MAXQDA reacts very slowly or crashes

MAXQDA is a database program that writes changes to your project file in real time. The most common reason for sluggish performance or crashes is working with a project file stored on a USB drive, network drive or cloud‑synced folder (e.g., OneDrive or iCloud). MAXQDA needs a stable connection to the .mqda file; any interruption can corrupt the database and produce error messages.

Why is MAXQDA running slowly or crashing?

If you opened your project directly from a USB stick, network drive, external hard drive or cloud folder, the constant read–write operations can be disrupted. To avoid this, copy the project file to your local hard drive before opening it. You may store a backup on external media, but do not work on the project while it is there.

What error messages can this cause?

Two common error messages signal that the database connection has been interrupted:

• “MAXQDA cannot open the selected file…” – the file may already be open, have an incorrect format, or be damaged.
  

• “The selected file was created with an older MAXQDA version and cannot be opened”.
  

If you encounter these messages after working from an external or cloud location, move the project to a local folder and try the repair steps below.

How can I repair a problematic project file?

If the project still opens, you can rebuild its database structure:

1. Create a new project and save it on your local hard drive (e.g., your desktop).
   

2. Open the new project, go to the Home tab, and select Merge projects.
3. Merge the new project with the problematic project file.
   

This creates a fresh .mqda file with a new database structure containing all your existing data.

What other steps improve performance?

For smoother operation, MAXQDA recommends several best practices:

• Work locally: Always open projects from a local, non‑synchronized folder. Move any external documents (e.g., PDFs or images) to your local drive before analysis.
  
  

• Use external documents for large files: Save large media or PDF files as External Documents so they remain outside the project database.
  

• Organize documents into smaller groups: Divide your material into document groups of roughly 100 items each. Activate only one group at a time to minimize the data loaded into memory. 

When should I contact support?

If you still experience crashes or cannot repair the project, contact MAXQDA Support. Send them your project file along with a support file, which you can export via Help (?) > Export support file. The support team can analyze the database and help recover your work.

By following these guidelines—working on local copies, organizing your data, and rebuilding a project when necessary—you can prevent most performance issues and ensure a stable experience in MAXQDA.