Written ByDavid HernandezSenior Technical Writer

Reviewed ByPatricia WalshFormer Intuit Technical Support Lead

QuickBooks Error 6073, -816: Company File Is Already Open or in Use

Q: How do I know who has the QuickBooks file open?

In multi-user mode, go to Company > Users > View Users to see who's logged in. If you can't open the file at all, ask each person to close QuickBooks and check Task Manager on each computer.

Find Who (or What) Is Holding the File, and Free It

Error 6073 usually means QuickBooks thinks someone else already has the company file open in a way that blocks you. The full code is often -6073, -816 or -6073, -99001. It's very common in offices where two or more people use QuickBooks, but it can happen on a single computer too.

The fix is almost always about finding what's holding the file and setting it free.

"Error -6073, -816: QuickBooks is unable to open this company file. It may be open on another computer in single-user mode."

What's in This Guide:

▶ What Is QuickBooks Error 6073?

▶ Why Does Error 6073 Happen?

▶ Quick Reference

▶ How to Prevent Error 6073

▶ FAQs

Coworkers resolving QuickBooks Error 6073 in a shared office

What Is QuickBooks Error 6073?

QuickBooks locks the company file while it's open. Error 6073 appears when it finds a lock it can't get past. That happens when:

Someone has the file open in single-user mode on another computer
More than one computer is set to host the file
The file or folder is read-only
The file is on a Linux server or NAS without the right Database Server Manager
Remote access software opened the file in a session that didn't close properly

Why Does Error 6073 Happen?

The file is open in single-user mode elsewhere

Single-user mode locks everyone else out. If a coworker or a remote session opened it that way, you'll get 6073.

Multiple computers are hosting

Only the computer storing the file should host multi-user access. If a workstation is also hosting, the file gets locked up.

Read-only file or folder

Files restored from a CD, USB stick or certain backups can be marked read-only.

A session that never closed

A crash, power cut or remote desktop session can leave QuickBooks running in the background, still holding the file.

Unsupported storage

Linux servers and some NAS devices need special setup, or they can't manage QuickBooks file locks.

How to Fix QuickBooks Error 6073, Step by Step

FIX #1

Make Sure Nobody Has the File Open in Single-User Mode

Step 1 Ask everyone in the office to close QuickBooks completely.

Step 2 On each computer, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and end any QBW32.exe or QBW.exe processes still running.

Step 3 If anyone uses remote desktop to reach the server, log out those sessions fully rather than just disconnecting.

Step 4 Open the file again, then switch to multi-user mode under File > Switch to Multi-user Mode if others need in.

FIX #2

Turn Off Hosting on Every Workstation

Step 1 On each workstation, open QuickBooks and go to File > Utilities.

Step 2 If you see Stop Hosting Multi-User Access, click it and confirm.

Step 3 Leave hosting turned on only on the server that stores the company file.

Step 4 Try opening the file again from a workstation.

FIX #3

Restart the Server or Host Computer

A quick restart clears stuck file locks and background QuickBooks processes. Ask everyone to close QuickBooks, restart the host computer, wait until it's fully started, then open the file.

FIX #4

Remove Read-Only Settings

Step 1 Right-click the company file and choose Properties.

Step 2 Untick Read-only on the General tab and click Apply.

Step 3 Check the folder too, and make sure your Windows user has Full Control on the Security tab.

FIX #5

Rename the .ND and .TLG Files

Step 1 Close QuickBooks on every computer.

Step 2 In the company file folder, rename the matching .ND and .TLG files by adding .old to the end.

Step 3 Open the file again; QuickBooks creates fresh support files.

On a Linux server or NAS? QuickBooks needs the Linux version of Database Server Manager, or a Windows host, to manage file locks properly. Moving the file to a Windows computer is often the quickest permanent fix.

Quick Reference

Code	Most likely cause	Try first
-6073, -816	File open in single-user mode or locked by a stuck session	Fix #1
-6073, -99001	Read-only file or folder, or permissions	Fix #4
Happens only on workstations	Multiple hosts	Fix #2
After a power cut or crash	Stuck process	Fix #3

How to Prevent Error 6073

Use multi-user mode in a shared office unless you need single-user for a specific task
Host only on the server
Fully log out of remote desktop sessions
Keep company files on a Windows host rather than a NAS or Linux box

Frequently Asked Questions About Error 6073

How do I know who has the QuickBooks file open?

In multi-user mode, go to Company > Users > View Users to see who's logged in. If you can't open the file at all, ask each person to close QuickBooks and check Task Manager on each computer.

What does -816 mean in Error 6073?

It usually points to the file being locked, either open in single-user mode elsewhere or held by a session that didn't close properly.

Can a remote desktop session cause Error 6073?

Yes. If someone disconnects from a remote desktop session instead of logging out, QuickBooks keeps running and holding the file. Log the session out fully.

Still Locked Out? Talk to Us.

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