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MAXQDA 2020

The Four Windows Interface

The MAXQDA Screen is broken into four windows. These are:

1. Document System: View imported files. 

2. Code System: Displays the code system. 

3. Document Browser: Code and edit documents. 

4. Retrieved Segments:  See what has been coded. Look at one or multiple codes at the same time. 

Opening and Closing Windows

MAXQDA allows you to open and close windows so you can work most productively.

Click on the X on any window  in the top right-hand corner to close it. 

To get a window back once you close it:

  • Go to the Home menu.
  • Click the name of the window.

The light blue lets you know that the window you are looking at is open. When you close a window, it turns white. Below, the Document System has been closed.

Changing the View of the Windows

You can view MAXQDA in 4 different configurations, based on your preferences for working. To get back to the four-field view after you have closed a window, click on any of the 4-window view tabs. This will reopen all the screens. These can be found under the Home menu.

Document System

The Document System window shows you all your imported documents.

The Document System has a few important icons. These are:

  •  Reset activations 

  •  Import document 

  • New document

Code System

The Code System window is where all your codes live. You can add new codes here or through working in the Document Browser. 

The Code System has a few important icons. These are:

  •   Reset activations
  •  New code

Document Browser

The  Document Browser window is where you do most of your work in MAXQDA and where you will code. Here, you can view and edit documents and code them. 

The Document Browser has a few important icons. These are:

  • Code highlighted segment

  • Code with a new code

  • Undo code

Retrieved Segments

The Retrieved Segments window is where you view and can export your already coded text.

In order to use this window, you must activate the code(s) and document(s) you want to look at. (Please see the page of this guide on Coding and Activation for more details on activation.)

The Retrieved Segments window has a few important icons. These are:

  • Change to table view
  • Word Cloud
  • Print retrieved segments 
  • Open as excel table
  • Open as HTML table
  • Export Retrieved Segments 
  • Open as a word document