Reference management software: Zotero

Transfer a Zotero library to another computer

  1. Close/Quit Zotero on both computers.
  2. If you've already opened Zotero on the new computer, there will already be a Zotero data folder with an empty database. Delete the whole Zotero folder before copying the new folder to the same location. Locate the Zotero folder in your computer.
  3. Copy the entire Zotero folder on your first computer and transfer it to your second one.

 

You can also transfer your library between multiple computers by using syncing but if you do not have enough storage, all attached files will not be transferred.

NOTE! Exporting and importing your library (for instance via Zotero RDF) is not a recommended option. None of the available export formats allow for a complete transfer of your library data, reimporting will break connections with any existing word processor documents, and if you use syncing later you will end up with duplicates of any imported items.