Has anyone used Quicken Windows with Crossover on a Mac?

Bob.

Has anyone used Quicken Windows with Crossover on a Mac?

Happy to provide tons of details or answer any question, but I'm a new Mac user (after 40 years of Windows) and I'm trying to transition from Windows if possible. I do not think Quicken Mac will work as I desire and I will not use VMWare or Parallels on the Mac as I do not want to support and maintain Windows 11 on a Mac.

It appears some sites say Quicken Windows works well on the Mac with Crossover. Can anyone confirm and perhaps tell me their experiences? I am hoping this might be my solution if it works well, is stable and stays functional as Mac OS transitions through versions.

Appreciate your thoughts.

jacobs

@Bob. I suggest you post this same question in a Quicken Windows category of this forum as well. If someone is running Quicken Windows, they likely look there (rather than the Mac categories) even if they're using Crossover or VMWare or Parallels.

Bob.

Thanks @jacobs will see what happens here.

FWIW, the Crossover site says:

Introduction

CrossOver allows you to run Windows software on your Mac. Because CrossOver integrates the applications with macOS, games like Grand Theft Auto V, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, and The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, or productivity apps like Quicken launch like any native program. It's as simple as a double-click.

To be seen. And I get concerned when Quicken or MacOS updates what will happen. Those are the reasons I hope to find a few users with personal experience.

jacobs

@Bob. Yes, I'm familiar with Crossover from CodeWeavers. I don't use it, but from the scattered comments I've read over the years, it works — but it does break and have to wait for fixes after some updates to both operating systems and applications. People report that CodeWeavers support is pretty good. They provide a two-week free trial, so when you have the time, I'd just download it and give it a try to see what your experience is. (After two weeks, the license is $74, I believe.)

You can search this site for a few threads about running Quicken Windows on a Mac with Crossover. Here are a couple I see…

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7891015/any-success-running-quicken-windows-with-codeweavers-crossover-on-m1-mac

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7960249/migrating-quicken-2017-from-old-to-new-computer

There are some others, but most of the ones I saw on first glance are somewhat old.

Bob.

Well, installed both Crossover and Quicken Classic Windows on my Mac today after deciding Quicken Mac is missing too much for me to be happy with it. Did look great, very fast, but not for me. I wanted it to be. Alas.

As an aside, Quicken is the only app of 6 I tried today that works in Crossover. I cannot get Quicken to look "crisp" on the Macbook retina screen. There are settings in Crossover like High Denisty (much too small) and in Wine Console to change from default 96 dpi to 120 dpi. Too small, too large. Its an issue, but not yet deal breaker.

Then, lots of dialogs open in Quicken and rush to the dock or trash as One Step Update runs. No idea what they are.

Still needs testing. But a quick report…

jfclague

I still find Parallels the no brainer (worth the price, I purchase a new license during the Christmas sale and usually works for two years before I need to upgrade). Worth the price to me to run Quicken and TurboTax. Just my opinion.

Bob.

Being retired and trying to avoid ALL subscriptions (which I cannot)) Parallels and Win 11 is too pricey. When it was $99 lifetime I might have considered it. Now VMWare is free, but still requires Windows.

Do you find you need to do all the Windows updates in Parallels that you would have to in a Windows computer? That turns me off if so, but I do not know if that's required.

jfclague

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20480441#Comment_20480441

Yes, I do all the Windows updates with Parallels. I found a discounted copy of Windows and just renew my Parallels subscription every two years, usually around $69 for the year

smayer97

Alternatively, you can use VMWare Fusion for free, which is just as much full-featured as Parallels, and now has an easy autoinstall of Windows. Or you can use UTM (based on QEmu) which is also free, and very active and well supported in the open source community.

You can also convert a Parallels VM to Fusion or UTM.

Though not for everyone, you can also keep a Windows computer and use free remote access software on the Mac to access Quicken for Windows, e.g. NoMachine and Teamviewer), or even from mobile devices (see this great article for complete review of many options****):

http://machow2.com/rdp-for-mac/

****Though it is written with Macs in mind, many of the solutions work on Windows too.

Bob.

Thanks @smayer97 Aware of most,

Some say you can get free Windows 11 (perhaps with limititations) in VMware. Have knowledge of that? And if I had a choice, would prefer Windows 10…

And not familiar with UTM. Off to Google.

Today was day two of Crossover. Not working for any other Windows app I am trying to install other than Quicken. And there, just a little wonky. For example, I realized my columns in registers were not exactly like Windows. So changed, set for all registers of each type to be the same and now ehen I close Quicken, each register shrinks as a small popup and closes before the Quicken container closes. Odd.

smayer97

Some say you can get free Windows 11 (perhaps with limititations) in VMware. Have knowledge of that? And if I had a choice, would prefer Windows 10…

no direct knowledge of that, I believe reading something along those lines. It once was possible to get Windows 10. But not sure if/how to get now.

Bob.

FWIW, Win 10 does not have an ARM version, so only 11 with VMWare I'm afraid for Apple Silicon.

OK, I broke up with Crossover :) First, I was not happy with how Quicken ran or looked. Not bad, and functioned, but not clean, crisp and lots of flashing dialogs. Second, none of the other 11 apps I wanted to run in Crossover ran, including one Codeweavers claimed did! Support suggested a workaround "bottle" in a very terse reply to a thoughtful support question or two. Did not work. Future support felt more and more like AT&T or Xfinity…you get the drift. So cannot recommend Crossover for any reason to anyone.

Deleted that and Quicken from my Macbook. Codeqeaverrs even has a total uninstall and clean up utility that left an awful lot behind. A personal sign for me on the lack of thought ad attention that went into the product.

So now left with three choices:

1. Run VMWare and Quicken and other apps there. Decided no. I do not want a full install of Win 11 on my Mac and have to maintain that with all sorts of Windows foo we have become used to.
2. Keep my PC as well. Not my favorite choice.
3. Try Windows Mac again and learn to fall "in like" with it. My first try was not great and was missing so many features I have grown fond of in Windows Quicken. And never got some anwers to legitimate things I could not figure. So will try again and start a brand new thread with questions.

So there we are….

jtemplin

I know you've decided to go back to Mac Quicken but the cheapo solution for this to me would be:

1. Go to eBay and buy a used, mainstream-brand mini PC like the Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q with an 8th gen processor (that can run Windows 11). These can be found for about $100 and most already include a Windows license. For step 4, you'll need to running Windows Pro. These mini PC's don't take up much desktop space, especially if you place them vertically. Dell and HP have similar models.
2. If you do need a Windows license, you can buy a cheap license from many online sources, or install Window but don't activate it. It still works, but you won't be able to access the desktop personalization options (which you probably don't care about since you're just running Quicken). Again for step 4, you'll need to be running Windows Pro.
3. Install Win Quicken on the mini PC.
4. Use Microsoft's Remote Desktop Software for Mac to access the mini PC.

I like accessing the remote system full screen and put that screen on another local desktop for easy switching. I do this in Windows, but I'm sure Mac has a similar feature. It just takes a hotkey to flip between desktops.

Total cost: one-time $100-ish for the mini PC. Another $20-ish for a cheap Windows Pro license if you need one. You already own Quicken. Only downside: you have to keep Windows patched, but there is much to be said for simplicity of this set-up (no VMWare, Parallels, etc., and you can wipe the mini PC anytime you need to.)

My 2 cents.

Bob.

Thanks. Already have a running PC with Quicken. Would much prefer not to have to support two operating systems. Windows patches, updates, and other foo takes too much time. If Mac turns out not to be my solution, I'll just keep the PC I already have. Though if I did not have this, you suggest a great solution.