How to Export Your Data From Quicken on Windows and Mac

Years of history live inside a Quicken data file: every paycheck, every split grocery receipt, every reconciled statement. Whether you are moving to another app, archiving an old file or just want a copy you control, the goal is the same. Get that history out in a format other software can read, and check that nothing went missing on the way.

Quicken’s menus have changed over the years and differ between versions, so the steps below describe what to look for rather than promising the exact wording on your screen. If a menu item has moved, Quicken’s built-in help search usually finds it by name.

Before you export: three minutes of preparation

Back up first. On Windows, use File > Backup and Restore to make a backup of your data file. On Mac, use Quicken’s backup option in the File menu. Keep this backup even after you switch. It is your safety net if anything goes wrong, and it is the only copy that keeps absolutely everything.

Update and tidy. Install any pending Quicken updates, then do a quick tidy:

• Accept or delete any downloaded transactions still waiting for review.
• Reconcile your main accounts up to the latest statement if you can.
• Note each account’s current balance. You will compare against these later.

Write down your balances. A simple list is enough:

Account	Balance
Checking	$3,412.18
Savings	$12,050.00
Visa	-$864.37
Mortgage	-$212,400.00

This list is how you will know the export and the import worked.

Quicken for Windows: exporting a QIF file

QIF (Quicken Interchange Format) is the most complete export Quicken for Windows offers that other programs can read. It is a plain text file holding transactions, splits, categories, transfers and memos.

1. Open the data file and go to File > Export > QIF File.
2. Choose where to save it and give it a clear name, such as quicken-export-all.qif.
3. In the account selector, choose all accounts if your version offers that option, or export one account at a time if it doesn’t.
4. Set the date range. To keep everything, set the start date earlier than your oldest transaction.
5. In the “include” options, tick Transactions, Account list and Category list. Memorized payees are optional.
6. Click OK and wait. A file with many years of history can take a minute.

Open the result in a text editor (not a word processor) to make sure it isn’t empty. You should see lines starting with !Type: or !Account, followed by blocks of transactions that each end with a ^.

What about QXF?

Quicken for Windows can also export a “Quicken Transfer Format” (QXF) file. It is designed for moving data between copies of Quicken. Other apps generally can’t read it, so for switching, use QIF.

Quicken for Mac: what to look for

Quicken for Mac has offered different export options across versions. Open the File > Export menu and see what yours lists:

• QIF. If your version offers QIF export, use it. It keeps splits and transfers and is the closest match to the Windows export.
• Transactions to CSV. A CSV is a spreadsheet-style file with one row per transaction. It is widely readable, but it usually flattens splits and may not mark transfers as clearly.

If you have both, export QIF as your main file and a CSV as a backup you can easily open and inspect.

Exporting reports to CSV (either platform)

Reports are a useful extra. They don’t replace a full export, but they give you something readable in any spreadsheet:

• A transaction report for all accounts and all dates, exported to CSV or an Excel-compatible file, is a human-readable list of your entire history.
• A net worth report by month is handy for comparing later. Few imports carry over historical net worth exactly, but you can check it.
• A category spending report by year helps you rebuild a budget in your new app.

Look for an export or “Save as” option on the report window. Save each with the date in the filename.

What a Quicken export keeps, and what it doesn’t

Knowing the limits up front saves surprises.

Usually kept in QIF:

• Dates, amounts, payees, memos and check numbers
• Categories, including subcategories (written like Auto:Fuel)
• Splits, with each line’s category and amount
• Transfers between accounts (written as a category in brackets, like [Savings])
• Cleared and reconciled marks

Often not kept, or not usable elsewhere:

• Attachments, such as scanned receipts. Save any you need separately.
• Scheduled bills and reminders. Recreate these in the new app.
• Memorized reports, custom report layouts and budgets.
• Investment detail. QIF can carry investment transactions, but many apps can’t import lots and cost basis. Keep your Quicken backup or download brokerage statements for that history.
• Online banking connections. You will reconnect or re-download in the new app.

A worked example: checking an export

Say you exported 14 years of data from 9 accounts, and the QIF file is about 6 MB. Here is a quick sanity check before you import anywhere:

1. Count the accounts. Search the file for !Account. You should find a block for each of your 9 accounts (it may appear more than once if account lists and transactions are written separately).
2. Spot-check a split. Find a transaction you remember splitting, such as a $142.60 warehouse-store trip. In QIF, split lines start with S (category) and $ (amount). The $ lines should add up to $142.60.
3. Spot-check a transfer. Find a $500.00 transfer from checking to savings. It should show [Savings] as its category in the checking account.
4. Check the oldest date. Search for the year your file started. If it’s missing, widen the date range and export again.

After you import into the new app, compare every account’s balance with your written list. If checking shows $3,412.18 in both, you’re done with that account. If it’s off, the difference usually points to the cause: an amount equal to one transaction suggests something was skipped or doubled.

Keep the original

Don’t delete your Quicken file after exporting. Store the backup, the QIF file and your reports together in one folder, with a note of the date and your balances. Disk space is cheap, and a complete original is worth having if a question comes up years later.

Importing into Kemback

If Kemback is where you’re heading, its Switch from Quicken wizard takes a Quicken QIF export, brings in your accounts, categories, splits and transfers, and checks every account’s balance to the cent against Quicken’s. Investment holdings aren’t tracked in Kemback yet, so keep your Quicken backup for that history.

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This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. For decisions about your situation, talk to a qualified professional.