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Coding in ATLAS.ti means attaching a code (a short label for an idea) to a selected segment of a document, image, audio or video file. Each time you do, the software also creates a quotation for that segment and links it to the code, so you can retrieve every segment carrying that code later. This guide is for researchers who have imported their data and want to code it in ATLAS.ti on Windows, Mac or the web app, and then move from first-pass labels toward a defined codebook. Instructions follow the vendor’s ATLAS.ti Mac manual (version 26), “Creating and Applying Codes” and the ATLAS.ti help article “How to code your data in ATLAS.ti: A beginner’s guide”, both read 2026-11-08. Menu names can shift between versions, so confirm against the manual for the version you run.
What coding in ATLAS.ti is used for in research
ATLAS.ti is computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS). Researchers use its coding functions to organise interview transcripts, open-ended survey responses, field notes, images, audio, video and geo-located data so that patterns can be compared across sources. The software stores and retrieves your codes; it does not decide what a segment means. Interpretation, and the choice of an analytic approach such as thematic analysis, remains the analyst’s. For the wider method context see how to analyze qualitative data and CAQDAS workflows.
Install or access ATLAS.ti
The help article describes three ways of working: the Windows desktop app, the Mac desktop app and the web app, and the steps below note where they differ. Obtain the software only from the vendor’s own site, atlasti.com, or through your institution’s licence administrator. Licence terms and costs are set by the vendor and your institution and are not covered here.
Step-by-step: code a segment in ATLAS.ti
Shortcuts below are for Windows (Ctrl) and Mac (Cmd). The desktop apps and the web app differ in how the coding window opens.
1. Select the segment
- Open a primary document in the document viewer.
- Highlight the segment: a stretch of text, an area of an image, a portion of audio or video, or a geo location (manual).
2. Create and apply a new code (desktop)
- Right-click the selection and choose Apply Codes, or press Ctrl/Cmd+J, or use Apply Codes in the toolbar.
- Type the code name, then click + or press Enter. A definition can go in the optional comment field.
A segment can carry more than one code (help article).
3. Code in the web app
Highlighting a segment opens a coding window with a “Find or create codes” field. Type a name, press Enter, then save with Quote or Shift+Enter (help article).
4. Apply an existing code
- Open the same Apply Codes dialogue and type the first letters of the code in the search field, then click + or press Enter.
- Or drag a code from the Codes branch of the Project Explorer, the Code Browser or the Code Manager onto the highlighted segment. In the Code Manager you can pin the list on top and use code groups to filter it (manual).
5. Use the faster routes
| Action | Windows / Mac | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Create a free code (no segment selected) | Ctrl/Cmd+K, or Code menu, New Code; or the + in the Code Manager | Manual; help article |
| Apply codes to a selection | Ctrl/Cmd+J | Manual; help article |
| Code in vivo (selected text becomes both quotation and code name; text documents only) | Shift+Ctrl/Cmd+V, or right-click, Code in Vivo | Manual; help article |
| Quick Coding (applies the last code you used) | Ctrl/Cmd+L, or right-click, Quick Coding | Manual; help article |
In the web app, in-vivo coding is the “In-vivo” option inside the coding window (help article).
From first-pass codes to a codebook
The help article notes that in-vivo codes are useful early in analysis, but broader analytic codes are needed later when you build themes. A practical sequence that fits those features:
- Code close to the data first, using in-vivo or short descriptive labels.
- Write a definition for each code in its comment field so the meaning is recorded when you create it (manual). This is the seed of your codebook.
- Organise related codes in the Code Manager, which supports a hierarchy of codes and subcodes and colours (help article), and use code groups to filter the list (manual). The manual has separate chapters on the Code Manager, working with code groups, and creating categories and subcodes.
- Edit the comment on individual quotations to record why a segment received a code (right-click the quotation in the margin on desktop; on the web app click the quotation and choose Add Comment to Quotation) (help article).
For examples of how coded segments and code labels look on real transcripts, see interview coding examples.
Output: how to read what you have coded
- Margin bar. A coded segment shows a blue bar in the margin carrying the code name (manual).
- Quotations. Coding automatically creates a quotation linked to the code. A quotation can also exist with no codes attached (help article).
- Retrieval. The manual’s chapter “Retrieving Coded Data” covers pulling back all segments for a code, which is how you review whether a code is applied consistently.
AI-suggested codes. The help article describes an AI coding feature that proposes codes (on Windows, via the document ribbon). It advises treating suggestions as a starting point to review. Whether a suggested code fits your research question is your judgement, and you should record in your methods how any AI-assisted coding was used and checked.
Troubleshooting
- In Vivo does nothing or is unavailable. It works on textual primary documents only (manual). For images, audio and video, create a code by name instead.
- The code you want does not appear. Type the first letters in the Apply Codes search field; if the code is in a code group that filters the Code Manager list, clear the group filter (manual).
- Mac shortcuts do not work on Windows. Substitute Ctrl for Cmd (manual).
- Coding window looks different on the web. The web app opens the coding window as soon as you highlight a segment (help article).
Free alternatives for coding qualitative data
If you do not have access to an ATLAS.ti licence, these free tools also allow highlighting and coding of text. Details are from each project’s own page, read 2026-11-08.
| Tool | What its own pages say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Taguette | Free and open-source; import research materials, highlight and tag quotes, export results; runs locally on macOS, Windows and Linux or on a server. | taguette.org |
| QualCoder | Qualitative data analysis application written in Python; codes can be assigned to text, image and audio/video selections and grouped hierarchically; reports include coding frequencies and coder comparisons. | QualCoder on GitHub |
For a tool-by-tool comparison see NVivo vs ATLAS.ti vs MAXQDA and Dedoose vs Taguette.
FAQ
How do I code in ATLAS.ti?
Highlight a segment, open Apply Codes (right-click, Ctrl/Cmd+J, or the toolbar), type a code name and press Enter. ATLAS.ti stores the segment as a quotation linked to that code.
What is in vivo coding in ATLAS.ti?
It uses your selected text as both the quotation and the code name (Shift+Ctrl/Cmd+V). It is available for text documents only.
Can I apply more than one code to the same segment?
Yes. The help article states that multiple codes per quotation are allowed.
How do I reuse the last code?
Use Quick Coding (Ctrl/Cmd+L), which applies the last code you used.
Sources
- ATLAS.ti Mac manual 26: Creating and Applying Codes (read 2026-11-08)
- ATLAS.ti help: How to code your data in ATLAS.ti: A beginner’s guide (read 2026-11-08)
- Taguette and QualCoder README (read 2026-11-08)
