QuickBooks Firewall Settings, Antivirus Exclusions & More (2025 Update)

Managing finances is an overwhelming and critical aspect for all the businesses running around the world. QuickBooks caters to small and midsize businesses, offering accurate solutions for invoicing, bookkeeping, tax calculation/submission, payroll, and a lot more.

However, QuickBooks deals with issues running on some systems due to antiviruses and Windows Firewall blocking the software’s functions. This arises due to your system settings, and QuickBooks doesn’t have a major role to play in that. In this blog, we will decipher the QuickBooks antivirus exclusions and the proper way to configure firewall and security settings for QuickBooks Desktop required to ensure the software runs seamlessly on your PC.

Why do Windows Firewall and Antiviruses Restrict QuickBooks?

Windows Firewall and antiviruses are in place to prevent unwanted access, change in system settings, and also filters (restrict or allow) network traffic. Security software interfering with system applications is a common issue that isn’t just subjected to QuickBooks. You might face problems while running QuickBooks on your system or some of its specific tasks might be blocked if the QuickBooks firewall ports on your PC are disabled, the internet settings are incorrect, or the antiviruses block QB files or background processes.

You need not worry, as this blog contains all the measures you must take to prevent your QuickBooks from getting restricted by Windows firewall and antiviruses on your system. Before that, you must take a look at some preparations you should make to ensure QuickBooks itself isn’t the reason for the network and security problems.

Prerequisite 1: Up-to-date QuickBooks Version

Your QuickBooks must be updated to the latest version released by Intuit. There’s no good in using an outdated QB version, as it can cause incompatibility issues while integrating with other system applications. Here’s how you can download and install the latest QB updates-

Step 1- Check your current QB version

You must begin by knowing the current version of QuickBooks you have on your system. Follow these steps-

1.     Launch your QuickBooks Desktop and press F2 (or Ctrl + 1) to go to the Product Information Window.
   
   
2.     Take a look at your QB version and release.

You are good to go if you have QuickBooks 2024 R12_27, QuickBooks 2023 R14_43, and QuickBooks 2020 R18_40. In case you are lagging with the updates according to your QB year version, proceed with the next step.

Step 2- Download and Install the QB Update

QuickBooks provides you the accessibility to download and install the updates within the software or directly from the internet. We have discussed both the methods for you below-

1.     Ensure the company files and QuickBooks are closed.
2.     Right-click on the QuickBooks icon and select Run as administrator.
3.     Go to the Help menu in the No Company Open screen and tap Update QuickBooks Desktop.
4.     Navigate to the Options tab and select the Mark All checkbox.
5.     Tap Save and go to the Update Now tab.
6.     Select the Reset Update checkbox and tap Get Updates when ready.
7.     Close and reopen your QuickBooks when the updates are downloaded and tap Install Now to begin the installation.
8.     A quick system reboot is suggested after the update installation is complete.

Or

You can directly download the updates from the internet, as shown below-

1.     Visit the Downloads & Updates page of the QuickBooks website.
2.     Choose your country and product in the Select Country and Select Product drop-down, respectively.
3.     Select your QB version (year) in the Select Version drop-down and tap Search.
4.     Click Get the latest updates to download the updates.
5.     Open the file after downloading and follow the on-screen instructions to download the QB updates.

Note: If your payroll service becomes inactive after installing the updates, try syncing your license data as shown below-

1.     Open QuickBooks and access the Help menu.
2.     Tap Manage my License and click Sync License Data Online.

Prerequisite 2: Up-to-date OS Version

Not particularly, but an outdated OS version can also block some of QB functions due to compatibility issues. You must always keep your OS updated to ensure QuickBooks and other PC applications do not have problems operating on your PC. Here’s a quick way to install the latest OS updates on your system-

Mac OS-

Follow these steps if you use MacOS-

1.     Click the Spotlight (Magnifying glass) in the menu bar to run a search for ‘software update.’
2.     The system will automatically search for new updates. Click Update/Upgrade to install the new update.

Windows OS-

Follow these steps if you use Windows OS-

1.     Type ‘Windows update’ in the search bar and click Check for updates in the pop-up menu.
2.     Check if a new update is available in the Windows Update menu.
3.     Click Download and Install and wait for the OS to update.

