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Library and Learning Services

Zotero: Installation

Reference management application designed to store and manage references.

Install Desktop Application

  1. On the front page of the Zotero website, there should be a big red "Download" button that will detect your operating system and current browser. 
  2. You will be redirected to a download page. Click the "Download" button.
  3. Run the setup program that you downloaded.
  4. Finally, you will need to install the Zotero Connector for your browser, instructions below.
  1. On the front page of the Zotero website, there should be a big red "Download" button that will detect your operating system and current browser. For Mac, simply click that "Download" button.
  2. You will be redirected to a download page. Click the "Download" button under "Zotero 6.0 for Mac."
  3. Open the .dmg you downloaded and drag Zotero to the Applications folder. You can then run Zotero from Spotlight, Launchpad, or the Applications folder and add it to your Dock like any other program.
  4. Finally, you will need to install the Zotero Connector for your browser, instructions below.
  1. On the front page of the Zotero website, there should be a big red "Download" button that will detect your operating system and current browser. For Linux, simply click that "Download" button.
  2. Linux users may wish to use a package for their distro rather than using the tarball directly. If you download the tarball, unzip it and run zotero from that directory to start Zotero.
  3. Alternatively, on Ubuntu, move the directory to a location of your choice, run the bundled set_launcher_icon script (which will update the included desktop file with the full path to the bundled Zotero icon), and then double-click Zotero (which may display as zotero.desktop initially). You can also symlink zotero.desktop to ~/.local/share/applications/ to add it to your launcher.

Install Browser Plug-In

  1. When you are redirected to the download page for your operating system, it will also detect your browser.
  2. For Chrome, click "Install Chrome Connector."
  3. The browser will prompt you to "Add Zotero Connector," and then click "Add extension."
  4. If the installation is successful, another prompt will appear in the top right of your screen that says "Zotero Connector has been added to Chrome."
  5. You will then see an icon next to your address bar that looks like a gray rectangle; this icon will change depending on the resource! Right click on this and select "Options" to link it to your desktop application, as well as adding any proxies.
  1. When you are redirected to the download page for your operating system, it will also detect your browser.
  2. For Firefox, click "Install Firefox Connector."
  3. The browser will let you know that Firefox is trying to install an add-on, and then click "Allow."
  4. Then it will prompt you again to "Add Zotero Connector" letting you know what data it can read, and then click "Add."
  5. If the installation is successful, another prompt will appear in the top right of your screen that says "Zotero Connector has been added to Firefox."
  6. You will then see an icon next to your address bar that looks like a gray rectangle; this icon will change depending on the resource! Right click on this and select "Options" to link it to your desktop application, as well as adding any proxies.
  1. When you are redirected to the download page for your operating system, it will also detect your browser.
  2. For Safari, click "Install Safari Connector" to download the extension file.
  3. Go to your downloads and click the file. The "Extensions" settings for Safari will pop up and prompt you to "Trust" the extension.
  4. You will then see an icon next to your address bar that looks like a gray rectangle; this icon will change depending on the resource! Right click on this and select "Options" to link it to your desktop application, as well as adding any proxies.

Depending on your settings Safari may not automatically open the file. Use Control+ Click and select "Download linked file to..." to save the file to your desktop or some other easy to remember location. Double click the file to open. Click "Open", then click "Install". The Safari capture icon will show up as a little box to the left of the address bar.

Word Processor Integration

Zotero integrates with both Microsoft Word and LibreOffice.

The word processor plugins are bundled with Zotero and should be installed automatically for each supported word processor on your computer when you first start Zotero. In Microsoft Word, this adds a Zotero tab. In LibreOffice, this adds a Zotero toolbar.

You can reinstall the plugins later from the "Cite" → "Word Processor Plugins" pane of the Zotero preferences. If you're having trouble, see Manually Installing the Zotero Word Processor Plugin or Word Processor Plugin Troubleshooting.

If you previously installed the Firefox versions of the word processor plugins into Zotero 5.0 or Zotero Standalone 4.0, you should uninstall them from "Tools" → "Add-ons."

Mobile

The official Zotero iPad and iPhone app is available on the App Store.

The mobile version of the Zotero web library also allows you to access and edit your Zotero library on your tablet or mobile phone.

You can also save items to your Zotero account using zotero.org/save.