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 choose an edition), 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. Click the File tab, click Help, then click Manage License, and then click Activate License.
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 File tab, click Help, click Manage License and then click Activate License.
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.

Switch editions when you are trialing the software

NVivo 12 (Windows) is available in two editions: Pro and Plus.

When you are using a trial version of NVivo you can switch between NVivo Pro and NVivo Plus to try out the different levels of functionality to help you decide which edition best suits your needs. NVivo Product editions

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 File menu, open Help > Manage License.
2. Click Replace License.
3. Enter the new license key and click OK.
4. 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. On the File tab, click Help > Manage License > Deactivate License.
4. Click Yes to confirm.