Are folders synced between devices?

dmeissner · 2026-02-20T23:03:37+00:00

I just started trying out Zotero, starting with the desktop app on a Mac. Before creating an account, I added about 25 references and filed them into 8 folders. Then I created an account and installed the app on an iPad. After logging in, all the references were synced to the iPad, but there are no folders. I've been waiting for about 20 minutes to see if the folders will eventually be synced, but so far nothing.

Are folders supposed to sync? Or have I missed a step?

dstillman · 2026-02-20T23:05:40+00:00

See Changes Not Syncing.

dmeissner · 2026-02-20T23:53:30+00:00

Thank you for the quick response. All is working now, perhaps I didn't wait long enough. The links you suggested mention data and file syncing, but I don't see anything specific about folders. The original problem was that all of the URL references and one PDF did sync correctly, almost immediately, but the folders hadn't shown up after about 20 minutes. But I just went back into Zotero on the iPad, and the folders are all there now.

dstillman · 2026-02-21T00:07:49+00:00

It's data syncing. (They're "collections", not folders.)

dmeissner · 2026-02-21T17:30:54+00:00

Thanks again. I just tried a test of installing Zotero on a second iPad. All items and collections were synced a few seconds after I logged in. I don't know what happened on the original iPad where it seemed like collections had not synced, but it may well have been user error :) Anyway, all is well - thanks!