How do I install Microsoft Money on Windows 10 and Windows 11?

Many users want to install Microsoft Money on Windows 10 and Windows 11, but the process is trickier than you’d imagine. In the UK, the last version of the software was Microsoft Money 2005 – but it still has a loyal user base who want to monitor personal finances. Here’s our guide on how to get some very old software onto the latest versions of Microsoft Windows.

Editorial note: this article was originally published in The Big Tech Question and has since been migrated to TechFinitive, hence the watermarks in the imagery below.

Which version of Microsoft Money?

We’re going to focus on the UK edition of Microsoft Money from 2005 which is a completely different product from MSN Money (available to download from the Microsoft Store).

Where can I get Microsoft Money from?

If you have a CD or DVD of the original program, these can be used to install Microsoft Money. Alternatively, it is still possible to download the software online. Microsoft no longer hosts the program, but in a blog post from 2011, they reference a non-Microsoft website which still contains the download link.

Grab the software (it’s only 28MB) and we’ll begin.

How do I install Microsoft Money on Windows 11?

Double-click the downloaded file and setup will begin. You will be prompted for a few permission requests, but accept them until the Welcome to Money Setup screen appears.

Click I Accept, then dance around the room to the Microsoft Money installation tune before selecting Finish.

At this point, you may think that the installation has failed, as nothing happens. No message, no desktop icon. Welcome back to 2005!

Money hidden away on the menu

Click the Start button (or press the Windows key on the keyboard) and Microsoft Money’s icon will be there. Click it to continue the process.

Money services only ran until 2007

Microsoft will flash up the fantastic news that Microsoft Money includes up to two years of internet-based services… which expired on the 1st of September 2007. Trust me – they were the best! Click OK.

Microsoft Money will now make you more promises about tracking your finances via the internet, but none of these are applicable any longer. Microsoft Money is now a manual system. Click Next.

Choose a file location for your Money file (.mny), then click Next.

Money now gives the option to log in using a Microsoft .NET Passport. These were early versions of the Microsoft Account which is now used across Windows, Xbox, Teams, Office and a shed-load of others. However, don’t try it here as it no longer works. Select Don’t use a Passport then click Next.

Money offers to increase the security of your financial records by adding a password to the data file. Feel free to add one or tick the box to continue without. Whatever you do, don’t select I want to use a Passport instead of a regular password.

Money used to be able to connect directly to bank accounts, sucking in transactional data to work it’s magic. Banking security has moved on and I’m unaware of any UK financial institution which still allows this. Alternatively, if your bank still allows the export of .qif or .ofx files, then these can be imported into Microsoft Money.

Click Skip Account Setup.

“Congratulations!” says the lady on the yellow sofa. Your money file is set up, so click Finish.

Microsoft Money is ready.

Microsoft Money is installed on Windows 11, but before you head into that stack of floppy disks to find your old data, you may need to take care of another relic from Microsoft’s past.

Why doesn’t Microsoft Money launch?

Microsoft Money is old software and it relies on other bits of old software to run, particularly the now-retired Internet Explorer. Many Money users have discovered that sometimes the software won’t launch, so a quick tweak to the registry is required.

Open REGEDIT and work your way to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer

From the right-hand pane, select Version and edit the value to:

9.11.10240.0

Exit REGEDIT and restart your computer. All should be well again.

Installing Microsoft Money on Windows 10?

The great news is that installing Microsoft Money on Windows 10 and Windows 11 is an identical process. Follow the steps above and you’ll have Microsoft Money running on Windows 10 in no time.

What is Money Plus Sunset and should I install it?

Microsoft Money Plus Sunset (often referred to as the Sunset edition) was released by Microsoft in 2010. It was a cut-down version of some of the other commercial versions of the software, Money Plus Deluxe and Money Plus Home & Business. You can certainly download and install it, but it uses a different format of the .mny file, so directly importing historical data from UK editions is not possible.

If Microsoft Money Plus Sunset detects a .mny file, it will offer to convert it and then fail, so if you want to work with old UK formatted files, stick to the Microsoft Money 2005.

Is Microsoft Money still used?

Yes. Despite the age of the software, Microsoft Money retains a large user base. The advancement of technology means that many of the interactive features, which made it so popular, no longer work. That said, if you don’t mind a bit of manual import or data entry, it’s still a great way to keep an eye on your personal finances.

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