How Can I Change the Name of my Quicken File (and also of the Quicken Backup)?

How Can I Change the Name of my Quicken File (and also of the Quicken Backup)?

I'm using the latest Quicken for Windows (subscription) and Windows 10.

Comments

  • GeoffG
    GeoffG SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    You have two options: in Quicken do a Save as and rename to what you want. The other method is to have Quicken closed and use Windows File Explorer (This PC), select the data file and rename it. When you open Quicken, you will need to select the new file name.
    The backups can be renamed the same way using File Explorer, but there is really no reason to rename them unless you feel the need. The newer backups will use the newest file name going forward.
  • splasher
    splasher SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    After the renaming in Windows Explorer, you can double-click on the renamed file and Quicken will start with it and remember it in the recent file list (File menu).

    -splasher using Q continuously since 1996
    - Subscription Quicken - Win11 and QW2013 - Win11
    -Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list

  • Hi Geoff and Splasher,

    I'm sorry, but I could not find SAVE AS in Quicken. (I looked in File Operations too.)

    I tried a rename in W10 Explorer (I renamed from QDATA-NEW 11-30-2019.QDF to QDATA-NEW.QDF).

    I then clicked on the renamed file, but Quicken recognized it as from 2004!

    What the heck am I missing or doing wrong?

    Thanks,

    Alan
  • splasher
    splasher SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Try doing a Quicken Restore.  During the restore, you are asked if you want to overwrite or create a copy, select the create copy and give it the name you wish to change to.

    Doing the rename in Windows Explorer should have worked, I have done it lots of time and so have other users when their data file's name got too long with lots of dates in it.

    -splasher using Q continuously since 1996
    - Subscription Quicken - Win11 and QW2013 - Win11
    -Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list

  • UKR
    UKR SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hi Geoff and Splasher,

    I'm sorry, but I could not find SAVE AS in Quicken. (I looked in File Operations too.)

    I tried a rename in W10 Explorer (I renamed from QDATA-NEW 11-30-2019.QDF to QDATA-NEW.QDF).

    I then clicked on the renamed file, but Quicken recognized it as from 2004!

    What the heck am I missing or doing wrong?

    Thanks,

    Alan

    • "Save as" is in Quicken in the File Menu as "Save a copy as"
    • If, when Quicken tries to open a QDF file, you get a message about file from 2004 or older ... that typically means that this data file is destroyed beyond repair. A control record to tell Quicken which version last used this file cannot be read. The only way out of this hole is to restore a data file from a prior backup. https://www.quicken.com/support/how-backup-or-restore-your-quicken-data

  • Thank you, UKR.

    I think this is a bit outside my confidence level :)

    I am concluding Intuit doesn't want us to mess with Q file names. :)

    Thank you all again,

    Alan
This discussion has been closed.