Reasons Behind QuickBooks Desktop Running Extremely Slow & How to Fix it

Forever in the service of accounting and finance, QuickBooks has been a primordial tool used by many. However, inconveniences are remembered by customers, such as QuickBooks running slow. Most users have their computer support QuickBooks system requirements, without which they would never encounter any problems with QuickBooks Desktop running slow. What does impact performance, though, are shortfalls in RAM or internet bandwidth as some possible causes of performance failure for QuickBooks? The blog talks about the causes and remedies for QuickBooks loading really slowly.

Important Note: Once QuickBooks starts running slow, your day-to-day work gets disturbed, and you will find yourself less productive. Thus, it is very necessary that you get to know how to solve the issue. This article will discuss the root causes behind QuickBooks running slow and the suitable way to rectify the issue.

Following the solutions would help slow performance issues in both QuickBooks Desktop and Online versions. If you are not willing to troubleshoot this error on your own, call our expert assistants at 1-xxx-xxx-xxxx for prompt assistance in correcting QuickBooks performance.

What Comes to Mind When Talking About Slow Performances of QuickBooks?

Slow Performance of QuickBooks means that QuickBooks Desktop or Online responds sluggishly to user input. This lethargy results from a number of possible causes, and only by rectifying each and everyone can there be optimum performance of QuickBooks. This article will touch upon the causes of the slow response of QuickBooks and the solutions to combat each cause.

Importance of Solving QuickBooks Desktop Slow Issues

QuickBooks is a smart feature to manage any work-related reports this way. This software is capable of managing all accounting and management operations of your business. Sometimes several interferences come in while working with QuickBooks, like unexpected interference: “QuickBooks fails to start,” or “QuickBooks is taking forever to open.” These must be solved because the issue triggers a low level of productivity in your work and ultimately you start doing work that takes twice as long. Therefore, solving this error is utmost important, and that can be done by undertaking the steps below.

What are the main reasons that affect QuickBooks lags or running slow?

The following, as you have requested, are the major reasons accounting for why QuickBooks is lagging or running very slow.

• How can I say that QuickBooks is very slow? Because your computer does not meet the QuickBooks specifications, this results in a slow QuickBooks process.

• QuickBooks running slow would be triggered when QuickBooks is not updated.

• If the size of your QB company file exceeds the threshold limit, the performance of QuickBooks will be affected.

• A technically damaged hard disk or a corrupt window.

• Corruption or blockage from anti-virus software can also lead to improper functioning of QuickBooks.

• Another reason that may bring about performance problem is network connectivity issues and problems with the UNC path.

• Improper installation of QBDT, damaged files, or corrupted program can lead to the slowness of the application.

• Important files such as QBWUSER.INI and Transaction Log files are not running properly in QB.

• Corruptions in the internet browser and excess caches and cookies will force QuickBooks to operate slowly.

• Thus, the above-mentioned details have hopefully justified why my QuickBooks Desktop becomes very slow. This list is one of the most common root causes for QuickBooks process interruption. The quick fix for QuickBooks lagging is found in the troubleshooting methods that will be discussed throughout this article.

Practical Solutions to Perform When QuickBooks Desktop is Running Slow

The operations cannot continue within QB due to slow performance issues. After learning what causes this, you need to follow the below troubleshooting solutions to resolve it:

Solution 1: Upgrade your Computer

• Make sure that you do not store the file in third-party places; rather, choose to store your file in a bona fide server.
• If QuickBooks is slow to open, fill your available RAM slots with chips of the largest capacity.
• Use a 64-bit architecture with a clock speed not lower than 2.2GHz.
• Ensure you use a solid-state hard drive.

Creating a backup after recent files will actually restore the QuickBooks performance, and this is because it resets the TLG file.

• If QuickBooks is slow:  file; backup company; create a local backup.
• Click the options button on the local backup tab.
• Select desktop to save your backup file.
• Make sure you have completed verification and click OK.
• Select save it now and click Next.
• Select desktop and click save in the Backup Copy Save Window.

Solution 2: Establishing a Backup of the Company Files in Quickbooks

The creation of a backup file of recent accounts is a useful way to establish QuickBooks performance fix-up since it resets the TLG file.

• Whenever QuickBooks is running slowly, navigate to the File option in the program, choose Backup Company, and then create a Local Backup.
• Now choose the options button from the Local Backup tab.
• Choose the Desktop for saving your backup file.
• Make sure to select Verifying File after Backup and then click the Ok button.
• Choose the Save it Now option, followed by Next.
• Select Desktop and click Save in the Save Backup Copy window.

Solution 3: Ensure QBDT is Updated

General application problems like slow performance could easily be sorted out with a QuickBooks update. When QuickBooks is not updated, compatibility issues may arise, thereby compromising its performance. Therefore, consider downloading and installing updates for the latest QBDT and rerunning the program to check for performance issues.

If your QuickBooks is still running slowly, follow the instructions in the next solution to eliminate this problem.

Solution 4: Close Antivirus Software when QuickBooks is Very Slow

Sometimes, antivirus programs may affect the computer and thus slow down QuickBooks processes. So if QuickBooks is being slow in the following manner, keep the antivirus software temporarily disabled:

• Click on the Windows Start tab, search for Windows Security, and click the app to open it.
• Then click on Virus & Threat Protection and move to Manage Settings and turn Off Real-Time Protection to temporarily disable Open.

Note: Remember to switch the antivirus back on after fixing the performance issues in QuickBooks for the protection of your system.

Then launch QuickBooks to see if performance has improved. If your QuickBooks Enterprise is still slow, go on to the next solution to resolve the issue.

