Started A New Account

fitness123
I can't seem to get Zotero to recognize the new account when I log in. It keeps opening up the old account. I am thinking that I have to refresh on Firefox but don't know how. I clicked on the "refresh more" button on Zotero but that didn't do anything.

I logged out of Zotero using the close button and the exit button but when I re-open it the old account opens.

I tried to save citations going through the Zotero website using Firefox but that didn't work. A window pops up and says that Zotero needs to be open first. I would think that the Zotero program would give me a login window so I can go into the new account but it doesn't do that. I tried to find a way to get the login window to pop up but I couldn't.
  • adamsmith
    Let's maybe step back -- why do you need a new Zotero account? Do you need any of the information currently in your Zotero library in your new account?

    How to best go about changing the Zotero software over to a different account depends on the answers.
  • fitness123
    I created a new Zotero account because the old one got maxed out. I tried deleting citations from Zotero to free up space but it didn't work. It still says I'm at my 300MB limit.
  • fitness123
    I'm logged into my new account on Firefox but Zotero it didn't transfer to the Zotero.
    I have seen the login screen on Zotero in the past but for some reason it doesn't come up anymore.
  • adamsmith
    Unless you want to lose your whole library (in which case you can just delete all items from your old account and empty the trash), a new account isn't going to help. I'd stick with your old account.

    If you don't need your files to sync between devices, you can just disable file syncing in the Zotero preferences under Sync and you will no longer receive an error message. See e.g. my answer here: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/330235/#Comment_330235 for more details.
  • fitness123
    I do not want to delete my whole library. I started a new account so I could start over with a new 300MB limit and am able to save citations again. I don't need 2GB of storage space.
  • fitness123
    If I disable syncing I would want to go back to the old account if I want to. I'm guessing that by enabling syncing again it will let me do this. Am I right?
  • adamsmith
    You're misunderstanding how this works. Did you follow and read the link I posted?

    A new account, by default, is empty, i.e. that'd mean deleting your whole library. If you were to transfer over all items from your old account (which, while a bit tedious, is possible), they would take up exactly as much space as they did in your old account, so that wouldn't help you at all with freeing space.

    And just to re-iterate one more time: you do not need Zotero storage (free or paid) to save citations. The only thing Zotero storage is used for is for syncing attached files to the server and between multiple devices. If that's not needed, that function can be disabled in the Zotero preferences, you will no longer receive error messages and any use of Zotero is completely free.
  • adamsmith
    (the last two overlapped).

    You don't have to disable _syncing_. You just have to disable _file_ syncing. And I'm pretty sure you're still using your old account. How you're logged in on this website has no effect on what the Zotero app is using.
  • fitness123
    Thank you for the information. It solved my problem. I didn't realize something so simple like unchecking the little sync boxes would solve the problem. I don't need it synced to Zotero's computer so I'm glad I finally got that fixed.

    I have another question: What does unlinking the account name do? Obviously it unlinks the account, but does it delete all the data? Does it to link another account if I want? Does it allow me to link the unlinked account back again?

  • adamsmith
    Unlinking the account will remove all local data, yes, so don't do that unless you know exactly what you're doing and why.
    (You would then be able to use a different account, yes, so one scenario where you'd use that is if you synced your account on a public computer)
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