Procedure to configure QuickBooks firewall ports and QuickBooks antivirus exclusions

In case QuickBooks gets blocked by the Windows Firewall, you’ll face problems connecting to the internet, sharing data with other systems, opening a data file, and many others. A complete resolution for all the issues with the Windows Firewall is to add new firewall ports specifically for QuickBooks. You can either fix the settings using QuickBooks Tool Hub or configure them manually. We have mentioned both the ways below-

Method 1- Fixing QuickBooks Firewall Settings using the QuickBooks Tool Hub

Even if antiviruses block some of the QuickBooks files, you might encounter ‘windows firewall connection sharing not allowed’ messages. You can use the QuickBooks Tool Hub to automatically scan for network problems and configure QuickBooks antivirus exclusions as shown below-

Step 1- Download and Install the Latest Version of QuickBooks Tool Hub

We advise you to always use the latest version of QuickBooks Tool Hub on your computer. Here’s a way to download and install the Tool Hub on your system-

1.     Go to the official QuickBooks website to download the latest QuickBooks Tool Hub or click  HERE to download it.
2.     Wait for the QuickBooksToolHub.exe file to download and open it afterwards.
3.     Agree to the Terms & Conditions and use the on-screen instructions to install.
4.     Wait for the installation to finish and launch QuickBooks Tool Hub.

Step 2- Launch QuickBooks File Doctor

You can use the QuickBooks File Doctor Tool to fix the firewall issues on your PC. This’ll prevent Windows Firewall from blocking QuickBooks and also fix other network issues. Follow this procedure-

1.     Click the Company File Issues option in the QB Tool Hub and select Run QuickBooks File Doctor.
2.     Choose your company file from the drop-down or use the Browse and Search option to locate your data file.
3.     Select the Check your file and network option and tap Continue.
4.     Fill in your QB admin password and click Next.
5.     Wait for the scan to complete.

In case the issue isn’t fixed, you can try the alternate method given below.

Method 2- Manually Configure Firewall Security Settings for QuickBooks Desktop

In case your issues aren’t fixed by the QuickBooks Tool Hub, you don’t have to worry as the Firewall settings can be adjusted manually. You must have the correct Windows firewall configuration for QuickBooks Desktop on your system. Any irregularities might lead to problems while using the software. Here are the steps to manually configure the Windows Firewall ports-

Step 1- Create Windows Firewall Exceptions for QuickBooks

Your QuickBooks cannot communicate with the company file if Windows Firewall stops the software from accessing the system. You might also run into Database Server Manager issues while setting up a multi-user network or trouble connecting to the internet. Use the following steps to add firewall exceptions for QuickBooks-

1.     Press Windows + X on the keyboard and tap the Settings option in the pop-up menu to launch the control panel.
2.     Type ‘Windows Firewall’ in the search bar and click Windows Defender Firewall in the results.
3.     Tap the Advanced Settings option on the left pane of the opened window and further click Inbound Rules.
4.     Select New Rule and click the Port option.
5.     Hit Next and select TCP among the two options (TCP/UDP).
6.     Single-click the text field beside the Specific Local Ports option and use the following list to fill in the Firewall ports depending upon your QB product.

•       QuickBooks 2017: 8019, 56727, 55373-55377.
•       QuickBooks 2018: 8019, 56728, 55378-55382.
•       QuickBooks 2019: 8019, XXXXX.
•       QuickBooks 2020 and above: 8019, XXXX.

Tip: If you use QuickBooks 2019 or later versions, dynamic ports are assigned during the installation of the program. You can use the Database Server Manager to learn about the Firewall ports assigned for your QuickBooks-

1.         Navigate to the Port Monitor tab and fill in the details of your QuickBooks product.
2.         There will be a Port Number mentioned adjacent to your QB product. These are dynamic ports, and you can also use them as Firewall port exceptions.

 Note: You can also change Dynamic Port numbers using the Renew option. If you change the dynamic ports, ensure you go to the Scan Folders tab and click Start Scan to reset the Windows Firewall permissions.

7.     Click Next to proceed after precisely filling in the port numbers.
8.     Click Allow the connection in the next window and hit Next.
9.     Make sure you select all the user profiles given in the prompt and assign a new name to the rule you have created.
10.   Click Finish.
11.   Click Outbound Rules instead of Inbound Rules and follow the similar steps (after step 4) to add the Firewall port exceptions.

