Can I use Zotero on my iPad?

carlsh
I'm sure there are other discussions about this but I'm new to Zotero and really don't know what I'm doing. What I want is to access my Zotero PDF files on my iPad as I prefer to read and annotate on that. I then want those PDF files with my annotations from the iPad to be 'synced' so when I open Zotero on my Macbook, the PDF files with the annotations are there.

Is this possible?

Thanks in advance :)
  • bwiernik
    See https://zotero.org/support/Mobile
  • bwiernik
    The web library on Zotero.org and Zotfile are your best options on iPad currently.
  • dstillman
    (@carlsh: An official iPad app is coming, though.)
  • fredericky
    @dstillman Do you have time schedule for the release?
  • ldengjie
    you can try this: on the mac, use zotfile to rename pdfs to a directory in "icloud drive". on the ipad, use pdfexpert to open pdfs from "icloud drive", the pdf with annotations you have made will be 'synced' to icloud when you closed the pdf.
  • MWUCL
    @dstillman really good to hear that the much anticipated native Zotero app is coming, but hints on a timeline would indeed be great:)
    I have been using Papership on iOS, but the fact that it is not well maintained is horrifying, it doesn’t allow adding refs to the library and syncing only reliably works with Zotero storage.
  • coelen
    I have been struggling with this. Papership is not showing all PDFs, but not being able to browse all my papers on mobile sucks. Mendeley and Endnote have proper(ish) ipad apps, but Zotero can really win if they release this app.
  • Cosmosis
    @dstillman , that is great news about an official iOS app! Any plans in the works for an official Android app, too?
  • mscman45
    I am enthusiastic about the Zotero app. for iPad. When will it be released? Does anyone know? Thanks. KS
  • whuber
    There is a bit of a wall of silence about progress on or release dates for the iPad/iOS app. I find that disappointing.
  • MWUCL
    @whuber @dstillman I agree. I have recently upgraded to Unlimited Zotero Storage with the hope to support the project and possibly the iPad app, but not getting any feedback on this is unsettling.
  • adamsmith
    Zotero hasn't made announcements about ETAs for any major features for years. Given the size of the team, it's just not particularly realistic to provide even approximate time estimates for when a big project is sufficiently ready for a public beta -- back when they tried, developers were at times off by a couple of years, and that isn't helpful to anyone.

    (I don't work for Zotero, but they've said this several times about a range of different features)
  • DWL-SDCA
    edited August 14, 2020
    @whuber @MWUCL I've been a Zotero user for more than 12 years and there has never been a policy of hopeware. Given this history, there is no basis for anxiety or disappointment other than a natural impatience. Zotero internally examines the feasibility of a project and announces it if the project is accepted as a good idea. We users have never been made aware of the internal deadlines and target dates. Only when it is ready will a beta be announced. Zotero is free and open access. The developers have no financial motive to push vaporware. I'm feeling excited in anticipation of an iPad app version of Zotero. I wanted the app to be ready last year (even before the possibility was mentioned)! I learned through the years that I can trust the developers to move steadily and surely to get the tasks done right.
  • MWUCL
    Thanks for these insights @adamsmith and @DWL-SDCA. That is certainly reassuring and apologies if I was oblivious to that. Just thought when a question like this comes up (and it has come up a lot) why isn’t there an “official” answer explaining the difficulties as you have done?
    Zotero is not only free but open-source, begging the question why big features like this are not being put on Github to harness the power of the community (and putting users at ease that progress is being made). There’s obviously a massive demand for this, surely people will be willing to contribute. Or am I missing something obvious here?
  • dstillman
    Addressed here:

    https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/80132/mobile-app
  • MWUCL
    Thanks, that was really helpful.
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