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Audio and Video

You can import audio and video files into MAXQDA, as described here:

by clicking the Import Documents icon in the "Documents System", or

by clicking on the Documents icon on the Import tab.

Importing data via the Import tab

There are some special considerations regarding audio and video files.

MAXQDA supports the the following formats as standard:

AudioWindows: MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, M4A
Mac: MP3, WAV, AAC, CAF, M4A
VideoMP4, MOV, MPG, AVI, M4V, 3GP, 3GGP
Windows: additionally WMV
For video, a MP4 file with the video codec H.264 / AVC is recommended.

Audio and video files are generally not imported directly into a MAXQDA. Instead, they are stored in the MAXQDA Externals folder and linked to a text document in which you can, if necessary, save a transcript.

When importing an audio or video file, MAXQDA creates a new text document with the name of the media file and assigns the newly added document the inserted media file. The media file itself is stored in the MAXQDA external folder. If a file with the same name already exists in the Externals folder, MAXQDA asks if the existing file should be overwritten. You can adjust the location of the external address in the MAXQDA settings. The settings are called up via the gear wheel at the upper right edge of the window.

In the "Document System", you will recognize a text document with the associated media file by the additional symbol displayed in addition to the document symbol: a musical note for audio files and a video camera  for video files.

Audio and video files in the „Document System“

Assigning audio/video files to a text document 

You can also assign a media file to an existing text document. To do this, right-click on the document in the "Documents System" and select Properties. Here a link to a media file can be assigned or changed at any time.

To do this more quickly you can right-click on the document and choose Link Audio/Video file.

Assigning an audio/video file to a document.

Play and edit audio and video files

Audio and video files can be played and edited in MAXQDA's "Multimedia Browser". For detailed information, see Analyzing Videos.

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