Step 2- Add Firewall Exceptions for your QB’s Executable Files

QuickBooks also uses executable files (.exe) to perform its functions, similar to all the other applications. Arranging the Firewall configuration for QuickBooks Desktop also includes adding firewall ports for all the files individually. Use the following steps-

1.     Altogether, press Windows + X and click the Settings option in the pop-up to launch the Control Panel.
2.     As you did earlier, open the Windows Defender Firewall window from the search bar and click the Inbound Rules option.
3.     Hit the New Rule option and select Program.
4.     Tap Next and select the This Program Path option.
5.     Click Browse ad with the help of the following table add one or more QB’s executable files from their respective locations on your PC-

Executable files	Location
AutoBackupExe.exe	C:\Program Files\Intuit\QUICKBOOKS YEAR
Dbmlsync.exe	C:\Program Files\Intuit\QUICKBOOKS YEAR
DBManagerExe.exe	C:\Program Files\Intuit\QUICKBOOKS YEAR
FileManagement.exe	C:\Program Files\Intuit\QUICKBOOKS YEAR
FileMovementExe.exe	C:\Program Files\Intuit\QUICKBOOKS YEAR
QuickBooksMessaging.exe	C:\Program Files\Intuit\QUICKBOOKS YEAR
QBW32.exe	C:\Program Files\Intuit\QUICKBOOKS YEAR
QBDBMgrN.exe	C:\Program Files\Intuit\QUICKBOOKS YEAR
QBServerUtilityMgr.exe	C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks
QBCFMonitorService.exe	C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks
QBLaunch.exe	C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks
QBUpdate.exe	C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks\QBUpdate
IntuitSyncManager.exe	C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\Sync
OnlineBackup.exe	C:\Program Files\QuickBooks Online Backup

 

6.     Click Allow the connection after selecting all the executable files and select Next.
7.     Ensure all user profiles displayed in the software prompt are marked and assign the new rule with any desirable name.
8.     Click Outbound Rules instead of Inbound Rules in Step 2 and add all the executable files again.

Step 3- Safeguard QuickBooks Desktop from the Antiviruses on Your PC

Once you have added all the QuickBooks Firewall exceptions, you’ll also have to prevent QuickBooks from getting blocked by other antiviruses on your PC (if you use any). QuickBooks is mostly compatible with all the trusted antiviruses currently available, but some of its executable files might get quarantined by the antiviruses due to one reason or another. If this happens, QuickBooks might struggle to run on your system, and you might see error messages recurring on your system. These are some of the antiviruses compatible with QuickBooks-

Antivirus software

•       McAfee
•       Avast
•       Bitdefender
•       Norton
•       Kaspersky
•       Trend Micro Security
•       Webroot
•       Cylance (Internet/Regression Only)
•       ESET
•       Panda Dome
•       Sophos
•       Avira
•       Symantec
•       F-Secure

Anti-malware software

•       Bitdefender
•       AVG
•       Malwarebytes
•       Spybot
•       Emsisoft
•       McAfee
•       Avast
•       Webroot
•       ZoneAlarm
•       Kaspersky
•       F-Secure

However, in some cases you might face trouble using QuickBooks even when one or more antiviruses from the above list are installed on your system. We’ll advise you to access the antivirus portal and review its quarantined list to check if any of the QB’s executable files are blocked. Ensure there are no QB-related files or processes in the list, or you can disable antiviruses whenever you use QuickBooks Desktop.

Step 4- Reboot Your System

Once you configure the Firewall ports, reboot your system to ensure the changes are saved and applied on your PC.

