Browsing and filtering the library

See the papers in your Mendeley or Zotero library, narrow the list down, and open a paper.

Applies to Mendeley and Zotero editions Windows · Mac · iPad Free

The library screen

  • Mac · iPadThe left column has two tabs, Library and Across papers. Library shows the sidebar (smart views, libraries, collections, tags) and the list of papers. On iPhone the sidebar is its own screen.
  • WindowsThe left column has two tabs, Library and Across papers. Above the list are the library and collection pickers, Tags & keywords, the view chips and Sort. Hide library (Ctrl+B) gives the paper the whole window.

Across papers searches inside all your papers and notes, rather than their titles. See Search.

Filter the list

  1. Choose what to show:
    • Views: All, Unread, In progress, Favorites and others.
    • Mac · iPadMore smart views: Recently Added, Recently Read, Unsorted, Duplicates and Trash.
    • Mac · iPadMendeley editionMy Publications lists the papers you authored.
    • WindowsThe chips also include Downloaded and Recently opened.
  2. Choose a library: your own or a group you belong to.
    • Mac · iPadYour own library is called Personal Library.
    • WindowsYour own library is called My Library.
  3. Choose a collection to see only its papers.
    • WindowsUse the Collections picker above the list.
  4. To filter by tag, open Tags & keywords and pick one or more tags. With several tags, papers that have any of them are shown. Clear tag filter removes the filter.
  5. Mac · iPadTo filter by reading status, use the status chips above the list (unread, in progress, read).

Sort changes the order: recently added, recently modified, title or year.

Type in the search field above the list. It matches the title, author and year.

  • WindowsIt also matches DOI and tags.
  • Mac · iPadPress ⌘K to jump to the search field.
  • WindowsPress Ctrl+K to jump to the search field.

To find words inside papers and notes, use Across papers instead. See Search.

Open a paper

  • Mac · iPadTap or click a paper.
  • WindowsDouble-click a paper, or select it and press Enter. Ctrl+Enter opens it beside the paper you are reading.

If the PDF is not on the device yet, it downloads first. See Downloading PDFs and reading offline.

Each row shows the paper's status: Unread, In progress or Read, a star if it is starred, and whether its PDF is already on the device.

The row menu

  • Mac · iPadLong-press a paper (right-click on Mac) for Select, Add to Collection, Mark as read / Mark as unread, Copy BibTeX, Copy citation key, Remove PDF from This Device (keep paper), Remove from Collection and Move to Trash. Swipe a row for quick actions such as starring.
  • WindowsRight-click a paper for Open, Open beside and, once its PDF is on this PC, Export figures and tables….

See also Copy with page, BibTeX, citation keys and Exporting figures and tables.

Select several papers

Mac · iPadChoose Select (in the menu or a row menu), tick the papers, and use the bar at the bottom to add them to a collection, download them, remove their PDFs from the device or move them to Trash.

Organizing your library

  • WindowsRectoly on Windows reads your library; it does not edit it. Edit collections, tags and details in Mendeley Reference Manager or Zotero, and the changes arrive with the next sync. You can still add PDFs.
  • Mac · iPadYou can add papers to collections, mark them read and move them to Trash here. Tags and details are edited in Mendeley or Zotero on your computer.
  • Emptying the Trash for good is done in Mendeley or Zotero on your computer.
Zotero edition

Zotero edition:

  • Stars and the read mark stay on this device, because Zotero has no read mark of its own.
  • Collections can be created, and papers added to or removed from them. Renaming, deleting and moving collections is done in Zotero.
  • A paper whose PDF is not in Zotero storage shows File not synced and cannot be opened until you sync the file from Zotero on your computer. If your attachment files are on a WebDAV server, or ZotFile or ZotMoov moved them into a cloud folder, set that up in settings: see Files on a WebDAV server and Files linked with ZotFile or ZotMoov. See Downloading PDFs.

Updated September 20, 2026