Problem installing Word Add-in – Zotero.dotm cannot be copied because not existent

inaili

Hi everyone,

I’m having persistent issues getting the Zotero Word add-in to work on my Windows 11 laptop, and I hope someone can help.

Setup:

Windows 11 (fully updated)

Microsoft 365 (classic installation, 64-bit, not from the Store)

Zotero 7, 64-bit, installed as administrator

Antivirus: Windows real-time protection disabled; no other security software installed

Folder permissions: full access to %AppData%\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP

Issue:
Whenever I try to install the Word add-in from Zotero, I get the following error:

"The installation could not be completed because an error occurred.
Please make sure Microsoft Word is closed, then restart Zotero.

Error: Could not copy Zotero.dotm to C:\Users\ADMIN\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP "


Steps I’ve already tried:

Multiple uninstall/reinstall of Zotero as administrator

Ensuring all Office processes are closed before installation

Checking folder permissions and disabling Windows security features

Attempting to manually locate or generate Zotero.dotm

Verifying Zotero and Word versions match (both 64-bit)

Despite all of this, Zotero.dotm does not appear in my installation folder, and the add-in fails to install.

Question:
Has anyone encountered this before, and is there a reliable way to manually install the Word add-in or obtain a working Zotero.dotm? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

dstillman

You can follow the manual installation instructions, but this would be due to something on your computer — security software or folder permissions — preventing Zotero from updating the plugin. I'm afraid that's all we can tell you.