What's New?
Latest Updates in CCDC Software and Data
We are passionate about delivering continuous improvements to our scientific software and data to ensure our users are able to harness the power of over one million structures in the CSD through effective visualization, analysis, and extraction. Discover the latest updates in CCDC software and CSD data here.
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CSD Data Update and 2026.1.1 CSD Software Update (May 2026).
CSD Data Update
The May 2026 Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) update adds 14,029 structures (15,248 entries) to the CSD. The update also provides new versions of CSD subsets, an additional Mogul data library and updated CSD-CrossMiner data libraries – all including the latest data.
The CSD now contains 1,410,034 structures (1,451,367 entries), supporting scientific research internationally across many different fields, including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, materials science, and more.
Read the blog about the update.
CSD Software Update. MacOS Universal Binaries.
This release marks a significant change in how we support MacOS. We now provide Universal Binaries for most of our desktop programs. These enable our desktop software to run natively on both Intel (older Macs) and ARM (newer M‑series Macs), removing the need to use Rosetta translation. This will result in enhanced performance on newer M-series Mac computers.
MacOS users on ARM (M-series) chips can expect:
- Much improved first startup times
- Rosetta translation on first startup is no longer needed
- Aromatics Analyser is now supported in Mercury
- POV-Ray is now supported in Mercury.
MacOS users on either Intel or ARM chips can expect:
- Improved performance of BFDH morphology in Mercury
- Improved performance of VisualHabit in Mercury.
New to MacOS are the following features, which were released on Windows and Linux in April:
- Enhancements to CSD-CrossMiner for users with CSD-Discovery, CSD-Enterprise or CSD-CrossMiner licences. These include the option to save and reload sessions, enabling users to reanalyse results and to share their searches with colleagues. We have also introduced a structure sketcher, which will allow users to quickly and simply define chemical substructures without the need for manual SMARTS pattern entries.
Coming Next
Later this year, we are expecting to release growth face functionality, more entries with disorder, improved linking and more advanced void analysis tools.
How to Get the Update
Desktop software and data updates can be applied by using the CCDC maintenance tool in the installation folder, or by selecting the Check for Updates option in any of the desktop tools.
If you are using software version 2022.3 or earlier, or if this is your first time installing CSD software, you will need to install the software from Downloads, and this download will contain the latest data update.
If you have problems installing the update, see this FAQ for more details and other options.
Please contact our support team if you have any questions about updating.
Read more
2026.1 CSD Software Update (April 2026). CSD-CrossMiner Enhancements.
This release includes enhancements to CSD-CrossMiner for users with CSD-Discovery, CSD-Enterprise or CSD-CrossMiner licences. These include the option to save and reload sessions, enabling users to reanalyse results and to share their searches with colleagues. We have also introduced a structure sketcher, which will allow users to quickly and simply define chemical substructures without the need for manual SMARTS pattern entries. Read more in the blog ‘Faster, Easier Custom Pharmacophore Queries’.
Coming Next
Later this year, we are expecting to release growth face functionality, more entries with disorder, improved linking and more advanced void analysis tools.
How to Get the Update
Desktop software and data updates can be applied by using the CCDC maintenance tool in the installation folder, or by selecting the Check for Updates option in any of the desktop tools.
If you are using software version 2022.3 or earlier, or if this is your first time installing CSD software, you will need to install the software from Downloads, and this download will contain the latest data update.
If you have problems installing the update, see this FAQ for more details and other options.
Please contact our support team if you have any questions about updating.
Read more
CSD Data Update (February 2026). 1.4 Million Crystal Structures and Beyond
The February 2026 Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) update adds 21,282 new crystal structures (22,897 entries) to support crystallography research across pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, materials science, and related fields.
This release brings the CSD to over 1.4 million structures, giving researchers even richer chemistry data to explore structure–property relationships, validate models, and spark new insights across both organic and metal–organic chemistry.
Top Takeaways
- The CSD now exceeds 1.4 million entries, including a milestone π‑extended diindenoperylene structure (CSD Entry UXARAQ).
- Organic highlights feature rare nitrogen stereocentres (CSD Entry USEFUX) and an iptycene‑derived diborapentiptycene with exceptional TADF–RTP afterglow (CSD Entry URUQUX).
- Metal–organic additions include a CO‑adsorbing cobalt MOF (CSD Entry EQUTOD) and air‑tolerant organosodium complexes (CSD Entry SAGHOC01).
- New coordination complexes, such as a bioactive Ni(ii)–carvedilol structure (CSD Entry UNUHUK), offer valuable insights for applied research.
This update strengthens the CSD as a foundational tool for crystallographers, chemists, and industry scientists advancing innovation through crystal structures and chemistry data.
Read more