No Free License Seat Available – How to Free Up Seats
How can I free the license seat of a computer I longer have access to?
Key takeaways:
- These error messages mean that all license seats are currently in use.
- You can immediately release your seat from my.atlasti.com by clicking Free Up My Seats.
Who This Article Is For
This article is for ATLAS.ti users working with a shared multi-user or campus license who cannot start the software because all license seats appear to be occupied.
When this happens
You may see one of the following messages when trying to start ATLAS.ti:
Desktop (Windows or Mac):
{"message":"Matching license but no free seat found"}
ATLAS.ti Web:
“This license is exceeding the maximum user count.”
Both messages indicate that all available license seats are currently in use. ATLAS.ti licenses operate with a concurrent seat model, meaning only a limited number of users can use the software at the same time. If all seats are occupied, additional users must wait until a seat becomes available.
How to free up your seat
If you previously used ATLAS.ti on another device, your seat may still be assigned to that session. To release it immediately, go to https://my.atlasti.com, log in to your ATLAS.ti account, and click Free Up My Seats at the bottom of the page. This will release any seats currently associated with your account and allow you to start ATLAS.ti again.

If this option does not appear, it means you are not currently occupying a license seat. In that case, there is no seat to release, so the option is not shown. The option only appears when you are actively using a seat in the license.
A license seat is also released automatically when the user closes the ATLAS.ti application, logs out, or closes the browser tab if using ATLAS.ti Web. If another user is actively working with the license, you may need to wait until they finish or close the software before a seat becomes available.