Data and project access after license expiration

Who this article is for

Anyone whose ATLAS.ti license has expired (any type of license) and wants to know whether they can still access their projects, view their data, or continue saving changes.

How to access your data or projects after your license expires

When your license expires, your projects and data are not deleted. You can still access them, but you may not be able to save any changes to your project (unless it is a small project).

After expiration, ATLAS.ti turns into a free trial version. Saving changes is only possible if the project remains within the free trial limits:

• 10 documents
• 50 quotations
• 25 codes
• 2 memos

If your project exceeds these limits, you will not be able to save it until you activate a valid license again.

How to save your work after your license expires

If your license expires while you are working and you can no longer save your project, your work may still be recoverable.

To continue saving your work:

1. Purchase a new ATLAS.ti license
2. Activate your license in My ATLAS.ti at my.atlasti.com
3. If you are using ATLAS.ti Desktop, refresh your license connection:
   1. In ATLAS.ti Windows, go to File > Options > ATLAS.ti > Check for updated license

1. In ATLAS.ti Mac, go to ATLAS.ti > License > Check for updated license

Once the updated license is recognized, you should be able to save your project again. The application also checks for updated licenses automatically at regular intervals, so if you purchased a new license shortly before the old one expired, the update may happen automatically. 

How to back up your project before license expiration

Although your projects remain available after expiration, it is strongly recommended to save a backup copy of your projects before the license expires. Please click here to see detailed instructions with visual aid.

Common issues and mistakes

• I thought my data would be deleted after my license expired
  • Your data is not deleted when the license expires. In ATLAS.ti Windows and Mac, projects remain stored on your computer. In ATLAS.ti Web, projects remain stored in the cloud. You can still open and view them after expiration. 
• I can open my project, but I cannot save changes
  • After expiration, ATLAS.ti switches to free trial mode. If your project exceeds the free trial limits, you will no longer be able to save changes until you activate a valid license. 
• My license expired while I was working, and now I cannot save
  • You may still be able to save your work by purchasing a new license, activating it in My ATLAS.ti, and clicking Check for Updated License in the application. 
• I did not create a backup before the license expired
  • Your existing project should still be available to open and view, but it is still recommended to export a backup copy whenever possible before expiration. 

When to contact support

Contact ATLAS.ti Support if:

• You activated a new license but still cannot save your project
• The application does not recognize the updated license after using the Check for Updated License option
• You are unsure whether your project exceeds the free trial limits
• You cannot open ATLAS.ti after license expiration 

When contacting support, please include:

• The email address associated with your ATLAS.ti account
• Your license key or license ID
• A description of the issue
• Screenshots, if possible