Activate your license

The first time you launch NVivo, you are prompted to enter and activate your license key and create your NVivo user profile. If you have downloaded a trial version of the software, you do not need to enter a license key, but you still need to activate the trial.

1. Start NVivo.
2. On the Welcome to NVivo dialog box, enter your license key (or select the option for a free trial), and then click Next.
3. On the License Activation dialog box, enter your details. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) must be completed.
4. Click Activate.
5. On the User Profile dialog box set up your default NVivo user profile. Your initials are used to identify any work that you do in a project.

Activate your license later

You are prompted to activate your license key when you first start NVivo. If you choose to activate later (for example, because you are not connected to the Internet at the time), you have a limited time before you must activate the license.

1. On the NVivo 12 menu, click Licensing, then click Activate.
2. On the License Activation dialog box, enter your details. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) must be completed.
3. Click Activate.

How to activate when you cannot connect to the Internet

If the activation fails because you do not have an Internet connection, you will see new options at the top of the License Activation screen—you can choose to send an activation request to QSR International by email, mail, fax or phone.

1. At the top of the License Activation dialog box, click Activate via Email, or Mail/Fax or Phone.
2. Make sure you have entered all the required information. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) must be completed.
3. Click the Generate button to create an Installation Key.
4. Click Send or Print, and then send the activation request to QSR International by email or use the details on the printed activation request form to contact QSR International.
5. After QSR has processed your request, and sent you an activation key, you can activate your NVivo software—refer to Enter an activation key sent to you by QSR for details.

Enter an activation key sent to you by QSR

If you sent an activation request to QSR International by email, mail/fax or phone, then QSR International checks your activation request and sends you an activation key.

1. If you are not prompted to activate your license when you start NVivo, click the NVivo 12 menu, click Licensing, and then click Activate.
2. Select Activate via Email, Mail/Fax or Phone.
3. In the Activation Key field, enter the activation key you received from QSR International.
4. Click Activate.

Replace a license key

If you have purchased a perpetual license to replace a time-restricted license (e.g. a trial or student license), or for any other reason have a new license you want to use instead of the current one, follow the instructions below to replace licenses.

1. Open NVivo. In the NVivo 12 menu, select Licensing > Replace License.
2. Enter the new license key and click Next.
3. Activate the new license (see above).

Deactivate NVivo

If you install NVivo on a new computer you should deactivate it on the old computer then install and activate on the new computer.

1. Make sure that you are connected to the internet.
2. Open NVivo. Do not open a project.
3. In the File menu, click Licensing > Deactivate.
4. Click Deactivate to confirm.