QuickBooks Desktop shows Error -6123, 0 when it cannot open or restore a company file. It often appears right after you double-click the file, after an update, or after moving to a new computer. The cause is not always the file itself, so the order of the checks matters.

Before You Start

Open your company file from inside QuickBooks (File, then Open or Restore Company), not by double-clicking it in Windows Explorer. Intuit notes that opening the file from Explorer can itself cause an error.

Why It Happens

Intuit points to two main causes:

• The computer’s processor. QuickBooks Desktop is designed for Intel or AMD processors. On ARM-based computers, such as those with a Snapdragon or Qualcomm processor, it does not run properly, and Intuit says a software update will not fix that.
• A network or file problem. On an Intel or AMD computer, Intuit says the error is more likely caused by a problem with the network connection or the company file.

Step 1: Check Your Processor

1. Click Start, type About your PC and press Enter.
2. Under Device specifications, read the Processor line.
3. If it says Intel or AMD, go to Step 2.
4. If it says Snapdragon, ARM or Qualcomm, QuickBooks Desktop is not a good fit for that computer. Intuit’s options are to move QuickBooks and your data to an Intel or AMD computer, use cloud hosting through an authorized provider, or switch to QuickBooks Online.

Intuit also describes a temporary workaround for ARM computers that may give one-time access to your data and has to be repeated each time. Close QuickBooks, open Task Manager, end QBDBMgrN.exe, QBCFMonitorService.exe and QBHelp.exe (right-click each, choose End task), then reopen QuickBooks and your company file. Treat this as a way to get at your data, not a long-term fix.

Step 2: Run QuickFix my Program

1. Install the latest QuickBooks Tool Hub from Intuit if you do not have it, and open it.
2. Select Program Problems, then QuickFix my Program.
3. Wait for it to finish. It usually takes about a minute, longer if several QuickBooks versions are installed.
4. Open QuickBooks and your company file again.

Step 3: Run QuickBooks File Doctor

If the error is still there, the company file may be damaged.

1. In the Tool Hub, select Company File Issues, then Run QuickBooks File Doctor.
2. Choose your company file from the list, or use Browse to find it. The file name ends in .qbw.
3. Select Check your file, then Continue.
4. Enter your QuickBooks admin password and select Continue. Repairs can take a while, so let it finish.
5. When it is done, select your company and choose Open QuickBooks.

Once the file opens, make a backup straight away. If the error continues after File Doctor, Intuit says your data should be safe and recommends contacting its data services team.

If You Are Restoring From a Backup

• Restoring a .qbb backup: if the backup is on a network drive or an external device, copy it to the computer’s local hard drive first. Do not restore it from an online storage folder or a removable drive.
• Restoring on a new computer: on the original computer, open the original company file (not the backup) and create a portable company file (.qbm). On the new computer, restore the company from the .qbm instead of the .qbb.

Common Mistakes

• Repairing the file when the computer is the problem. If the processor is ARM, File Doctor will not help. Check the processor first.
• Opening the file from Windows Explorer. Open it from inside QuickBooks.
• Restoring from a USB stick or a cloud-synced folder. Copy the backup to the local drive first.
• Skipping the backup after a successful repair. Make one before you carry on working.

On a Hosted Server

When QuickBooks runs on a hosted Windows server, the program runs on the server’s processor, not on the laptop you connect from, so an ARM laptop is not the limit it would be for a local install. If you still see this error on a hosted desktop, tell your provider, because the file check and the repair are done on the server. For how that setup works, see QuickBooks on a Server: How It Works.

Source: Intuit’s help article “Error -6123,0 in QuickBooks Desktop.” Steps can vary by QuickBooks version, so check Intuit’s current guidance for yours.