My Zotero app does not sync

dstillman · 2025-09-04T04:57:14+00:00

This discussion was created from comments split from: App won't sync.

gerhard.van.den.heev · 2025-09-04T04:50:01+00:00

My Zotero app does not sync even with correctly logged in with username and password; app still displays "Error connecting to server. Check your internet connection" when clicking on sync button. [PC with Windows 11]
Report ID 1463971497 submitted
https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u180157/n1cfj6cexxrvyknhqmt6.png

dstillman · 2025-09-04T05:01:30+00:00

(Please start new threads for new issues rather than hijacking someone else's thread. I've moved this to a new thread.)

That's a Report ID from the Zotero Connector, which isn't relevant.

We'd want to see a Report ID from the Zotero app if you can provide one.

gerhard.van.den.heev · 2025-09-04T05:41:27+00:00

I followed all the steps as set out in the Debug Output Logging instruction. As requested, I enabled Debug Output Logging in the Zotero app on the computer, and clicked on sync in the app. Again with the result: Username not set; You must enter your zotero.org username and password in the Zotero preferences to sync with the Zotero server. I again provided my username and password [which works for accessing Zotero on the web and my profile], but when I add username and password and click Set Up Syncing, I get 'Error connecting to server. Check your Internet connection.' Under Help, both in Debug Output Logging and Report Error I can get a log of activities but the moment I click Next to 'submit the report to the Zotero developers' I get the following response 'Invalid response from repository.'

Included below is a two-page copy of the Debug Output > Error submitting output

https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u180157/u1kq5ikls38tuvohafit.jpg

https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u180157/v4jol74kqtv3mv43nzwa.jpg

A last note: it actually synced up to about 4 pm yesterday SAST. Thereafter the error occurred.

dstillman · 2025-09-04T05:42:37+00:00

OK, so all network connections from Zotero are failing for you. See Connection Error.

gerhard.van.den.heev · 2025-09-04T06:23:33+00:00

I checked the security certificate and all seems correct. When I click on the red alert sign next to the sync button on the app, it says: 'The Zotero sync server did not accept your username and password.
Please check that you have entered your zotero.org login information correctly in the Zotero sync preferences.'
This seems to be where the problem lies. I changed the password yesterday [successfully], and it is about that time syncing stopped. My username and password work perfectly to access Zotero on the web, but when I add username and password in Zotero app > Settings > Sync > Data Syncing I get 'Error connecting to server. Check your Internet connection.'

dstillman · 2025-09-04T07:12:10+00:00

This doesn't have anything to do with a security certificate. Your Zotero can't connect to the internet. This is a problem with the network configuration on your computer or network, and there's no way we can debug it for you. You'll need to try the things mentioned on the linked page or ask someone to help you with that. If this is an institutional computer, you should ask your IT department for help.