currently using Quicken 2004 on Windows - want to migrate to QMac

Jugie

This version is perfectly adequate & I have no issues, but. I need to move to a Mac; can I achieve this or must I look for an alternative that will allow me to import data? Thank you/

Boatnmaniac

In order to convert your QWin 2004 to QMac, you will first need to upgrade your QWin 2004 to QWin 2011 or higher. You can download a free QWin Deluxe 2013 from Quicken.com at https://www.quicken.com/support/how-and-when-use-intermediate-version-convert-older-versions-quicken….click on If you are converting from Quicken 2004 through 2009 to find the download link. Note that if you are using a different edition of QWin (such as Premier instead of Deluxe), your data will be retained during the QWin Deluxe 2013 upgrade

Once you have upgraded to QWin Deluxe 2013 you can then convert to QMac Subscription. That conversion process is documented at https://www.quicken.com/support/converting-quicken-windows-quicken-mac-2016.

Note that Quicken Subscription is an annual subscription service that will allow you to download data from financial institutions that support Quicken and will provide some other online services. If you do not renew the subscription at the end of the subscription term you will be able to continue using Quicken manually (no downloading or online services) except that Starter edition will become read-only. Also note that about 20%-30% of your your screen will be taken up by reminders to resubscribe and those reminders cannot be removed without resubscribing.

If you are OK with managing your accounts in Quicken manually, you might want to consider another option: Install a VM software (such as Parallels) on your Mac. Then you can use QWin Deluxe 2013 on your Mac for free. I do not know, however, if you will be able to run your QWin 2004 in such a set up.

Boatnmaniac

Do you know if your QWin 2004 is a US or a UK edition? The suggestions I made are applicable to the QWin US only. Quicken discontinued products for countries outside of the US and Canada about 20 yrs ago so if you are using a UK software you will not be able to upgrade nor convert to a newer UK software. You can read more about which countries Quicken currently supports at https://www.quicken.com/support/quicken-us-and-canada-products.

If, however, you are using a US edition of QWin 2004 then the information I provided earlier still applies with one notable exception: If you subscribe to Quicken you will not be able to download transactions from any non-US financial institutions. You can however, still manually enter the transactions. Since you will not be able to download transactions then perhaps your best option would be to do the upgrade to QWin Deluxe 2013 and then run that in a VM environment on your Mac since you won't need to pay for the QMac Subscription. To upgrade/convert, instead, to QMac will not buy you much. In fact, you will lose some functionality/features because QMac and QWin are not the same software and QWin is in someways more fully featured than QMac is. Also, QWin 2013 will be much more familiar to you while QMac has a much different UI.

Boatnmaniac

In order to convert your QWin 2004 to QMac, you will first need to upgrade your QWin 2004 to QWin 2011 or higher. You can download a free QWin Deluxe 2013 from Quicken.com at https://www.quicken.com/support/how-and-when-use-intermediate-version-convert-older-versions-quicken….click on If you are converting from Quicken 2004 through 2009 to find the download link. Note that if you are using a different edition of QWin (such as Premier instead of Deluxe), your data will be retained during the QWin Deluxe 2013 upgrade

Once you have upgraded to QWin Deluxe 2013 you can then convert to QMac Subscription. That conversion process is documented at https://www.quicken.com/support/converting-quicken-windows-quicken-mac-2016.

Note that Quicken Subscription is an annual subscription service that will allow you to download data from financial institutions that support Quicken and will provide some other online services. If you do not renew the subscription at the end of the subscription term you will be able to continue using Quicken manually (no downloading or online services) except that Starter edition will become read-only. Also note that about 20%-30% of your your screen will be taken up by reminders to resubscribe and those reminders cannot be removed without resubscribing.

If you are OK with managing your accounts in Quicken manually, you might want to consider another option: Install a VM software (such as Parallels) on your Mac. Then you can use QWin Deluxe 2013 on your Mac for free. I do not know, however, if you will be able to run your QWin 2004 in such a set up.

Jugie

Apologies but I should have said that I am a UK resident; does this change your reply?

