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Mendeley referencing software: Get Mendeley

Software that helps with referencing. In this guide learn about Mendeley and download Mendeley.

Getting Mendeley

Mendeley is a free program when using the basic online account.

There are three elements to Mendeley:

  1. Online Mendeley account. The basic account level is free.
  2. Program/App containing all your references. The newer version is Mendeley Reference Manager.
  3. Connection between Mendeley and Word (install plug-in).

UWA staff and students have access to Mendeley's full online functionality through the UWA Mendeley Institutional Edition subscription. Be sure to sign up for Mendeley using your UWA email address to upgrade your free Mendeley account to the Institutional Edition!

Ways to get Mendeley

To begin using Mendeley, create a free Mendeley account.

Visit www.mendeley.com and register via the Create a free account button.

It's strongly recommended to use your UWA email address when creating your account, as this allows you to upgrade your free Mendeley account to the UWA Mendeley Institutional Edition subscription. Once you have created your account with your UWA email address, sign in to your Mendeley account while on campus and your account will be upgraded.

The Mendeley Institutional Edition allows significantly more storage space for references and PDFs, and the ability to collaborate with more people. Please see the 'Sharing and Collaborating' page of this guide for more information.

Mendeley can be used entirely online, without downloading the Mendeley Reference Manager app, if preferred. You can access your Library of references by logging in to your Mendeley account in a web browser.

Mendeley Library All references screen. Details of references listed

Mendeley Reference Manager

Mendeley Reference Manager is a free app that allows you to add references to your Mendeley library, organise them and attach PDFs.

Download Mendeley Reference Manager for Windows (Windows 7 and above)

Download Mendeley Reference Manager for Mac (macOS 10.10 Yosemite and above)

It is not required to download Mendeley Reference Manager. Mendeley can be used in a web browser by signing in to your Mendeley account. See this Mendeley FAQ on the small differences between using Mendeley in a browser or the Reference Manager app.

Need help getting started?

 

Mendeley Desktop

The previous version of the Mendeley app is Mendeley Desktop. It is free and can be downloaded by selecting the correct version for your machine from here. The Mendeley Desktop app includes the "Cite-O-Matic" Word plugin which allows inserting references from your Mendeley library into Word. See the 'References in Word Documents' page for more information. Please note Mendeley Desktop is not compatible with the most recent MacOSs. Mac users with more recent OSX versions are recommended to use Mendeley Reference Manager.

However Mendeley Desktop and it's associated "Cite-O-Matic" Word plugin do have some features not yet available in Mendeley Reference Manager and Mendeley Cite. Please see comparison below.

Before upgrading from Mendeley Desktop to the new Mendeley Reference Manager: 

  • Consider which app best suits your needs (comparison of features)
  • Make sure you’ve synced your existing Mendeley Desktop library to your online Mendeley account
  • Download and install Mendeley Reference Manager
  • Sign in using your Mendeley credentials and your existing library will sync

This table shows which Word plugin and Windows or Mac operating systems are compatible with the versions of the Mendeley app.

Mendeley reference database software

Mendeley-Word connection plugin

Windows  Compatibility

MacOS compatibility

Mendeley Desktop (v.1.19.8)

Cite-O-Matic

Compatible Windows 7+

Compatible 10.10 - 10.13

Not compatible 10.15 (Catalina) +

Mendeley Reference Manager

Mendeley Cite

Compatible Windows 7+

Compatible 10.10 (Yosemite)+

Mendeley Web (online)

Mendeley Cite

Compatible

Compatible

 

For more information, go to What browsers and operating systems are supported for Mendeley products? 

You can download the app at: https://www.mendeley.com/download-reference-manager/

Before upgrading from Mendeley Desktop to the new Mendeley Reference Manager: 

  • Consider which app best suits your needs (comparison of features)
  • Make sure you’ve synced your existing Mendeley Desktop library to your online Mendeley account
  • Download and install Mendeley Reference Manager
  • Sign in using your Mendeley credentials and your existing library will sync

Mendeley Desktop is installed on all UWA Library computers.

If you have not yet created an account with Mendeley, please visit www.mendeley.com and register via the Create a free account button.

(Currently on the Library computers, the Register button in Mendeley Desktop is not functioning.)

Once you are registered, you can sign in to Mendeley Desktop.

Mendeley Desktop and Mendeley Reference Manager are available from UniApps. Staff can install Mendeley on UWA computers simply by locating it in the UniApps and clicking on Install.

Mendeley Desktop vs Mendeley Reference Manager

Comparison between Mendeley Desktop app and the new Mendeley Reference Manager app.

Use the table below to assist in choosing the Mendeley app that best suits your individual requirements. Please note some features of Mendeley Desktop are not available (yet) in Mendeley Reference Manager. However Mendeley Desktop is not compatible with the latest Mac operating systems.

It is possible to have both apps installed, and switch between the two as required. Your library of references will be synchronised to the online account from both apps. However only one citation plugin can be used in a Word document. It is not possible to switch (within one Word document) between inserting citations with Mendeley Cite and the old "Cite-O-Matic" plugin.

  Mendeley Desktop Mendeley Reference Manager
Updates Mendeley have ceased development of Mendeley Desktop, see notice on release notes. New updates released regularly. See release notes.
Compatibility Incompatible with latest macOS. Compatible with most Windows and Mac OS.
Citation plugin for Word "Cite-O-Matic" plugin is downloaded with Mendeley Desktop. Separate Word add-in, Mendeley Cite.
Organisation features Folders, tags, ability to find and remove duplicate references. Folders and tags, ability to find and remove duplicate references.
PDFs Stored locally in a folder on your computer. Stored online ("in the cloud") only.
Citation styles

Select any citation style on the GitHub Repository.

Install lists of journal title abbreviations for automatically abbreviating journal titles in styles where this is required (IEEE, Vancouver).

Mendeley Cite does not support inserting references into footnotes in Word (required for AGLC4, Chicago 17th footnote styles). Please see Mendeley Support Centre query.

Journal title abbreviation files (used in IEEE and Vancouver (Citing Medicine)) can't be installed.
Backup Ability to save a backup of your library as a zip folder. Can export references as BibTeX or RIS, but this does not retain folder structure, tags or PDFs. References are synchronised to online account but this is not a true backup.
Summary

Legacy app, older interface.

More features available, particularly for managing your library of references.

Not available to Mac users on latest OS.

Cite-O-Matic plugin can insert references into footnotes in Word.

Lists of journal title abbreviations can be installed.

New app. Modern interface, new updates released regularly.

Important features for managing library not available.

Compatible with latest macOSs.

Mendeley Cite plugin cannot (yet) insert references into footnotes in Word.

No ability to install list of journal title abbreviations.

 

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