In most cases, QuickBooks update needs permission from system admin is an easy error to resolve because it only requires admin privileges to install the installation files that were downloaded from online sources.
In this post, you’ll get the steps to resolve the ‘QuickBooks update needs permission from system admin’ error.
Switch to Single User Mode
You cannot install updates properly in the multi-user mode. Many functionalities in QuickBooks depend entirely on the user mode that the software is currently in. If you’ve enabled multi-user mode, then you must have bought multiple licenses for the software so that you can install the software on multiple workstations.
To switch to the single user mode from the multiuser mode, follow the steps given below:
- Log into QuickBooks company file.
- Click on File from the top menu.
- Click on Switch to Single-user Mode/Switch to Multi-user mode.
If you need any additional information about user modes in QuickBooks, you can press F1 or go to the Help menu and type in user mode to view the various help articles available for you.
Total Time: 15 minutes
Run QuickBooks as an Administrator
Are you trying to install the updates using a standard user? If you’re, then the operation is likely going to fail because standard users cannot install any software on the system without admins permission. You can, however, get the credentials for an admin account to authenticate the installation of updates on your system.
Here are the steps to resolve ‘QuickBooks update needs permission from system admin’ error:
🔷 Either log into windows with an admin account, or get the login credentials for an admin account.
🔷 Go to the start menu and type QuickBooks in the search box.
🔷 After right clicking on the QB icon, select Run as Administrator.
🔷 If you’re prompted for login details, then enter the credentials for an admin account to authenticate the process.
🔷 When QuickBooks opens up, log into the company file using an admin account.
🔷 Now go to the Help menu, and select Update QuickBooks.
🔷 Click on Get Updates and follow the required procedure.
🔷 Quit QuickBooks to install the updates after the update files are downloaded by the software.
Admin privileges are essential for downloading and installing updates in QuickBooks. If you lack privileges to make changes for either of the programs, be it windows or QuickBooks, then you won’t be able to install the updates.
It’s not important to sign into a windows admin account. However, you’ll require the username and password for a windows admin account when QuickBooks wants to install the updates on your system. Because standard users don’t have the permission to install software or make any significant changes to system settings, admin privileges are essential for installing the updates.
Repair/Reinstall QuickBooks
While reinstalling QuickBooks is a very long process, you can use the repair function to get rid of any unwanted errors. If you’ve already updated QuickBooks but are still getting this error, then you can go ahead with the processes given below.
To repair QuickBooks desktop in your system, follow the step provided below:
🔷 Log into an admin account in windows.
🔷 Go to the start menu, and select the Control Panel.
🔷 Choose Program and Features, then Uninstall a Program.
🔷 Select QuickBooks, and choose Repair/Uninstall.
🔷 Choose Repair instead of Uninstall.
🔷 Follow the on-screen instructions until you get the Finish button.
You’ve successfully repaired all the program files related to QuickBooks desktop. The main advantage of repairing over reinstalling is that you won’t have to reset all the preferences. However, when you uninstall QuickBooks, all the preferences and templates are automatically removed from the system.
So after you install the software once again, you need to start afresh and begin working on the whole process.
Read Also-: Subscription Needs Activation in QuickBooks Desktop
Conclusion
After you’ve updated QuickBooks, ensure that you also update QuickBooks payroll if you’ve the service activated inside your version of QuickBooks. And you may have to reset some of your preferences so that you can get most of the templates and settings back into your accounting software.
Note: if the error still occurs, get in touch with our experts via chat or call.
💠Frequently Asked Questions💠
Can I Download and Install Updates for QuickBooks Externally?
Yes, you can. Intuit has a complete webpage that provides access to update files for each version of QuickBooks. You can choose the correct information about your product and view all the updates currently available. You even have the option to choose the updates that you want to download. So you can be as selective as you want.
Once you’ve downloaded the update files, you can install them on your system as you’d do any other software. Once the updates are installed, you can start working with QuickBooks.
Do I Need to Rinstall QuickBooks when I still Get the Error after following all the Methods given in this Post?
You may have to. If you’ve already been through all of the steps given above and also installed the updates on your system, but are still receiving the error, then you can try to reinstall QuickBooks.
To uninstall, you need to choose uninstall instead of reinstall so that the uninstaller can remove all the program files related to QuickBooks. After that, you need to download the installer for your version of QuickBooks. You can do so by entering the correct year and edition of QuickBooks. If you get the wrong version, you won’t be able to activate it using the producruct and license key that you’ve on you.
How do I Protect my Company File if I Choose to Repair or Uninstall QuickBooks?
You don’t have to do anything to protect your company file when you try to repair or reinstall QuickBooks on your system. QuickBooks deliberately stores the company file in a folder separate from the program files because it wants to protect user data. If anything goes wrong with the program files, then your company file will still be completely safe in another director.
However, we recommend that you create backups of your company file and store them on a separate workstation or server to ensure the safety of your data. If your company file gets damaged, then you’ve the option to simply restore a previous backup. The more recent the backup, the less you’ll have to manually update all the data to get back to work.
