A Complete Guide to Fix TurboTax Error Code 36

Despite being one of the leading online tax filing software in the world, TurboTax often encounters TurboTax error code 36 that puts off its users. And since they don’t know how to deal with the problem much, they end up doing things that exacerbate the problem. This is why we have got you this guide that will teach you how to fix error code 36 in TurboTax step by step and also answer other important frequently asked questions such as “how do i install TurboTax on my computer?” in detail. 

So here we go: 

What is TurboTax Error 36?

TurboTax error code 36 (aka runtime error 36) is a very common error faced by TurboTax users all over the world. It occurs due to a variety of reasons out of which installation failure on Windows and Mac is very common. 

For instance, when the software crashes or stops working in the run time then the 36 error is likely to appear.

Such an error can annoy you that you would really want to get rid of. But before moving forward let’s know all the factors that cause error code 36 in TurboTax.

What Are The Causes of Error Code 36 in TurboTax?

Some of the major causes behind error code 36 in Turbotax are as follows:

• Installation failure
• TurboTax has crashed or failed 
• Corrupt system files
• Abrupt shutdown
• Improper deletion of hardware/software
• Your system is unable to read files from TurboTax CD
• You are not able to copy the files to your hard drive

Symptoms of TurboTax Error Code 36

If your system is experiencing one of the following, it is confirmed that you are facing TurboTax error code 36: 

• A pop-up stating error code 36 constantly appears on your screen. This might crash the window you are running.
• Your computer might work slow or perform very sluggishly.
• Your system will crash frequently. This often abrupts important tasks you are doing on your computer.
• The computer might also get frozen.
• The software you are trying to install can be failed in between.

Now it’s time to take action!

Fix TurboTax Error Code 36 on Windows Computer

Users experiencing this error code on their Windows computer can use a number of repair methods. For example, they can close problematic software, reinstall the programs, update antivirus software, reinstall the runtime libraries, clean the disk space, reinstall graphic drivers, adjust Internet settings, restore Windows registry, and run a malware scan.

To fix everything at once, users can also try restoring their system to the previous state. 

Method 1: End Process in Task Manager

If you are viewing the run time error on your screen then you should close the programs that are creating conflicts. This can be done by the Task Manager. To do so, you can follow these steps:

• Use the “Ctrl + Alt + Del” key combination to open “Task Manager” on your computer screen. Here you will see a list of all the programs that are running currently.
• Now, click on the “Processes” tab.
• Then, highlight the programs one after one and click on the “End Process” button.

Note: When you end the task one by one, you need to simultaneously check if the encounter error code 36 has been eliminated or not. 

When you find out what program is actually causing the error, reinstall its particular software application.

Method 2: Update or Reinstall the Programs

In case your system is experiencing TurboTax error code 36 due to a specific program then you should uninstall it and reinstall later. For this, you can go to “Control Panel”. Here is the step by step instructions to open Control Panel based on your Windows version:

Windows 10

• In the Windows search bar, type “Control Panel”.
• Click on the “Control Panel” when it appears in the result.
• Now, go to the “Uninstall a program”.

Windows 8

• Click on the “Start” menu.
• Scroll down to find “More Settings”.
• Click on “Control Panel”.
• Go to “Uninstall a program”.

Windows 7

• Click on the “Start” menu.
• Go to “Control Panel”.
• Switch to “Uninstall a program”.

Once you are in the Control Panel (Programs and Features) then you can click on the program that you wish to uninstall or update.

If you choose to update the program then you need to follow the on-screen instructions to finish the app update process. In case you prefer to uninstall the program then you will have to reinstall it on your computer.

Tip: When you see a list of installed programs, you can also check the utilities for removing the program. Whichever program is causing the issue, you can remove that program from your system.

Method 3: Update Virus Program

If you are using the virus software, you should make sure that you update its version. Outdated features can cause unwanted errors. Therefore, it is mandatory to check for the latest updates and then install them.

Once your virus program is upgraded, you should run to scan your system and detect malware attacks. By doing so, you can remove the threats that may attack your system.

Method 4: Reinstall the Runtime Libraries

There are instances when you encounter TurboTax error code 36 due to the outdated MS Visual C++ package. If it is not installed completely on your system then you should uninstall it and install a new one. To do so, you can pursue the following steps:

• In the Windows search bar, type “Control Panel”.
• Click on “Control Panel” when it appears in the result.
• Now, go to “Uninstall a program”.
• Find “Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package” in the list of all programs.
• Hit the “Uninstall” button located on the top.

Once you are done following these steps, you can reboot your system. Thereafter, you can proceed with the new package installation from Microsoft. This can resolve TurboTax error 36 on your computer.

Method 5: Run Disk Cleanup

Error code 36 in TurboTax can also occur due to low space. This is why, in this method, you are required to run Disk Cleanup.

