Installation & Configuration

Installation

Main Application:

The installation of the application will depend on your operating system. Access the official Zotero download page to download the version compatible with your computer.

Windows

Download the .exe installer from the official website, double-click the downloaded file, and follow the standard installation wizard.

macOS

Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag the Zotero icon to your Applications folder.

Cleanup Tip

After installation, you can eject the installer from your system and delete the .dmg file to free up space.

Homebrew alternative

If you use Homebrew, you can install Zotero directly from the terminal:

brew install --cask zotero

Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)

Installation via Flatpak

The traditional package for Linux can be downloaded directly from the official Zotero page.

However, if you prefer to manage your applications in another way, you can install the Flatpak version. If you are using Debian or Ubuntu and do not have Flatpak configured yet, follow the steps below in your terminal:

Using another distribution?

The commands below are for Debian/Ubuntu-based distributions. If you use Fedora, Arch, or others, check how to install on your system at the official Flatpak website and access Flathub. Additionally, it is worth checking if Zotero is available in your distribution’s app store.

# 1. Install Flatpak support on your system
sudo apt install flatpak

# 2. Add Flathub (the main Flatpak app repository)
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

# 3. Install Zotero
flatpak install flathub org.zotero.Zotero

Linux (Nix/NixOS)

Installation via Nix (NixOS)

On Nix/NixOS, Zotero is available as a package in nixpkgs. The recommended approaches are to use a temporary shell or declare the package in your configuration:

# Temporary use (recommended for trying it out)
nix-shell -p zotero

# On NixOS, declaratively (configuration.nix)
environment.systemPackages = [
  pkgs.zotero
];

On NixOS, if you want to install it via nix-env:

nix-env -iA nixos.zotero

nix-env modifies the local profile

nix-env permanently modifies the local profile of installed packages, which must be updated and maintained by you — just like a traditional package manager, forgoing many of Nix’s benefits. Prefer nix-shell or the NixOS configuration instead.

Outside NixOS:

# without flakes:
nix-env -iA nixpkgs.zotero
# with flakes:
nix profile add nixpkgs#zotero

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Browser Extension (Zotero Connector)

Simultaneously, we will need the browser extension installed for the course progression. This extension will help us send articles, web pages, etc., to Zotero.

Chrome / Edge / Brave / Firefox

Access the official download page; on the right side, next to the application download, there is the option to install the Zotero Connector.

Safari

The Zotero Connector for Safari comes built-in with the main Zotero application for macOS. To enable it, open Safari, go to Settings > Extensions, and check the Zotero box.

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Configuration

With the application and extension installed, let’s configure Zotero:

1. Adjusting the Language

If the application is not in your desired language, follow these steps:

1. Open Zotero and access Preferences:
   • On Windows/Linux: Click the Edit menu > Settings.
   • On macOS: Click the Zotero menu (next to the Apple icon) > Settings.
2. Go to the General tab.
3. In the Language section, select Português (Brasil) (or your preferred language).
4. Click OK and restart the application to apply the changes.

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2. Adding the ABNT Style

Zotero comes with several international formats (such as APA and Vancouver), but we need to add ABNT standards for our work.

1. Return to the Preferences menu and click the Cite tab.
2. Click the link Get additional styles….
3. A Style Repository window will open. In the search bar, Search which styles you prefer.
4. Click the desired style to automatically install it into your list.

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3. Accessibility: View Menu

Visual Comfort

In the top View menu, you can increase font size and alter other interface layout options. Explore these settings to make reading more comfortable and accessible during your research!