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Zotero

An easy, flexible, and free reference tool.

How to sync your library between devices and/or the Zotero cloud

A free online Zotero account allows you to sync and access your library from anywhere, back-up your attached files, as well as share citations.

You can create a Zotero account on the Zotero website by clicking the hamburger menu at the top left of the zotero.org homepage and choosing "sign up", or the "Register" link at the top of other pages on zotero.org.

From your desktop app version of Zotero, go to Preferences > Sync to log into your Zotero account. Make sure the sync automatically box and both file syncing boxes are checked. 

Once you have logged in to your account, click the green circular arrow button in the upper right corner and Zotero will sync your local library with Zotero's cloud storage. To access your library online, go to zotero.org and and log in to your account. 

How to use Zotero to Share Citations

In your online library at zotero.org you should be able to see the collections and references from your local Zotero library. You can share sources from your online Zotero library with other Zotero users. Group libraries use the cloud storage space of the group creator, which starts at 300 MB for free.

To create a group, click on the Groups tab in your online Zotero library. Click Create a New Group, give it a name, and choose a group type. 

Decide what type of access to give group members. This is an important consideration; full privileges allow group members to add and delete citations in the shared library.

Once you have entered membership settings, invite users to join your group: Member Settings > Send More Invitations > e-mail addresses 

As members add references to the group’s online library, you can view them by clicking on the Groups tab and then clicking the Group Library link. After syncing your Zotero account, you will see your shared group libraries in a section below your personal collections in your local standalone library.