Restore company files using QuickBooks Online Backup

Before you can back up or restore your company file using QuickBooks Online Backup, you must first subscribe to this service.

To find out more about QuickBooks Online Backup go to the File menu, click Save copy or backup, click Backup copy, click Next, and then click the Learn more about QuickBooks Online Backup link.

Note: Once you subscribe to QuickBooks Online Backup, QuickBooks defaults to this option when you attempt to back up or restore your data.

Which files do I restore?

You can restore either your QuickBooks company file (.qbw), or if necessary, you can restore a QuickBooks backup of your company file and its related files (.qbb). The .qbw contains only your company file and its data. The .qbb contains both the company file and all of your supporting files (such as templates, letters, images, and so on).

To do this task

In QuickBooks, go to the File menu and click Open or Restore Company to open the restore wizard.
Click Restore a backup copy and then click Next.

Note: Click this option whether you're restoring a .qbw, .qbb, or any other type of file.
Click Online backup and then click Next to open QuickBooks Online Backup.
Use the Online Backup application to restore the file(s) you've backed up.

Important: The files are restored to the original folder where they were located when they were backed up, unless you change the destination. If you don't change the Destination folder, your existing file will be overwritten. To restore the data to a different location, click the Destination tab located in the Restore window and select Restore files to new directory.
To complete the restore, do one of the following:
- If you're restoring the .qbw file, return to QuickBooks and reopen the company file.
  1. Go to the File menu and click Open or Restore Company.
  2. Click Restore a backup copy and then click Next.
  3. In the Open a company window select the file you restored and click Open.
- If you're restoring a .qbb file, return to QuickBooks and follow the steps for restoring a local backup.

If you need assistance while using the Online Backup application, click Help in that application for more information.