Getting started with Zetaref Reference Manager

Begin by signing up for a 30-day free trial at Zetaref.
Once you’re logged in, you’ll have access to the full suite of reference management tools, including automated metadata extraction, smart filtering, and export options.

References

Add Papers

To use the Reference Manager, you will need to upload PDFs consisting of research articles, books, notes or any other reference material. From the sidebar on the left of your screen, click Add References.

  • Drag and drop or select one or more PDF files into the upload area.

  • Click the "Upload" button in the file upload dialog.

  • Zetaref will automatically start processing them in the background.

Once processing is complete, your files will appear in your library with metadata like title, author, and publication year extracted automatically.

Automatic metadata extraction

Zetaref automatically detects key details such as:

  • Title

  • Authors

  • Publication Year

  • DOI

It also cross-references external databases including CrossRef, PubMed, and arXiv to ensure your citations are accurate and complete.

Metadata

Organizing your library

As your collection grows, Zetaref provides tools to keep your references structured and easy to find.

Collections

Group related references together into collections.
You can move PDFs between collections at any time, Zetaref preserves all associated citations and annotations.

Tags

Create and apply custom tags to categorize your references.
Tags make it easy to filter your library by topic, project, or theme.

Smart Filters

Use filters to find references by author, year, or upload source.
Combine multiple filters for precise and powerful searches.

Export

You can export your references for use in other tools or manuscripts.
Zetaref supports export in:

  • BibTeX

  • CSV

  • TXT

This makes it simple to integrate with LaTeX editors, citation tools, or data analysis workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it allow uploading of books or only academic papers.

Yes, you can upload books of up to 1000 pages into your library.

Can I Link to existing reference

Yes, open a reference, click attach PDF, and choose from your uploads to associate the file.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve uploaded and organized your first references:

  • Explore your annotation and citation features.

  • Create collections for each project or research area.

  • Try exporting citations to BibTeX for your next paper.