Attachments not uploading

tina_cardona · 2025-10-15T20:40:25+00:00

Hi there,
All the sudden, attachment files will not upload to my desktop Zotero. I checked and I have the most updated version of the software and tried rebooting multiple times. Debug log is D958980113 - I tried to attach two files to existing parent items then tried to Add File by itself. Thank you! - Tina

tina_cardona · 2025-10-15T22:00:44+00:00

Update - I moved the files somewhere else, and it started working again, thank goodness. Please let me know if you take a look at the debug file and see anything I should be aware of. Thanks!

tina_cardona · 2025-10-16T15:25:24+00:00

I think I figured out it has to do with the character length of the file path. When I shortened the name of the problematic files, they uploaded fine. Not sure why Zotero isn't just shortening the file names like it used to, but at least I figured out the problem - leaving here in case it helps others with the same issue.

AbeJellinek · 2025-10-16T17:42:45+00:00

This is something that Windows is doing (they're "8.3 filenames") because it thinks Zotero can't support long paths, or because it thinks your drive/network share (wherever those files were located) can't support long paths.

Check to make sure zotero.exe doesn't have Compatibility Mode turned on in File Explorer; if it doesn't, this is likely a system or drive setting that doesn't relate to Zotero. We haven't gotten other reports of this, and of course lots of people add attachments with long paths.