How to move projects between ATLAS.ti platforms

Who this article is for

Anyone who wants to move projects between ATLAS.ti Web, Windows, or Mac, or work across multiple ATLAS.ti platforms and devices

How to move projects from ATLAS.ti Web to Desktop (Windows or Mac

You can export your ATLAS.ti Web project and open it in ATLAS.ti Desktop for Windows or Mac.

Step 1 – Export the project from ATLAS.ti Web

1. Open the project you want to transfer
2. Open Project Settings
3. Click Export for ATLAS.ti Desktop
4. Save the exported .atlasti project bundle file to your computer

This creates a full backup copy of your project.

Step 2 – Import the project into ATLAS.ti Desktop

1. In ATLAS.ti Windows:
   1. From Welcome screen: Import Project
   2. From inside an existing project: File > New > Import Project

2. In ATLAS.ti Mac:
   1. From Start screen: Import Project
   2. From inside an existing project: Project > Import Project

The project will then open in ATLAS.ti Desktop.

How to move projects from Desktop (Windows or Mac) to ATLAS.ti Web

ATLAS.ti Desktop projects can also be imported into ATLAS.ti Web. 

Step 1 – Export the project from ATLAS.ti Desktop

1. Open the Project
2. Export the project as project bundle:
   1. In ATLAS.ti Windows: File > Export > Project bundle

b. In ATLAS.ti Mac: Project > Export > Project

Save the exported project bundle ( .atlasti file) to your computer.

Step 2 – Import the project into ATLAS.ti Web

1. Open web.atlasti.com
2. Click Add Project from the welcome screen
3. Select Import Desktop
4. Select the .atlasti file
5. Confirm the import 

How to move projects between Windows and Mac

ATLAS.ti Windows and Mac projects are fully compatible with each other.

To move a project between Windows and Mac:

1. Export the project from the original computer (Windows/Mac) as a project bundle
2. Import the project into ATLAS.ti on the second device (Windows/Mac)

How project transfer works across platforms

ATLAS.ti Web and Desktop use different project systems. This means:

• Desktop cloud storage is not the same as ATLAS.ti Web
• Projects do not automatically appear across platforms
• Exporting and importing is required when moving projects between platforms

Important Compatibility Notes

• ATLAS.ti Web does not currently support all Desktop features.
• Some desktop-only features may not transfer fully into Web, including:
  • Audio and video documents
  • Networks
  • Some advanced visualization tools
  • Multimedia transcription workflows

Common issues and mistakes

• I expected projects to sync automatically between Desktop and Web
  • ATLAS.ti Desktop cloud storage and ATLAS.ti Web are separate systems. Projects must be exported and imported manually.
• My project appears incomplete after importing into Web
  • Some desktop-only features are not supported in ATLAS.ti Web.
• I transferred only the project folder instead of exporting the project
  • Always export the project as a proper project bundle file (.atlasti or .atlprojX).
• The project cannot be imported into another platform
  • Make sure you are using a supported ATLAS.ti version and the correct exported project file.
• I am using an older ATLAS.ti version
  • Export the ATLAS.ti Web project using the Export (legacy) option to create an .atlproj file for importing into older versions of ATLAS.ti.

When to contact support

Contact ATLAS.ti Support if:

• Projects cannot be exported or imported
• Imported projects appear incomplete or corrupted
• A project bundle cannot be opened
• Features or documents are missing after transfer
• You are unsure which export/import workflow to use

When contacting support, please include:

• Your ATLAS.ti version
• Whether you are using Windows, Mac, or Web
• A description of your workflow
• Screenshots or error messages, if available