Problem reducing the size of the QDF file.

Sam Fite

As a years long user of Quicken for Windows, I'm finding my QDF keeps growing even when I use the year end function. For example, I just did the year end for 2022 but I find I still have transactions all the way back to 2010 in my checking account in the new file. I really don't want to start over - just too many accounts. Does anyone know how I can shrink the file by removing these pre 2023 transactions? As there are many inter-account transactions, I "assume" it's not as simple as just deleting the pre-2023 transactions and establishing a new opening balance as of January 1. Thanks for your thoughts.

Jim_Harman

Generally there is no need to reduce the size of your Quicken file these days. Are you experiencing slow performance or something else that makes you feel your file is too big? If you click on Help then hold down the Shift key while clicking on About Quicken, what is the data in the File Information section?

Have you been saving scanned attachments with your Quicken file? They take up a lot of space.

splasher

Just deleting transactions will not reduce the size of your .QDF data file. It just makes space available for new transactions without making the file bigger at that point in time.

Only copying the file (File menu) will reduce the file's size, but you then have to reconnect all of your online banking connections.

Have you followed this FAQ?

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7149937/faq-year-end-copy

It covers doing a Year End Copy, but as @jim_harman states, it is ill advised as it probably won't help anything and it is throwing away your financial records history.