Fix - Errors with activating your license key

Who this article is for

Anyone who cannot activate their ATLAS.ti license, is unsure how to activate a license key or invitation code, or receives an error message when attempting to activate the license.

How to fix errors with activating your license

If you cannot activate your ATLAS.ti license, follow the steps below to identify and resolve the issue.

Step 1 – Activate the license at My ATLAS.ti

For ATLAS.ti 9 and newer, license activation is done in my.atlasti.com , not by entering the key directly in the Desktop application.

1. Go to my.atlasti.com
2. Sign in with your ATLAS.ti account email and password.
3. Open the Activate Product section.
4. Enter or paste your license key or invitation code and confirm the activation.

Once activated, the license will appear under My Licenses in your account.

Step 2 – Check the format of your key

• Make sure you are using the correct type of code. Most current licenses use the following formats:
  • R-: License key
  • I- : Invitation code for a multi-user or campus license
• If your key starts with numbers, it is likely an older license key for a previous version of the software. These keys cannot be activated in My ATLAS.ti and must be entered inside the older ATLAS.ti software instead.
• Please note: “serial number” and “license key” are used synonymously

Step 3 – Enter the key carefully

If the key is not accepted, try entering it again.

• When copy-pasting the key from an email, some email programs may:
  • Add extra spaces before or after the key
  • Change characters or formatting
• To avoid this issue, copy-paste without formatting, or pasting as plain text. On Windows, use Ctrl + Shift + V (or Ctrl + Alt + V in some apps). On Mac, use Option + Command + Shift + V or Cmd + Shift + V. Alternatively, you can type the key manually or remove any extra spaces before activating it again.

Step 4 – Check whether the key is already activated

• A license key can only be activated by one ATLAS.ti account. If the key was already activated under another account, you may see an error message indicating that the key has already been activated.

• If you previously activated the license, try signing in with the account associated with the license.
• If you are unsure which account holds the license, you may need to contact support for assistance.

Step 5 – Use an invitation code for campus or multi-user licenses

• If your organization provides ATLAS.ti license through a multi-user or campus license, you do not activate the license key. Instead, the license administrator will provide one of the following :
  • an invitation code starting with letter I-
  • an invitation link
• Use the invitation code or link to join the license in My ATLAS.ti. Once accepted, the license will appear under the My Invitations tab in your account.

Common issues and mistakes

• Trying to re-activate a license key or invitation code
  • In some cases, the ATLAS.ti shop automatically activates the license under your account when you purchase it. Before trying to activate the license again, check whether it already appears under My Licenses in your ATLAS.ti account.
  • Once a license key has been activated, it does not need to be activated again. The same applies to invitation codes for multi-user or campus licenses—once you have joined the license, you do not need to activate the invitation code again.
  • If you try to activate it again, you may see error messages such as:
    • “The license key has already been activated"
    • ”Status error 9"
• Typing the license key into the Desktop app instead of My ATLAS.ti
  • For ATLAS.ti 9 and newer, license activation is done in My ATLAS.ti (my.atlasti.com), not inside the desktop application.
• Using an older license key in the new My ATLAS.ti portal
  • Older license formats (license keys starting with numbers) cannot be used with the current licensing system for ATLAS.ti 9 and newer.
• Using the wrong type of code
  • Users joining a multi-user or campus license usually need an invitation code starting with letter I- or an invitation link, not a license key starting with letter R-.
  • Trying to activate the wrong type of code may result in error messages such as “The license key has already been activated.”

When to contact support

Contact ATLAS.ti Suppor if:

• Your license key or invitation code appears valid but is still not accepted after following the steps above.
• You believe the license was already activated under another account, and you are unsure which account holds the license.
• You are not sure whether your key belongs to an older ATLAS.ti version or the current licensing system.

When contacting support, please include:

• The email address associated with your ATLAS.ti account
• Your license key or invitation code (if available)
• A description of the issue and the error message you receive
• Screenshots, if possible