Boatnmaniac

Do you know if your QWin 2004 is a US or a UK edition? The suggestions I made are applicable to the QWin US only. Quicken discontinued products for countries outside of the US and Canada about 20 yrs ago so if you are using a UK software you will not be able to upgrade nor convert to a newer UK software. You can read more about which countries Quicken currently supports at https://www.quicken.com/support/quicken-us-and-canada-products.

If, however, you are using a US edition of QWin 2004 then the information I provided earlier still applies with one notable exception: If you subscribe to Quicken you will not be able to download transactions from any non-US financial institutions. You can however, still manually enter the transactions. Since you will not be able to download transactions then perhaps your best option would be to do the upgrade to QWin Deluxe 2013 and then run that in a VM environment on your Mac since you won't need to pay for the QMac Subscription. To upgrade/convert, instead, to QMac will not buy you much. In fact, you will lose some functionality/features because QMac and QWin are not the same software and QWin is in someways more fully featured than QMac is. Also, QWin 2013 will be much more familiar to you while QMac has a much different UI.

jacobs

Just a quick note on the VM suggestion from @Boatnmaniac. There are two main options for VM software on the Mac: Parallels and VMware Fusion. Parallels is generally considered the better of the two; users and reviewers cite its easy set-up to set up and integration with your Mac software, and it's frequent updates, particularly for each annual upgrade of macOS. But… it is paid software. In fact, the lowest level is Parallels Standard, which is only sold in a $99/year subscription (which costs more than a subscription to Quicken!) or $129 as a one-time license (but you'll need to buy it again each time you upgrade your macOS). Fusion is also commercial software, but offers a personal license for their lowest level product (Fusion Player) for free. However, you'll need to provide your own Windows 11 for ARM license to install in the VM, so you'll likely need to purchase that. So if you're looking for the lowest cost way to move forward using Quicken Windows on a Mac, your least expensive path is likely VM Fusion Player running Quicken Windows 2013 is likely your path.

Or… you can try Quicken Mac to see if it meets your needs. After you buy your new Mac, you can buy a one-year Quicken subscription, download Quicken Mac, and convert your data from Quicken Windows 2013. You can get a refund from Quicken within 30 days of purchase if you find Quicken Mac does not meet your needs.

Greg_the_Geek

The other free option is Oracle VirtualBox though you need a copy of Windows.

jacobs

The other free option is Oracle VirtualBox though you need a copy of Windows.

Thanks, Greg. I always forget about VirtualBox because it seems many fewer Mac users use it and mention it. I'd note that Oracle lags behind in support of their software on Apple silicon (M1/M2/M3) Macs. The current version of Virtualbox is 7.0.14, but in order to install on an Apple Silicon (ARM) Mac, you need to dig down to their older releases, where you can find version 7.0.8 from last April, where there is a beta/developer preview for Macs with ARM chips. I don't follow this software, so I don't know where they are with progressing beyond a beta version, nor whether that version from last year runs on a current M3 Mac or the current macOS Sonoma. So going down this road requires some additional research and possibly more technical skills.

smayer97

(Fusion Player) for free. However, you'll need to provide your own Windows 11 for ARM license to install in the VM, so you'll likely need to purchase that.

Fusion now makes downloading Windows 11 ARM easy. See: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Fusion/13/com.vmware.fusion.using.doc/GUID-8319563B-77F8-4F78-B5E2-69FA2DED5E59.html

Also, for either Fusion or Parallels, you need an applicable license. "You can use any applicable existing Windows license to activate Windows
11 or purchase a new Windows license."

jacobs

Yes, exactly what I said: a user needs to provide their own Windows 11 license. Downloading Windows isn't what I called out, it's the need for a Windows license. I didn't note that Windows Home is not supported, so a Windows Professional license is needed. My point was that most people upgrading from an old computer, like the OP in this thread, would need to purchase a Windows license because they won't already have a Windows 11 Professional license.

smayer97

My point is that you only pointed out the need for a Windows license with VMWare Fusion, not Parallels, making it appear that only the former needs one. They both need it.