# Set up a QuickBooks Desktop Test Instance

QuickBooks Desktop has **no cloud sandbox** — to develop and test your integration end to end you need a real QuickBooks Desktop install running on Windows, with the QuickBooks Web Connector. This guide covers the quickest ways to get one.

QuickBooks Desktop is **Windows-only**; there is no Mac version that works with the Web Connector. If you're on a Mac, you'll run it inside a Windows virtual machine or a cloud Windows desktop.

>
> <strong>Fastest option:</strong> if you only need to exercise reads against realistic data, the
> sample company file bundled with every QuickBooks Desktop install requires no extra setup —
> install QuickBooks, open a sample file, and connect. Stand up a dedicated company file when you
> need to test writes against controlled data.

## What you'll need

- A **Windows environment** (a local VM or a cloud Windows desktop — see below).
- **QuickBooks Desktop** for Windows (a 30-day Enterprise trial is the easiest start; a free NFR developer copy keeps it running afterward).
- A free **Intuit Developer Account** (used to activate the trial and to request an NFR licence).

## Step 1 — Get a Windows environment

If you already run Windows, skip to Step 2. Otherwise, pick whichever is easiest for you:

- **Cloud Windows desktop** — e.g. Amazon WorkSpaces, Azure Virtual Desktop, or Windows 365. Choose an "AlwaysOn" / persistent desktop so the Web Connector keeps running between sessions.
- **Local VM** — Parallels Desktop (Apple Silicon Macs), VMware Fusion/Workstation, or VirtualBox, running a Windows 10/11 image.

>
> Cloud-desktop setup steps change often. The exact provisioning flow for services like AWS
> WorkSpaces moves around — follow the provider's current documentation for creating and connecting
> to the desktop, then come back here for the QuickBooks-specific steps.

## Step 2 — Disable IE Enhanced Security Configuration (Windows Server only)

On Windows **Server** images (common with cloud desktops), turn off **Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration** before installing QuickBooks. Left on, it can cause QuickBooks Desktop to freeze when the Web Connector launches it.

In **Server Manager → Local Server → IE Enhanced Security Configuration**, set it to **Off** (for both Administrators and Users). Desktop editions of Windows (10/11) don't have this setting — skip this step there.

## Step 3 — Install QuickBooks Desktop

1. Download the **QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise trial** from Intuit's official site.
2. Run the downloaded installer and complete the install (it can take 20–30 minutes, including a secondary installer).
3. Launch QuickBooks Desktop and choose the edition variant (e.g. **Enterprise — General Business**).
4. Open a **sample company file** to start immediately, or create a new empty company file for controlled testing.
5. Activate with your Intuit Developer Account when prompted. You can set a company-file password (for your own use).

>
> <strong>After the 30 days:</strong> request a free Not for Resale (NFR) developer licence from
> Intuit via a support ticket (include your QuickBooks Desktop version details) to keep the install
> active. NFR copies are Windows-only — there is no Mac NFR.

## Step 4 — Connect it to Apideck

With QuickBooks Desktop installed and a company file open, follow the [connection guide](/apis/accounting/quickbooks-desktop/connection) to:

1. Open the QuickBooks Web Connector.
2. Download `apideck.qwc` and copy the Web Connector password from Vault.
3. Add the application in the Web Connector, authorize it in QuickBooks, and run the first sync.

Once the Web Connector authenticates, the connection becomes callable and you can start making API calls — see the [Quickstart](/guides/quickbooks-desktop-quickstart).

## Tips

- **Leave the Web Connector running.** Syncing only happens while the Web Connector is open and the machine is awake. On a cloud desktop, use an AlwaysOn/persistent instance so syncs continue between your sessions.
- **One company file at a time.** The Web Connector refuses to connect if more than one QuickBooks instance is running. Close extra windows before retrying.
- **Authorize unattended access.** When QuickBooks prompts, allow access "even when QuickBooks is not running" so syncs can run without the app in the foreground.

## Next steps

- 🚀 [Quickstart](/guides/quickbooks-desktop-quickstart) — enable the connector, onboard a consumer, make your first API call.
- 🔌 [Connection guide](/apis/accounting/quickbooks-desktop/connection) — the step-by-step Web Connector walkthrough.