Before moving forward, one should take a backup of your system files. Now, let’s do that in the following steps:

• In the Windows search bar, type “Disk Cleanup”.
• Click on the “Disk Cleanup” when it appears in the list.
• Choose the drive you prefer to clean up.
• Hit the “OK” button.
• Now, under the “Files to delete” section, choose the file types you wish to remove.
• Select the “OK” button.

In case you wish to free more space then you can remove the system files and clear the cache. Once you are done clearing the disk space, you can reboot your system. This will possibly let you install the software with no interruption.

Method 6: Reinstall Graphic Driver

Poor Graphics Drivers can interrupt the installation process. Therefore, you should check whether your graphics driver is corrupt or not.

If you find it corrupt then you should uninstall it and install a new one. Here is how to uninstall the graphic driver from your system:

• Open “Device Manager” on your computer.
• Search for “Graphics driver”.
• Click on “Video card driver”.
• Then, hit the “Uninstall” option.

After you uninstall the driver successfully, make sure you restart your system. Thereafter, you can browse the new graphics driver for your Windows version and install it on your computer.

Method 7: Adjust Internet Settings

If the TurboTax error 36 is associated with Internet Explorer, then you should configure the Internet settings. In the following steps, we will be resetting the internet browser and disabling script debugging:

Method 7.1: Reset Your Web Browser

• On Windows 10 & 8, click on the search bar to type “Internet Options”.
• Then, switch to the “Advanced” tab.
• Click the “Reset” button.
• Windows 7 users can click on the “Start” menu.
• Search for “Control Panel”.
• Go to “Internet Options” located on the left.
• Click on the “Advanced” tab.
• Hit the “Reset” button.

Method 7.2: Disable Script Debugging

• On the “Internet Options” window, switch to the “Advanced” tab.
• Search for “Disable script debugging”.
• Place the checkmark on a “Radio” icon.
• Also, deselect the “Display a Notification about Every Script Error” option.
• Click the “Apply” and “OK” button.

After adjusting these settings, you can reboot your PC and check if you are still experiencing error code 36 in TurboTax.

Method 8: Restore Windows Registry

In this method, we will learn to restore a Windows registry related to error 36. This can be done by launching the Command Prompt. Let’s know how to do it in the following instructions:

• Click on the “Start” menu.
• Type “Command Prompt” in the search bar.
• When the “Command Prompt” window opens, type “Regedit’.
• Hit the “Enter” key.
• Now, switch to the “Registry Editor” window. Then, pick the error 36 key to take a backup.
• Click on the “File” menu.
• Select the “Export” option.
• Click on the folder where you wish to save the backup key for TurboTax.
• Rename the file to identify easily.
• Now, click on the “Export Range” box and ensure that you select the preferred branch.
• Then, click the “Save” button to continue.

After restoring the registry key on the Windows computer, you can get rid of TurboTax error 36. In case, this method does not work then you can scan your computer to detect malware issues. Continue reading to know more about it. 

Method 9: Run Malware Scan

Software often gets crashed when attacked by a virus or malware. In this scenario what you can do is conduct a system scan. Here’s how you can do it: 

• Click on the “Start” menu.
• Open “Command Prompt”.
• Type “cleanmgr” in the “Command Prompt” window.
• Hit the “Enter” key.

This process will start scanning your system and give you the disk space information. Then, you can free up some space as per your requirement by choosing options.

Method 10: Restore Your System

When no step as mentioned above works effectively, you can opt for this method as your last resort. By restoring your system, you can resolve a number of issues as your system will go back in the state when there was no error at all.

• Press the “Windows” key.
• Open “Control Panel”.
• Press the “Ctrl” + “F” key combination. This will show a search bar.
• Type “Recovery” in the search bar and open it.
• Select the “Open System Restore” option.
• Click “Next”.
• Pick one of the available “Restore points” from the list.
• Click “Next”.
• Hit the “Finish” button.
• Click the “yes” option when you see the prompt.

By following these steps, you can easily restore the Windows system and also get rid of the TurboTax error code 36.

Fix TurboTax Error 36 on Mac Computer

Mac users also encounter TurboTax errors. If your system has been attacked by TurboTax error code 36, you should do the following: 

• Run a disk application so that you can test the main problems.
• Ensure that your Mac operating system is updated to the latest version.
• Your disk should be spacious enough. You can check it by following these steps:

• Click on the “Apple” menu to click on the “Mac” option.
• Click on the “More info” option.
• Switch to the “Storage” tab.
• Then, check your hard drive storage.

Once you have an idea about how much space you have, you can free up some space accordingly. 

In a Nutshell

It is normal to encounter TurboTax error code 36. All you need is some patience and this guide by experts to fix it up effectively in no time. If you have any query on your mind, feel free to get in touch. Our representatives will help you find a solution.