompt you to update it. Create a backup first.

Daily and Monthly Routines That Keep Your Books Clean

A good routine will save you hours at tax time. You may find this simple rhythm helpful.

Each day or week

• Record sales and customer payments.
• Enter and pay vendor bills.
• Download and categorize the bank feed transactions.

Each month

• Reconcile all bank and credit card accounts.
• Just review the Profit & Loss and the Balance Sheet.
• Check the AR aging and follow up on any overdue invoices.

Each year

• Close your books with your accountant.
• Prepare the 1099 information for eligible vendors.
• Create a clean year-end backup and store a copy somewhere off-site.

Protecting Your Data in QuickBooks Desktop Pro: Backups and File Health

Your company file is the heart of your business, so protecting it matters more than any single feature.

How to Create a Local Backup

• Go to File > Back Up Company > Create Local Backup.
• Select Local Backup, then Next.
• Pick a destination folder on an external drive or some other safe location.
• Select ‘Save it now‘ and then ‘Finish‘.

QuickBooks saves the backup as a .QBB file. You can also set up automatic backups so you never have to rely on memory.

Keep Your Software Updated

Select Help, then Update QuickBooks Desktop, then Update Now, and choose Get Updates. Install the updates when offered and then restart the program. The updates will include security and compatibility fixes and are part of the value of your active subscription.

Check Your File with Verify and Rebuild

If your company file behaves oddly, you can run the built-in utilities:

• Go to File > Utilities > Verify Data.
• If QuickBooks is reporting a problem, then go to File > Utilities > Rebuild Data.
• Let the process finish and then follow any prompts to create a backup first.

Always ensure you have recent backups before running Rebuild Data.

Common QuickBooks Issues and How You Can Resolve Them

Even the most reliable software will occasionally need a bit of attention. Here are some of the common scenarios and the sensible first steps in each.

• QuickBooks won’t open the company file. Make sure the file isn’t on a disconnected network drive, and then try opening it directly from its folder.
• Multi-user mode isn’t working. Make sure the computer hosting the file is on, hosting is enabled on the correct computer, and your firewall allows QuickBooks. Intuit’s QuickBooks Tool Hub has tools for network and file issues.
• Bank feeds have stopped updating. Reconnect the account from Banking, then Bank Feeds, and confirm your bank details are up to date.
• The program is very slow. Make sure your computer meets the memory recommendation, close any other programs you may have running, and consider using File > Utilities > Condense Data to shrink down very large files (remember to take a backup first).
• Your license won’t activate. Check that the license and product numbers match your Intuit account and use Help > Manage My License. If the license came from an outside seller, contact Intuit rather than trying workarounds.

QuickBooks Desktop Pro or QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024: Which is Right for You?

QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 is the supported option if you’re already a subscriber. An older version of QuickBooks Desktop Pro is only viable if it hasn’t reached its sunset date yet. QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 is the way to go if you have:

• Prefer installed software and want to keep your data stored locally.
• Need to track inventory, job costs, or detailed item lists.
• Work with an accountant who already uses QuickBooks Desktop.
• Have a stable Windows 11 machine and a small team of up to three users.

It may be less suitable when you:

• Need access from many devices and locations without the need for remote hosting.
• Have more than three people who need to be working in the file at any one time.
• Want to start a brand-new subscription, as Intuit no longer sells new Pro Plus subscriptions to new U.S. customers.

If you’re in the second group, QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise or QuickBooks Online would be the better option. If you’re staying with what you have, then you’ll need to plan for the day your version hits its sunset date (you’ll want time to test any migration properly).

Planning Your Next Step with QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Pro Plus 2024

Whether you’re using QuickBooks Desktop Pro or QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024, a bit of planning now will save you a lot of stress later. Here’s a simple checklist to follow:

• Confirm your exact version and release by pressing F2 (or Ctrl+1) inside QuickBooks to open the Product Information window.
• Note your subscription renewal date in your Intuit account.
• Look up your version’s official sunset date on the Intuit website.
• Create a verified backup and keep a copy somewhere off your computer.

Talk to your accountant or a QuickBooks ProAdvisor about your long-term plan.

Final Thoughts

QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 is still a very solid proposition if you’re after an installed product, full inventory and job tracking, and a familiar interface. The key things you need to do are: know your version’s support life, keep your backups up to date, and reconcile your accounts every month. If you’re already using QuickBooks Desktop Pro, the move to Pro Plus 2024 is very straightforward, and your accountant can help you work out what comes next.

As Intuit’s product range and policies are subject to change, always check pricing, availability, and sunset dates directly with Intuit before making a decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024?

QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 is the subscription version of Intuit’s installed accounting software for Windows. It includes invoicing, bill paying, bank reconciliation, inventory, reporting, and all associated updates and assistance during your subscription term. It supports up to 3 users in a single company file. It differs from older QuickBooks Desktop Pro versions, which you bought once as a one-off purchase. Pro Plus is an annual subscription, so you keep your software up to date and supported as long as you keep renewing.

What’s the difference between QuickBooks Desktop Pro and QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024?

QuickBooks Desktop Pro was traditionally sold as a one-off purchase of a particular year’s version, and each version has a sunset date after which there are no further patches or assistance. QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 is based on the same core accounting functionality, but you pay annually and get updates, assistance, and connected services as part of your subscription. If you have an older Pro file, you can upgrade it to Pro Plus 2024 (after, of course, making a backup – you should always do that first).

Can you still buy QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024?

Intuit has stopped selling new Pro Plus subscriptions to new U.S. customers as of 30th September 2024. If you’re already a customer, you can generally continue to renew. If you’re new,w then Intuit will point you towards QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise or QuickBooks Online. Be very wary of any third-party seller offering a lifetime license, as this is a subscription product and any non-official licenses are likely to either fail to activate or leave you with no assistance whatsoever.

What are the system requirements for QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024?

You need Windows 11 or Windows 10 (64-bit) installed natively with a 2.4GHz processor and at least 8GB of RAM (Intuit recommends 16GB for the best experience). TLS 1.2 is required for connected services. QuickBooks Desktop 2024 will not run on 32-bit systems or on Windows Server 2012. Always check Intuit’s current requirements page before installing, as the details can change.

How many users can work in QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 at the same time?

You can have up to 3 users working in the same company file at the same time. To do this, you host the file on one computer or shared location and then select File > Switch to Multi-user Mode. Each person will need a separate user name and permission level. If you have more than 3 users in your team, you may want to look at QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, which supports many more.

How do you back up your QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 company file?

Go to File, then Back Up Company, then Create Local Backup, select Local Backup, and choose a destination folder, ideally on an external drive. Select Save it now, and QuickBooks creates a .QBB backup file. You can also schedule automatic backups so the process never depends on memory. Keep at least one copy away from your computer, and always back up before updates, upgrades, or running Rebuild Data.

Does QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 work on a Mac?

No. QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 is a Windows-only program and requires a 64-bit Windows operating system. If you use a Mac, Intuit offers a separate product called QuickBooks Mac Plus 2024, which has its own requirements, including macOS Monterey 12.0 or later. Intuit also stopped selling new Mac Plus subscriptions to new U.S. customers in 2024, so check the current options in your Intuit account.