Will Zotero automatically switch to short titles after the first citation?

mel_ctzen · 2026-05-05T12:42:31+00:00

I am using the Zotero Connector on Google Chrome to work on my thesis. I am using Chicago Style (notes and bibliography).
I read online that Zotero is supposed to switch automatically to the shortened style after a source is cited for the first time. I made sure to add a short name for the file on Zotero itself that precise source had a short name, yet Zotero continues to format the fulll citation even after the first use.
Within the Zotero document settings in Google Docs I have to choose between the full citation or shortened notes. Is there a way to just select Chicago as a general style and have Zotero automatically switch to the shortener version after the first citation? Changing the style between short and full citations causes Zotero to change all of the other citations to be either all short or all full. Any way to fix this?
https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u11879470/dddzv4e4kmomtk4fj0fg.png

adamsmith · 2026-05-05T13:02:37+00:00

That style you have selected should do that already. What's an example of a subsequent citation you're seeing that you think isn't shortened but should be?

mel_ctzen · 2026-05-05T13:23:12+00:00

I have to cite the same author and book, but in a different page. But for some reason, it just isn't working in the document of my thesis, while it does work in a new document. I've attached both screenshots here (you can also see I'm having the F bug at the beggining of citations). I tried to toggle back and forth to other styles but it always returns to full citations when I selct Chicago.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u11879470/zt6ye48b3pwe5kh4fm5u.png
https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u11879470/uyln6y4zuq9pw91sq0z2.png

adamsmith · 2026-05-05T13:39:41+00:00

OK, so it's broken in a specific document -- you can see the style in general does this right.
Is this the case for all works or just that specific one?

mel_ctzen · 2026-05-05T13:48:00+00:00

I just tried it with a different work and it did it automatically. It only seems to happen with the Sekora text.

adamsmith · 2026-05-05T13:57:12+00:00

Try removing and re-inserting the first citation -- might be something broken with it or you inserted a duplicate (so Zotero actually thinks these are different items).

ale_bo997 · 2026-05-22T16:10:17+00:00

I am having the same issue after it had worked for months (same document). I'm not sure if switching to long and then switching back will screw up my annotations in the footnotes.

adamsmith · 2026-05-22T18:10:22+00:00

Make a copy of the document and test there.

ale_bo997 · 2026-05-22T20:25:53+00:00

I tested it in the same document but it did not work. I will put it aside now and test later on. I doubt that my supervisor would notice tbh but it would be good to do it right.