Procedure to configure QuickBooks internet security settings

In some cases, you can also face network problems while using QuickBooks due to incorrect internet security settings on your system. It is rare but you can encounter ‘QuickBooks internet security levels are too high’ messages while using the internet for QB functions. You can tackle the issues by configuring the TLS settings or by listing Intuit websites safe in your browser settings. Here are the methods to do both-

Method 1- Configuring the TLS Settings for QuickBooks Desktop

TLS stands for Transport Layer Security, which is a system setting to encrypt the data you share over the internet to prevent unauthorized access or theft. In case the TLS settings aren’t properly set, you can face problems performing QB tasks that require internet. Some users relate this problem to the Windows Firewall and get stuck with solutions fixing the Firewall settings. Instead, the following method must be used to configure the TLS settings-

1.     Use the search panel to launch the Internet Properties window or type ‘inetcpl.cpl’ as a command in the Run window.
2.     Navigate to the Advanced tab and look out for TLS checkboxes in the list.
3.     Only the Use TLS 1.2 and Use SSL 3.0 checkboxes must be marked, and ensure all the other TLS & SSL checkboxes aren’t selected.
4.     Reboot your system after saving the changed TLS and SSL settings.

We also suggest running the TLS 1.2 Readiness tool from the QB Tool Hub, as shown below-

1.     Launch the QuickBooks Tool Hub and click Installation Issues.
2.     Click the QuickBooks TLS 1.2 Tool option mentioned in the bottom right corner and tap Ok to launch the TLS Tool.
3.     Tap Yes in the EULA Agreement and click Run.
4.     Click Exit after the tool finishes running.

Method 2- Add Intuit websites as Trusted Sites in your Browser Settings

QuickBooks Desktop can also face trouble accessing the internet if the connection is blocked by internet security settings. This can happen if the system deems the connection to be insecure or harmful. You can tackle the issue by adding Intuit related websites as trusted sites in the browser settings as shown below-

•       For Google Chrome

Use these steps if you use Google Chrome as the default browser-

1. Single-click the Customize and Control Google Chrome ⋮ (Vertical Ellipsis) icon on the top right and select Settings in the drop-down.
2. Hit the Privacy and Security option and click Site Settings.
3. Select the Third-Party Cookies option and tap Add located in the Allowed to use third-party cookies section.
4. Type *.intuit.com and click Add to save.

•       For Safari

Perform the following steps if you use Safari (MacOS) as your default browser-

1. Launch Safari on your PC and enter *.intuit.com.
2. Click Enter and tap the Bookmarks option.
3. Click Add Bookmark… and select Add this Page to: from the list of options.
4. Select Favorites and tap Add.

•       For Microsoft Edge

Apply these steps if you use Microsoft Edge on your system-

1. Click the … (Ellipsis) icon and select Settings.
2. Go to the Cookies and Sites permissions option on the left menu and tap Manage and delete cookies and site data.
3. Click Add given in the Allow section.
4. Type *.intuit.com and hit Add.

You can easily fix QuickBooks Firewall ports, antivirus exclusions, and internet security settings using the methods given in the blog.

Closure

This blog in detail discusses the correct way to configure firewall security settings for QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks antivirus exclusions required to run the software seamlessly on your system. You can also fix the Internet security settings using the method given in the blog, and we hope all your issues related to Windows Firewall blocking QuickBooks are now solved after going through the blog.

FAQ’s

Why QuickBooks cannot communicate with the company file stored in my PC?

Windows Firewall restrictions are one of the many reasons your QuickBooks might face connecting the data file. Here’s a quick way to bypass the Windows Firewall-

1. Go to the Control Panel (Windows + X > Settings) and open the Windows Defender Firewall window.
2. Select Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
3. Search for QuickBooks in the list and ensure its adjacent checkbox is marked (Public & Private also).
4. Save the settings and reboot your system.

Can Windows Firewall stop me from using QuickBooks in multi-user mode?

Yes, it has been observed that the Database Server Manager runs into problems if Windows Defender stops it from connecting to other systems or setting up a multi-user network. We’ll suggest running the QuickBooks File Doctor Tool to automatically resolve the issues.

My QuickBooks payments are getting stopped, and I am seeing error messages. Is the Windows Firewall responsible?

Yes, it is possible that Windows Firewall is blocking QuickBooks from sending the payments. This happens if certain ports, programs, or websites related to QB payments aren’t enabled for payment services. We’ll suggest doing the following:

•       Configure the Firewall ports by adding 8443 and 443 (both for TCP and UDP) for programs related to merchant.
•       Ensure QBW32.exe, QBPOS.exe, and EFTSVR.exe are running in the background & aren’t blocked by the Windows Firewall/antiviruses.

·        Enable *.intuit.com, *innovativemerchant.com, *innovativegateway.com.