Solution 5: Repair QuickBooks using the QB Tool Hub Features

QuickBook is such a sophisticated program that maybe if QuickBooks slow over the network, then the program is corrupted or poorly installed. In such a scenario, QuickBooks can be repaired for performance problems following the below instructions:

• To begin, download the latest version of QuickBooks Tool Hub (1.6.0.5), follow the onscreen prompts to install and launch the application on your computer.
• On the Program Problems tab, select Quick Fix My Program, and let the tool repair QB to fix its slow performance.

• If QB still runs slow after that, you need to work on installation issues by running the QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool and performing an install repair.

Once the tool has finished, open QuickBooks again and see if there are any signs that performance has returned to optimal. Meanwhile, if QuickBooks slow over the network, work on the next solution.

Solution 6: Rename QBWUSER.ini

The problem of sluggish QuickBooks may occasionally be caused very seriously by a corrupted QBWUSER.ini file. Renaming it may resolve your “QuickBooks Desktop Running Slow” issue.

• Locate the folder in which you saved the QBWUSER.ini file. The directory might be C:\Users\[Your user name]\App Data\Local\Intuit\QuickBooks[year] on your computer. If you cannot find the folder, enable hidden files and folders in your local drive options.
• Just add the extension .old to its name (so it will read QBWUSER.ini.old).
• Locate and rename the EntitlementDataStore.ecml file.

• Close the subsequent windows and recreate the files in QB after you have opened the application.

Solution 7: Clean Install Utility to Uninstall and Reinstall QBDT

If your QuickBooks Desktop is still giving you performance-related issues after a repair, then you can reinstall the software for a fresh version using the following steps:

• Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the start menu.
• Go to control panel and click on programs and features.

• program and features
• Select QuickBooks from the given list of programs existing on your system.
• Now uninstall it from your PC and go to the Intuit’s official website to download the latest version of QuickBooks Tool Hub.
• Next up, install it on your system successfully and open it.

• Click the installation issues tab, then click the clean install tool button, and then click OK.
• QuickBooks Clean Install Tool
• Select the version of QuickBooks you are using, and press OK.
• Go to the C drive and seek the QuickBooks installation files.
• Add .OLD at the end of the name of the installation folder and reinstall QBDT.
• Refer to our guide for learning the extensive steps in detail in order to clean install QuickBooks Desktop successfully. Activation and running QuickBooks afterward will confirm that the issue of slowness has been resolved; if not, please visit the next solution.

Solution 8: Rename .ND and .TLG Configuration Files

The network data and transaction log files are essential configuration files for accessing the company files over a network in QB. If either of these files is damaged, QuickBooks won’t start as users try to open the company file. So, if you are having performance issues, you must rename these QB configuration files using the steps below –

• First, go to the folder with QB company files, find the files with your company file name with extensions (.ND) and (.TLG), and right-click on each file. 
• Note: If you can’t see the configuration files, check your Windows settings and ensure hidden files and folders are turned on.
• After right-clicking the file name, select Rename and then add .OLD at the end of the file name and hit Enter to save the modified names for the network data and transaction log files.
• After renaming the configuration files, check the performance issues; if these persist, proceed to the next solution.

Solution 9: Verify/Rebuild Your Company File to Fix the Damage

If your company file has damage or corrupted data, it needs to be repaired so that the performance problems within QBDT can be corrected. After running the QuickBooks Verify and Rebuild Data tool to fix the damage to the company file, identify the data issue, and rebuild it, rerun the program.

Now perform the necessary steps within QB so the slow performance issues can be corrected.

QuickWays to Troubleshoot the QuickBooks Online Running Slow Issue

If QuickBooks Online is running slow, follow through with these effective solutions in eliminating performance issues.

Solution -Clear Cache and Cookies from the Web Browser First, run the QuickBooks Online (QBO) version in incognito mode, using the shortcut keys mentioned below, and clear the browser cache, if required:

Google Chrome: Ctrl +Shift+N

MS Edge and Firefox: Ctrl +Shift+P

Safari: Command+Shift+N

If QBO works great in incognito mode, remove the cache and cookies in your web browser, depending on the instructions given below:

Google Chrome

At the top right corner of the Google Chrome homepage appears a More button. Click it to reveal some more options to choose from.

Select Delete browsing data, choose the time range given below, and pick the types of information you want to delete/remove.

Press Delete Data under the above scopes and finish deleting the browser cache and cookies.

Microsoft Edge

• Click the three dots on the Microsoft Edge Browser homepage, click settings, and scroll down to choose privacy, search, and services.
• Moving down to Clear Browsing Data click on Clear Browsing Data Now, and choose Choose what to clear.
• Now go to the Time range section and from the drop-down menu choose a time range, and check on the types of browsing data you want to clear.
• Finally, choose Clear Now after selecting the browsing data to be removed and restart the browser.
• If clearing cache and cookies appears to resolve the issue, please try the following solutions for further assistance.

Solution 10 – Review your Internet Speed

You must check if your internet speed is affecting your QBO experience. To check your internet speed, perform an internet speed test on Google:

• Search Internet Speed Test on Google, click ‘Run Speed Test’, and wait for the results.
• Check the results and see whether the internet speed is minimum 1.5 Mbps (the recommended speed for QBO is 3 Mbps).

If internet speed is fine, run QBO again to check if slow performance problems have been addressed. If not, try updating your web browser before attempting to run QuickBooks Online as a last resort.

Hopefully, this troubleshooting guide will help you in resolving the application’s slow performance. If these solutions do not help and your QuickBooks Desktop is still running slow, please feel free to reach out to our support experts by calling 1-xxx-xxx-xxxx for the best assistance in fixing performance trouble.