Zotero: Managing Storage Space Efficiently

Zotero's free cloud storage is limited, but you can effectively manage your research library by separating citation data (which syncs to the cloud) from PDF storage (which can be handled locally).

Note: these instructions were built using the Windows version of Zotero 7. Other OS versions may differ slightly.

This approach keeps PDFs on one primary device while maintaining cloud-synced citation data.

Setup Steps:

1. Choose your primary device for PDF storage
2. Adjust Zotero (version 7) settings:

• Open Zotero app on the device (note: not the web version)
• Make sure you are logged in with your account
• Go to Edit → Settings → Sync
• Under "File Syncing," uncheck "Sync Attachment Files in My Library"
• (Keep "Sync Attachment Files" checked for group libraries if needed)

Benefits:

• Full citation data available everywhere
• PDFs accessible on your main device
• Minimal cloud storage usage
• Maintains organization within Zotero interface

This approach focuses solely on managing citations, accessing PDFs through URLs or DOIs.

Setup Steps:

1. Go to Edit → Settings → General
2. Under "File Handling," uncheck "Automatically attach associated PDFs and other files when saving items". You could also uncheck “automatically take snapshots when creating items from webpages” but we do not recommend this if you need to have documentation of the content or format of the webpage for purposes of verification or reproducibility.
3. If you need to free up some additional space, remove existing PDFs:

• Search for PDFs in your library by clicking on the magnifying glass icon in Zotero’s primary search bar
• Click on “advanced search” from the dropdown menu
• Click on the dropdown menu that defaults to “Title” and select “Attachment File Type”. Click on the dropdown menu that defaults to “Audio” and select “PDF”
• Click “Search”
• Select only the PDF attachments (not the citations!) you want to delete.
• Delete selected PDFs
• Empty the trash folder to free up storage (scroll down to the bottom of your library pane).

Benefits:

• Minimal storage usage
• Access articles through DOIs or institutional access
• Perfect for reliable internet access scenarios

External Cloud Storage

• Store PDFs in institutional cloud storage (OneDrive, Google Drive)
• Maintain separate folder structure
• Create sharable link for docs in the cloud and add the link to the item record in Zotero

Hybrid Approach

• Store and sync essential PDFs using Zotero
• Use external access (links) for less frequent references
• Organize based on frequency of use

• Group Libraries: Only Zotero cloud storage works for group library attachments

• Data Directory: Never store your Zotero data directory in cloud storage

• Storage Cleanup: Regularly check and empty the trash folder after deleting PDFs

• Institutional Access: Plan for off-campus access to subscription content using the Library Lookup feature

  • Edit → Settings → General → Locate → Resolver

  • Find and select Oklahoma State University

  • When an item in your library is selected, use the Locate button at the bottom of the right side tool panel.

• Plan ahead for post-graduation access: Your institutional login for accessing subscription journal articles and databases through the library will expire after graduation. Consider downloading essential PDFs before losing access.

• Migration: When importing from other reference managers, set up storage preferences before migration

• WebDAV is available but requires technical expertise

• Always maintain backups of your citation database

• Regular cleanup of unused attachments helps manage storage