What's New in MAXQDA

MAXQDA is now updated continuously, with new features released every two to three months and included in every active subscription. The current release is MAXQDA 27.0 (5 October 2026). All updates are free for MAXQDA 24 and later licence holders.

MAXQDA 27.0 — October 2026

• Local AI — connect AI Assist to a language model running on your own computer or server. No data goes to the cloud, which suits projects with ethics restrictions or sensitive data. Included in AI Assist Premium.
• Group Codes with AI Assist — turn a long, flat code list into a structured code system. AI Assist proposes two alternative groupings, which you can apply directly or save as a code set to review later.
• Import YouTube Shorts — paste a URL to import the clip, its automatic transcript in any available language, and optionally the user comments.
• AI Assist now runs on the newest Google Gemini models for better speed and quality.
• TeamCloud handles large PDF and media files more easily; media playback shows a progress indicator in the Document Browser; refined coding stripes and paragraph/line view.

Full details: MAXQDA Update 27.0 release post.

MAXQDA 26 series — November 2025 to August 2026

• 26.0 — Survey Analysis Workspace (manage several surveys in one project, with documents, codes and variables linked automatically) and a QTT worksheet for planning mixed methods studies
• 26.1 — AI Coding across multiple documents at once, AI translation of text passages, AI-suggested subcodes created directly in the code system
• 26.2 — AI Coding for segments, smarter memos with a side-by-side summary view, AI Reports that draft structured reports with source references
• 26.3 — chat with your memos, chat preferences that save project context, integrated media player in the Document Browser, Markdown import
• 26.4 — chat with your code system, redesigned media player, steering instructions for AI suggestions, offline AI chat history

MAXQDA 24 highlights

• AI Assist launched — AI coding suggestions, summaries, topic analysis and AI-generated memos
• Visual Trends — tools for analysing trends over time within or across documents
• Interactive word clouds and improved concept and code maps
• Modernised interface with improved dark mode, faster performance on large projects
• Apple Silicon native and improved REFI-QDA import/export for interoperability with NVivo and Atlas.ti

How to update

• From MAXQDA 26 — the update is free and runs inside MAXQDA: open the help menu in the bottom bar and choose “Search for updates”. Administrator rights may be needed on institutional computers.
• From MAXQDA 24 — the upgrade is free for all MAXQDA 24 licence holders, including 3- and 5-year subscriptions. Download and install the current version from maxqda.com; it recognises your licence and lists your recent projects.
• TeamCloud teams — no migration is needed, but all team members should use the same version.

Release history: MAXQDA release notes.

Licensing and quotations

New subscriptions, renewals, AI Assist Premium, MAXQDA Transcription and TeamCloud are all available from Quantec with local invoicing in ZAR. If you own MAXQDA 2022 or older, contact us for a new subscription quotation.