Zotero is a free, open-source reference management tool designed to help you collect, organize, cite, and share research materials such as journal articles, books, PDFs, websites, and more. It's widely used by students, academics, and researchers.

How do I use Zotero with Word or Google Docs?

Zotero has plugins for Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs. These plugins let you insert citations and auto-generate bibliographies while you write. After installing the plugin, a Zotero toolbar will appear in your word processor for quick citation access.

Can I use Zotero with Obsidian, Notion, or other tools?

Yes, Zotero integrates well with Obsidian using community plugins like Zotero Integration or Zotero + Better BibTeX, allowing you to pull references directly into markdown notes. For Notion, it's more manual, but tools like Notero or Zotfile can help export metadata or annotations.

Can Zotero automatically rename and organize my PDFs?

Yes, Zotero can automatically rename PDFs based on metadata (like author and title) and organize them into folders. You can customize this behavior under Preferences > General > File Handling. It can also save PDFs into a structured directory for easy backup or syncing with other tools.

Features

Collect with a click

Zotero automatically senses research as you browse the web. Need an article from JSTOR or a preprint from arXiv.org? A news story from the New York Times or a book from a library? Zotero has you covered, everywhere.

Organize your way

Zotero helps you organize your research any way you want. You can sort items into collections and tag them with keywords. Or create saved searches that automatically fill with relevant materials as you work.

Cite in style

Zotero instantly creates references and bibliographies for any text editor, and directly inside Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs. With support for over 9,000 citation styles, you can format your work to match any style guide or publication.

Stay in sync

Zotero can optionally synchronize your data across devices, keeping your files, notes, and bibliographic records seamlessly up to date. If you decide to sync, you can also always access your research from any web browser.

Collaborate freely

Zotero lets you co-write a paper with a colleague, distribute course materials to students, or build a collaborative bibliography. You can share a Zotero library with as many people you like, at no cost.

Rest easy

Zotero is open source and developed by an independent, nonprofit organization that has no financial interest in your private information. With Zotero, you always stay in control of your own data.

What's New

Changes in released versions of Zotero 10.0 are documented on this page.

Changes in 10.0.2

  • Show recently used collections in the Add to Collection menu
  • Fixed some elements being omitted in exported PDFs
  • Fixed some missing attachments never being downloaded
  • [Linux] Improved error messages when system keystore isn't available
  • Show clearer errors at startup for database corruption or a read-only database (since 10.0)
  • [Windows] Fixed dragging attachments to File Explorer (since 10.0)
  • Fixed sync errors due to non-ASCII characters in credentials (since 10.0)
  • Read Aloud fixes
  • Fixed Read Aloud not starting on some Linux systems
  • Preserve horizontal focus during Read Aloud
  • Split sentences followed by footnote markers
  • Reading Mode fixes
  • Fixed back/forward buttons
  • Fixed page navigation
  • Fixed highlights covering the whole paragraph for sentences containing italics
  • Prevent auto-scrolling after a manual scroll when using Read Aloud
  • Fixed error using CSL 0.8 styles (since 8.0)
  • Fixed "false" appearing in Added By/Modified By columns for trashed collections
  • [Security] Updated Mozilla platform to 140.15.0esr
  • Miscellaneous bug fixes