How can I transfer my license to a new computer?

If you want to transfer your MAXQDA license to a new computer, you need to do two things:

Please back up your project file and your external files and transfer them to the local hard drive on the new computer.

Deactivate the license on your old device.

To move your project from the old computer to the new computer, please proceed as described in the FAQ for creating and restoring a backup.

Deactivate your license

In order to transfer your MAXQDA license to a new computer, please deactivate the license on your current computer first.

The deactivation process disconnects your MAXQDA license from your computer so you can install and unlock MAXQDA on a new machine with your serial number. (Use the download link in the installation guide that you received when you purchased the license).

Deactivate MAXQDA 24, 2022, MAXQDA 2020 or MAXQDA 2018 (Windows / Mac)

Open MAXQDA and in the menu click “? > License Status > Deactivate license on this computer”.

You find the license status when you click on the e(i) on the start screen in addition 

in MAXQDA 24 you find the ? menu in the lower left corner when you open a project, 

in MAXQDA 2020, 2022 you find the ? menu in the upper right corner.

Deactivate MAXQDA 12 (Windows / Mac)

Open MAXQDA and in the menu click “Help > Deactivate license on this computer”.

Deactivate MAXQDA 11 (Windows / Mac)

Open MAXQDA and in the menu click “Help > Deactivate license on this computer”.

Due to technical reasons a deactivated license of MAXQDA 11 for Windows license can NOT be reactivated on the same computer.

If the “License Transfer” button is greyed out, please start MAXQDA with admin rights. You can do this by right-clicking on the MAXQDA icon (on your desktop or in the start menu) and choosing “Run as Administrator”.

Deactivate MAXQDA 10 (Windows / Mac)

Open MAXQDA and click “? > License > License transfer/return > Transfer license”.

Due to technical reasons a deactivated license of MAXQDA 11 or MAXQDA 10 for Windows license can NOT be reactivated on the same computer.

If the “License Transfer” button is greyed out, please start MAXQDA with admin rights. You can do this by right-clicking on the MAXQDA icon (on your desktop or in the start menu) and choosing “Run as Administrator”.

Deactivation not possible

If it is no longer possible to deactivate the license on your old device, for example, because you have lost it, it has been stolen or the hard drive has broken, then we can deactivate the license for you. Please fill out the following form and tell us your serial number and the name of the computer on which the license should be deactivated.