Word could not communicate with Zotero. Please ensure that Zotero is open and try again.

Sharpie6786
Operating System: macOS 15.3.1 (24D70)
Office 365

I have followed the instructions from https://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_integration and also troubleshooted every detailed provided on the website i.e. adding the at ZoteroPort.txt and Zotero.dotm at this location ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Startup/Word

Reinstalled both the Zotero and the MS word. Nothing helps. Still getting the same error.

  • dstillman
    edited February 20, 2025
    Creating ZoteroPort.txt is for an advanced configuration that doesn't apply to the vast majority of users. Unless that applies to you, in which case you should clearly explain the technical details of your setup, you should delete that file.

    Otherwise, the steps in this section are the only instructions you should be following:

    https://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_troubleshooting#word_could_not_communicate_with_zotero_please_ensure_that_zotero_is_open_and_try_again
  • Sharpie6786
    Actually I was exploring every options mentioned on the website. I have completed uninstalled and deleted all of the files from both MS Word and Zotero, and then reinstalled everything. But still facing the same issue. Please note that I was successfully using Zotero with Zotero 6, 7 beta version. Now having this issues with the Zotero 7.0.12.
  • dstillman
    edited February 21, 2025
    Can you say exactly what you've done and what happened at each step, in your own words?
    Actually I was exploring every options mentioned on the website.
    Right but it specifically says that only applies if you're using multiple instances, so that's not something you should be following, and if you did, that could easily make things worse and much harder to debug. So you need to make sure that file doesn't exist anymore.
  • Sharpie6786
    Okay. Thanks. I have done the following things.
    1. I deleted all of the files from the MS Word Startup Folder. Previously I was using both Zotero and EndNote.
    2. I uninstalled MS Word and then reinstalled. Then opened it and made sure that there is not Zotero extension.
    3. Then installed the Zotero 7 and installed the MS Word plug-in.
    4. Restarted my PC. Then at first opened Zotero and then MS word.
    5. Tried to insert citation and faced the same problem. ' Word could not communicate with Zotero'
  • dstillman
    Can you provide a Debug ID for Zotero startup, using the "Restart with Logging Enabled…" option?
  • Sharpie6786
    Thanks a lot. Please find the Debug ID: D1411107409
  • dstillman
    That's not for Zotero startup (or if it was there was a large sync that pushed the initial lines out of the log). Can you try again?
  • Sharpie6786
    edited February 21, 2025
    I got it, as I uninstalled and deleted all Zotero files, it was probably syncing my papers. I am not that much expert in this debugging case. I have tried to do it again. Please let me know whether it find it.

    D1513685210

    I tried to view the log file as well, at first again some sync issues, and when I tried to add citation from Word file, I notied the following lines were being generated in the log file.

    [unrelated lines removed — D.S.]
  • Sharpie6786
    I am providing some additional information. I just install Libre Office to see whether it is working there or not. It is working with Libre office but not with MS Word.



    Not working in MS word.

  • Sharpie6786
    I have tried to generated one more time the debugging report while using Libre Office and MS Word simulataniously. You can see the debug report that it is working with Libre office but not with the MS Word. I really appreciate your time and effort. Thank you.

    D1218074166
  • adomasven
    If you open a new Word document, then open Terminal.app and paste in
    do you see a citation dialog appear from Zotero and does it insert a citation into Word at your cursor position?
  • Sharpie6786
    Hello adomasven,

    I followed the instructions, slighly modified had to remove the 'amp', now I saw the citation dialog appear from Zotero, and it does insert a citation into Word. Thanks a lot, I appreciate your help. Now, still I can't insert citation from inside the Zotero tab.

    curl -X GET "http://127.0.0.1:23119/integration/macWordCommand?agent=MacWord16&command=addEditCitation&document=/Applications/Microsoft Word.app/&templateVersion=2"
  • adomasven
    Do you run any security software on your mac, or some proxy software? Does it work if you disable it?
  • Sharpie6786
    I didn't install any security software, but I noticed that something was blocking the connection between Word and Zotero. I needed to use it urgently and had already spent so much time trying to fix the issue. That's why I decided to completely reset my Mac and then reinstall Office 365 and Zotero 7. It's working fine now. Thanks a lot for your time and help!
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