QuickBooks Payroll Error 15240

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How to Fix QuickBooks Payroll Error=15240

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QuickBooks Payroll Error PS060

QuickBooks Payroll Update Error · 15xxx Series

How to Fix QuickBooks Payroll Error 15240

QuickBooks displays: "QuickBooks has encountered a problem downloading payroll updates. Please try again." — or the download starts but fails partway through with error 15240.

Error 15240 is a payroll update download failure caused by firewall or connectivity blocking. At QuickFix Bookkeeping, 15240 is distinct from the other 15xxx SSL/certificate errors: 15240 specifically fires when the download connection itself is blocked — the update server is reachable but the download transfer is interrupted or blocked, rather than a certificate chain issue (15270) or SSL cache corruption (15225). The fix targets the download pathway: firewall rules, IE proxy settings, and the download cache.

The QuickFix Bookkeeping Distinction — 15240 vs 15270 vs 15225

15240 — this page

Download blocked or interrupted mid-transfer. Firewall/proxy blocking the payroll download URL. Fix: open firewall port 443 for *.intuit.com, check IE proxy, delete Components folder.

15270

SSL certificate chain missing intermediate certificate. Download never starts because SSL handshake fails. Fix: Windows Update, install missing cert.

15225

SSL session cache corrupted. Download authentication fails. Fix: IE → Content → Clear SSL State.

What Causes QuickBooks Payroll Error 15240?

Firewall Blocking Payroll Download URL

Primary 15240 cause — Windows Firewall or a corporate firewall blocks the specific URL that QB's payroll update downloads from (payroll.intuit.com or download.payroll.intuit.com). Unlike 12029 (general internet blocked), 15240 means general internet works but the specific payroll download endpoint is restricted. Add *.intuit.com and *.payroll.intuit.com to firewall exceptions.

IE Proxy Settings Blocking Download

QB uses Internet Explorer's proxy settings for its download connections. If IE is configured to use a proxy server that doesn't allow access to Intuit's payroll download servers, 15240 appears. Checking and adjusting IE's proxy settings (or using QB's Internet Connection Setup) resolves this.

Corrupted Partial Download in Cache

A previous payroll update download started but was interrupted, leaving a corrupt partial file in QB's Components cache. When QB tries the next download, it attempts to resume from the corrupted partial file and fails with 15240. Deleting the Components folder clears the corrupted partial download.

Antivirus Deep Scanning Download

AV performing deep scanning of the downloaded payroll update files interrupts the download at the file-write stage. QB's download manager times out waiting for the write to complete and reports 15240. Adding the QB payroll download cache folder to AV exclusions resolves this.

Unstable Internet Connection

An intermittently dropping internet connection interrupts the payroll download mid-transfer. QB's download manager reports 15240 when the download was cut off before completing. Testing on a stable wired connection (rather than WiFi) often resolves this.

Outdated QB Version

Older QB versions sometimes have hardcoded payroll download URLs that were deprecated. If the URL QB is trying to download from no longer exists or has moved, 15240 appears because the download endpoint returns an error. Updating QB to the latest release updates the download URLs.

How to Fix QuickBooks Payroll Error 15240

METHOD 1Delete Components + Reset Update + Check FirewallResolves most 15240 cases
1

Delete Components folder: close QB → navigate to C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks[XX]\Components → delete the entire folder. This removes any corrupted partial downloads.

2

Reset and retry as Admin: right-click QB → Run as Administrator → Help → Update QuickBooks Desktop → Update Now → check Reset Update → Get Updates → retry payroll update (Employees → Get Payroll Updates). Firewall: Windows Firewall → Allow an app → add QuickBooks Desktop and ensure outbound port 443 is open for *.intuit.com.

METHOD 2Fix IE Proxy Settings + Update QBProxy blocking payroll download URL
1

QB → Help → Internet Connection Setup → "Use my computer's internet connection settings" → Next → Advanced Connection Settings → Connections tab → LAN Settings → confirm proxy settings match what's needed for your network. Also: INETCPL.CPL → Connections → LAN Settings → if "Use a proxy server" is checked, add *.intuit.com to the exceptions list. Update QB: Help → Update QuickBooks Desktop → Reset Update → Get Updates → restart → retry payroll update.

METHOD 3Download Manual Payroll Update + Disable AV15240 persists — bypass automatic download
1

Temporarily disable AV → retry payroll update as Administrator. If it works: re-enable AV → add C:\ProgramData\Intuit\ to AV exclusions. Manual update: download the payroll update manually from Intuit's website (search "QuickBooks payroll update download [year]") → save to Desktop → right-click → Run as Administrator. This bypasses the automatic download pathway entirely.

Related QuickBooks Errors

Error 15240 on a Corporate Network After Deleting Components?

Let QuickFix Bookkeeping Restore Your Payroll Downloads.

Persistent 15240 on a corporate network typically means a content filtering appliance or proxy is blocking Intuit's payroll download subdomain — we help identify the specific blocked URL for your IT team to whitelist.

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