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Mendeley: Build Your Research Library

This guide will help you use the online citation, research management, and collaboration tool Mendeley.

What Is Mendeley?

Mendeley is a reference/citation manager with web-based, desktop, and mobile versions. You can sync your citation library between these different versions and across different devices.

Your free Mendeley account

A free Mendeley account receives:

  • 2GB personal storage for personal documents.
  • Permission to create 5 groups of up to 25 collaborators for sharing common documents.
  • 100MB shared storage across all groups.

You can purchase more personal storage only by upgrading your account. Upgrades are for personal storage and aren't available for shared web space.

Find out more about creating an account here, or go straight to Mendeley.com

This information copied from What do I get with a free Mendeley account? (Last updated on January 19, 2022)

Desktop app and citation tool

Mendeley Reference Manager (desktop app) simplifies the process of adding and using your references. The Mendeley Cite tool allows you to easily insert in-text citations and bibliographies / references in documents created with Microsoft Word 2016 and above, Microsoft Office 365 and Online, and the Microsoft Word app for iPad. The Mendeley Web Importer allows you to import papers, web pages and other documents directly into your reference library from search engines and academic databases; it is available for all major web browsers.

Get stared with the Mendeley Reference Manager: A Guide for New Users (pdf) or check out the Mendeley Help Guides pages.

Note: The old(er) Desktop app and Citation Plugin are still available for those using pre-2016 versions of Microsoft Word on the desktop. 

How to get started with Mendeley

Mendeley help / guides

The Mendeley Guides provide focused help with: 

  • Installation of Mendeley Reference Manager for Desktop or the earlier Desktop version on Windows (7 or later) and Mac (OS X10.10 or later)

  • Mendeley Cite: Used with Mendeley desktop on Microsoft Word (version 2016 or higher on Windows & Mac), Office 365, or Libre Office 5

  • Groups 

  • Citation Guides: APA, MLA, Harvard, citing a website

  • Web Importer

Browser, operating systems, and text processor version information was correct as of November 2023. 

Mendeley Support Center

Find online help at the Mendeley Support Center 

Want to ask a question?  Use these support channels: