Zotero Sync
Zotero stores data locally on your computer by default. Zotero Sync allows you to access your library on any computer with internet access. Zotero stores a copy of your library and checks for updates when it is opened on a different computer. All computers must be running the same version of Zotero. Zotero syncing has two parts: data syncing and file syncing.
Setting Up Sync
- Open Zotero preferences (under Edit) and select Sync.
- Under Settings, enter your username and password, and then click on "Set up Syncing"
- Data Syncing: Check "Sync automatically" to sync your citation information.
- File Syncing: This will sync your PDF attachments as well as citations. This option can use a lot of storage space.
- If you choose to file sync, check both boxes and choose Sync in My Library using Zotero.
- Click the green circular arrow button at the top right corner of the Zotero window.
- Zotero will upload your library to the server.
- Repeat this configuration on each of your computers.
What the sync options mean:
- Sync Automatically: uses the least storage, syncs library data ONLY (citations, includes notes, tags, metadata, folders)
- Sync Full Text Content: syncs same as above, but then also will extract text from saved attachments, so you should be able to search across synced libraries for terms mentioned in attachments. What is saved here is extracted plain text, so this uses much less storage than the third option of syncing attached files.
- Sync Attachment files: syncs attachments (screenshots, pdfs, epubs etc); this will use the most storage.
