QuickBooks Desktop 2020 Backup Strategy After Sunset

Last reviewed 2026-07-05 4 min read

Build a bulletproof local backup routine for QuickBooks Desktop 2020 after its May 2023 discontinuation. Learn .QBB scheduling, 3-2-1 copies, and restore d

QuickBooks Desktop 2020 officially reached the end of its supported lifecycle on May 31, 2023. With Intuit's sunset date behind us, the integrated QuickBooks Online Backup service and other add-on features are no longer available for this version. Because you cannot rely on the cloud features that once automated this process, keeping your 2020 company file safe now requires a strictly local, manual, and highly disciplined approach. Here is how we recommend building a bulletproof backup routine to keep your historical data permanently secure.

The Core Rule: Rely on .QBB Files

While QuickBooks saves your active working data in a .QBW (QuickBooks Working) file, you should never use direct copies of this file as your primary backup. .QBW files are highly prone to corruption if copied while the application is open, and they do not cleanly transfer across network drives or external media.

Instead, use the software's built-in backup function to create a .QBB (QuickBooks Backup) file. This process compresses the data and performs a basic integrity check, ensuring you have a clean, portable archive.

Scheduling Local .QBB Backups

You can automate local backups directly within QuickBooks Desktop 2020. This step is identical across most QuickBooks Desktop versions, but it is especially critical now that remote services are cut off.

In QuickBooks, go to File > Back Up Company > Create Local Backup.
Select Local Backup and click Next.
Click Browse to select a local destination (such as an external USB hard drive or a dedicated local network drive—avoid mapped cloud-syncing folders like Dropbox or OneDrive, as active syncing can corrupt live QuickBooks files).
Check the box to Add the date and time of backup to the file name. This prevents new backups from overwriting old ones.
Click Next, choose Save it now, and complete the first manual run.
To schedule automatic runs, return to this window and select Save it now and schedule future backups, or set limits on the number of backup copies to keep.

Implement a 3-2-1 Strategy

A single external drive is not a backup strategy; it is a single point of failure. We strongly recommend adopting a 3-2-1 approach for your QuickBooks 2020 data:

Keep 3 copies of your data: Your live .QBW working file, plus two separate .QBB backups.
Store backups on 2 different media types: For example, a local external hard drive and a dedicated Network Attached Storage (NAS) drive.
Keep 1 copy off-site: Since Intuit's online backup is gone, you must handle this manually. Once QuickBooks is fully closed, copy your .QBB file to an encrypted USB flash drive and take it to a different physical location, or manually upload the .QBB file to a secure cloud storage provider of your choice.

What to Keep Beyond the .QBW

A .QBB file contains your core financial data, but it does not capture everything you need to survive a catastrophic system failure. You must also archive the following:

The QuickBooks 2020 Installation File: If your hard drive crashes, you will need the exact 2020 installer to restore your data. Keep the downloaded .exe installer file and your license numbers in a safe, offline location.
The Transaction Log File (.TLG): If your .QBW file ever becomes corrupted, the .TLG file contains your most recent transactions since the last backup and is essential for data recovery services. Always keep the .QBW and .TLG files together in the same folder.
The License File (.qbl or .lmr): Keep a text document of your registration details, as reactivating older versions on new hardware can be difficult without them.

Run Regular Restore Drills

A backup is only as good as your ability to restore it. At least once a quarter, take one of your scheduled .QBB files and restore it to a completely different computer (or a renamed folder on the same machine) to verify that the data opens cleanly.

To restore, open QuickBooks 2020, select File > Open or Restore Company, choose Restore a backup copy, and follow the prompts. If the restored file throws errors or fails to open, your backups are failing, and you will need to investigate potential data damage immediately.

If you discover that your live .QBW file is already damaged and throwing Verify/Rebuild errors during your backup process, do not wait. You can attempt the built-in Verify and Rebuild Data utilities, but severe corruption often requires professional intervention to salvage the ledger. For deeply damaged company files, professional QuickBooks file repair services can rebuild the data structure directly so you can get back to generating clean .QBB archives.