Password you entered does not match; Forgot Password Link does not work

rkennel

When opening quicken today it asked me for a password. I don't remember putting a password on the file but I tried using the data vault password and other passwords, nothing works. I tried clicking on the "Forgot Password" link and nothing happens. How do I fix this?

If I cannot fix it, can I restore the data? I see my data online in the quicken mobile app.

Sherlock

I suggest you restore a Quicken file backup saved before the issue appeared.  To locate available backups, you may select File > Find Quicken Files...

rkennel

That does not help because I just set it up last week. No backup. Is there no way to restore from my quicken web app? I chose for the file to be saved to the web/mobile as well?

Sherlock

rkennel said:

That does not help because I just set it up last week. No backup. Is there no way to restore from my quicken web app? I chose for the file to be saved to the web/mobile as well?

The Quicken Cloud is not a backup.  If you haven't already, you may want to review: https://www.quicken.com/support/what-quicken-cloud

You really should save Quicken file backups more frequently.  Perhaps you can locate a good Quicken file in a Windows backup or file history.

flaimster

I have the same issue. All of a sudden a file that didn't need a password is now asking for a password. What is the solution? I tried restoring a backup and it does the same thing

Sherlock

flaimster said:

I have the same issue. All of a sudden a file that didn't need a password is now asking for a password. What is the solution? I tried restoring a backup and it does the same thing

The solution is to find a good backup of the Quicken file or start over.

rkennel

"My data got corrupted due to no fault of my own and now I cannot access it"

"It's your fault for not doing incremental backups"

For $50+ a year this should not be such a common occurrence

Tex22

So I just had this exact same problem happen. The issue is not a lack of backups (I have plenty)....the issue is that Quicken suddenly decided that the file was password protected when it isn't.

The second issue is that the Forgot Password link doesn't work as documented in Quicken's own support documentation.

Quicken - You have a bug (or maybe two). Please fix it.

Tex22

For the record -- The official Quicken support document whose steps DO NOT WORK:

https://www.quicken.com/support/what-if-quicken-not-accepting-data-file-password

UKR

If you've never set up Backup definitions in Quicken, reviewing the Restore section in

https://www.quicken.com/support/how-backup-or-restore-your-quicken-data

may help locate a backup taken for you by Quicken without you noticing it.

And if the horse truly has left the barn, so to speak,
here's how to close the barn door and prevent or minimize future data loss

How to properly set up Quicken Backup
How to make Quicken create a backup for you automatically every time you close Quicken
What Quicken backups are available where?

For the sake of this discussion it is assumed that your Quicken data file is located in the Default (and recommended) place: C:\Users\username\Documents\Quicken

Review the backup settings available in Quicken (under Edit / Preferences / Backup).

In there you will find two types of backup: Automatic and Manual Backup.

Automatic Backup should be enabled and by default goes to a \Backup folder that's part of the folder which contains your current Quicken data file, e.g. \Documents\Quicken\Backup. Set it to create a backup after running Quicken [1] times and to keep [9] (or more, your choice) backup copies.
The file name for Automatic Backup files contains a date and time stamp as part of the file name, e.g. QDATA-2020-03-22.PM03.45.QDF-backup

To create a Manual Backup copy of your Quicken data file on an external device (USB-hard drive or USB memory stick recommended), put a checkmark at "Manual Backup Reminder" to enable the function and set "Remind me after running Quicken [xx] times" to [1].

Click OK to save the changes.

From now on, when you close Quicken using the red X button, you will get a popup window.

When you get this window for the first time, on some versions click the radio button for "Backup on my computer".
Change the Backup File name's drive letter and path to point to your external device so that it looks something like this: E:\Quicken Backup\QDATA-2019-04-01.QDF-backup
or use the Change button and work your way through the dialog.

Do not change the filename portion! Just overtype the drive letter and choose a backup folder name. If the folder does not exist, it will be created.

Also choose the option to "Add date to backup file name".

Every day when you run Backup or close Quicken, an additional backup file is created. Without the Add Date option you only have 1 backup copy which is overwritten every day ... and that may prove bad in a problem recovery situation.

Allow this backup to run to save the changes made on the screen.

Of course, once in a while you will have to go in and delete some of the oldest backup files, at your discretion, to avoid filling up your USB device.

One can never have enough backups of a Quicken data file. BTDTGTS to prove it!