As a Guest User on SmartVault, you can download any files your service provider shares. Whether it's a tax form, an organizer, a contract, or any other document, you can securely download it directly to your computer. Downloading your files may be necessary when you want to work offline or keep a local copy on your computer.

When your accountant or service provider shares documents with you in SmartVault, they are stored inside the secure folders created for you in the SmartVault portal. From there, you can open, preview, and download the files to your computer.

This article guides you through downloading files and locating them on your device.

Downloading Your Files

To download a file:

1. Sign in to the SmartVault Portal.
   Enter the email and password you used to activate your guest account and click Sign In.
   If you forgot your password, click Forgot password? and follow the instructions to reset it.
2. Open your files.
   Select View Files and Folders from the left-hand navigation.
3. Open your Vault.
   Click the folder with your name or company name. This folder is called a Vault, and it contains the documents your firm shared with you.
4. Navigate to the file you want to download.
   Browse the folders inside your Vault to locate the document. Folder names may vary depending on how your firm organizes files.
   
   
5. Download the file.
   Click Actions next to the file, then select Download.

Important Note

Guest users cannot download entire folders. However, you can download all the files within a folder by:

1. Opening the folder
2. Selecting the files you want to download
3. Clicking the Download button at the top of the screen.

Watch the Steps in Action

The following animation shows how to locate and download files in the SmartVault portal.

If the animation appears too small, click the Expand icon in the bottom-right corner to enlarge it. 

Previewing and Downloading a File

To preview the file before downloading:

1. Click the document to open a preview.
2. Click Download to download the tax return to your computer, or click Back to close the preview page.

Locating Your Downloaded Files

After downloading, you may wonder where to find the file on your computer. By default, most web browsers, such as Google Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge, store downloaded files in a preset "Downloads" folder, unless you've changed the default settings.

To find your downloaded file:

1. Open your computer's "File Explorer." You can find it on your taskbar—typically represented by a yellow folder icon—or by searching for "File Explorer" in your start menu.
   
2. You should see a folder labeled Downloads on the left-hand side. Click on it.
   

3. Your most recent downloads should appear at the top of the list in this folder. 
   

     Tip

   If you've changed your browser settings and selected a different downloads folder, you must navigate to that folder to locate your downloaded files.

If you need additional help, please visit our Help Center or contact our Support Team.