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Zotero for Citation Management: Plugins / Add-ons

What are Zotero Plugins?

What are Zotero Plugins?

Zotero plugins (also called add-ons or extensions) are community-created tools that extend the functionality of Zotero. Plugins enable you to enhance your research workflow by adding new features, improving the interface, or integrating Zotero with other apps and services.

The active Zotero user community has developed a wide variety of plugins for:

  • Importing and managing metadata,
  • Handling and annotating PDF attachments,
  • Customizing reports, notes, or the interface,
  • Connecting with word processors, reference managers, and other research tools,
  • And much more.

Installing a plugin is simple: after downloading the plugin's .xpi file, open Zotero, go to “Tools → Plugins”, and drag and drop the .xpi into the Plugins window.

Please note:

  • Some plugins are maintained by independent developers and may not be officially supported by Zotero.
  • To browse a regularly updated (but not exhaustive) list of available plugins—including installation instructions and compatibility information—visit the official Zotero documentation: https://www.zotero.org/support/plugins

Explore the recommended plugins below to discover new ways to make Zotero work even better for your research needs!

Recommended Plugin #1: Translate for Zotero

Translate for Zotero (Zotero PDF Translate) – Overview

Translate for Zotero is a powerful plugin for Zotero that enables seamless translation of content directly within your research workflow. With support for over 20 translation services, this plugin allows users to translate PDFs, EPUBs, web pages, item titles, abstracts, metadata, annotations, and notes into their target language—all from inside Zotero.

 

Key Features

  • Translate Text in PDFs, EPUBs, and Webpages: Instantly translate selected text within the Zotero reader, or view translations of highlights and annotations.
  • Multiple Translation Services: Choose from more than 20 translation services including Google Translate, DeepL, Microsoft Translator, Large Language Model APIs, and more, with options for API keys for advanced users.
  • Translate Item Metadata: Right-click to translate item titles and abstracts, or use keyboard shortcuts for quick access.
  • Note Integration: Add translated selections directly into notes, streamlining multilingual research workflows.
  • Standalone Translation Window: Compare outputs from multiple translation services at once.
  • Customizable Settings: Control target language, font size, interface, and translation behavior to suit your preferences.
  • Dictionary Support: Instantly look up single words with pronunciation.
  • Batch & Advanced Options: Sentence-by-sentence translation and concatenating text selections.

 

How to Use

Download the plugin (.xpi file) from the GitHub releases page, then install it through Zotero’s Tools > Plugins interface. Once installed, simply select text while reading in Zotero to access translation features.

 

Why Use Translate for Zotero?

This plugin is ideal for researchers working with sources in multiple languages, or anyone needing quick, integrated translations in their reference management workflow. It helps break down language barriers, enhances metadata comprehension, and enables users to extract and annotate translated content effortlessly.

For more details and documentation, visit the GitHub repository of this plugin.

Recommended Plugin #2: Zotero-GPT

Zotero-GPT – Overview

Zotero-GPT is a plugin that integrates advanced AI-powered features directly inside Zotero. It enables users to generate summaries, ask questions about PDFs or library items, search based on content, and much more, all within Zotero’s environment.

 

Key Features

  • Deep Zotero Integration: Ask questions, generate summaries, or search within your library directly from the Zotero interface.
  • Supports Custom Models: Easily switch between different large language models (including local deployments), set API keys and endpoints.
  • Command Tags: Use simple clickable/keyboard-driven labels to trigger complex actions (summary, Q&A, search, etc.) on selected text or entire PDFs.
  • Flexible Prompts: Customize command tags and prompts for personalized interactions.
  • Chat & Note Features: Summarize PDFs, query abstracts, and save responses to your notes.
  • Customizable Settings: Control model, API endpoint, temperature, and more via commands or settings menu.
  • Modern User Interface: Markdown, LaTeX, and MathJax rendering; change font/window size; move, copy output, view error messages.

 

How to Use

  1. Install: Download the latest .xpi from GitHub, then install in Zotero via Tools → Add-ons.
  2. Configure: Modify API details, choose models, and adjust behavior via Zotero's extension settings.
  3. Start Interacting: Open the plugin (default shortcut: Ctrl + /, same on Mac), use the input bar to ask questions, trigger command tags on selection, or customize new tags.

 

Why Use Zotero-GPT?

Ideal for researchers and students, Zotero-GPT uses state-of-the-art AI to quickly extract, summarize, and interact with academic content, saving time and enhancing the research process. It is especially useful for literature reviews, note-making, and generating concise summaries or insights from large collections of papers.

Note: Requires your own OpenAI-compatible API key. Supports both Zotero 6 & 7.

Training Materials for Recommended Plugin #1 and #2

Explore step-by-step resources designed to help you get started with Zotero plugins and make the most of AI-powered features in your research workflow. Whether you are new to plugins or looking to discover advanced functionalities, these materials provide practical demonstrations and tips.

Tip: These materials are ideal for both beginners and experienced users seeking to deepen their understanding of Zotero’s plugin ecosystem. Review the handout for quick reference, and watch the recording for a more interactive learning experience.