• Updated toolbar buttons on macOS
• Updated additional low-res icons for high-res displays

• Fixed various conflict resolution bugs
  • Choosing the local side for a conflict could fail to keep the local version
• Properly stop background full-text indexing when computer becomes non-idle
• Fixed items list problems when adding item with a search entered
• Fixed “item._changed.creators is undefined” startup error
• Fixed potential error after switching to first note of session
• Fixed skipped group sync when another group is archived
• Fall back to English sorting if system locale can't be parsed
• Enable “Set Up Syncing” button when pasting via context menu or using drag and drop

• Fixed drag-and-drop unreliability (since 5.0.22)
• Fixed warning about missing data directory on first run
• Fixed item selection that required switching to the library root
• Fixed incorrect 'et al.' behavior in Word for Windows plugin
• Fixed rebuilding of full-text index
• Save note on forward-delete when text is selected
• Fixed a potential sync error
• Fixed username displayed in warning when syncing an existing library to a different account

• Fixed various UI refresh bugs
• Fixed various bugs importing RIS/BibTeX from the Connector
• Fixed sync error due to invalid item relations
• Set related items correctly when duplicating items
• Fixed relations import from translators
• Adjust font size in Create Bibliography window

• Fixed editing in classic citation window
• Fixed sync error after deleting local collection containing remotely modified item
• Miscellaneous bibliographic output and word processor integration fixes
  • Updated citeproc-js to version 1.1.178

• Fixed saved search deletion (since 5.0.19)
• Close progress window on import error
• Show better error for invalid security certificate during file sync

• Prevent further typing and require restart if an error occurs saving a note
• Fixed error migrating from Zotero for Firefox due to corrupted Firefox preferences file
• Fixed errors after using “Delete Collection and Items…”
• Speed up emptying trash
• Show better error message if data directory can't be created
• Fixed startup error due to corrupted locate engine file
• Fixed download of CrossRef locate engine icon

• Allow setting data directory via -datadir command-line flag
  • Pass an absolute path, or pass 'profile' to use a 'zotero' directory within the Zotero profile directory as in 4.0
  • Useful in situations where only the profile directory is writable by the user (e.g., an institutional roaming profile setup)
  • If Zotero is started without the command-line flag, it will revert to the previous location
• Fixed intermittent item selection failure
• Fixed restart error moving away from note that hadn't finished loading
• Continue lookup process in Add Item by Identifier if an identifier isn't found
• Fixed potential error relocating file with extended characters
• Fixed potential error with full-text phrase search
• Fixed “Create Bibliography” for saved searches
• Fixed slow startup with many items in trash
• Miscellaneous bibliographic output and word processor integration fixes
  • Updated citeproc-js to version 1.1.177

• Miscellaneous bibliographic output and word processor integration fixes
  • Updated citeproc-js to version 1.1.175

• Provide option at startup to switch to a recently updated Zotero for Firefox data directory, in case it was orphaned during data directory migration before 5.0.15

• Fixed data directory migration from Firefox profile directory

• Fixed error recognizing metadata for some PDFs (since 5.0.12)
• Miscellaneous bibliographic output and word processor integration fixes
  • Updated citeproc-js to version 1.1.174

• Fixed handling of linked files when base directory is set to drive root

• Restored Cut/Copy/Paste in note context menu

• Show proper error messages for access-denied errors during file sync
• Import intercepted RIS/BibTeX from connector into the selected collection
• Fixed link opening in Add-ons pane
• Fixed potential error updating citations
• Fixed cleaning of passwords for some WebDAV errors from debug output

• Download missing attachments as needed even in “at sync time” file sync mode
• Show files remaining to download in sync button tooltip

• Fixed first-run error with some upgrades
• Fixed cases of files not being downloaded after interrupted syncs until files were changed remotely
• Fixed handling of an error during Retrieve Metadata for PDF
• [Mac] Fixed “Open in Library” from Quick Format popup if main window is closed

• Fixed opening of some links

• When upgrading to 5.0 and a previous data directory is found for both Zotero Standalone and Zotero for Firefox, use the most recently opened directory
• Show “Queued” for an attachment's full-text index status if synced full-text content is available but not yet processed

• Faster shutdown speed when a file sync is in progress
• Better handling of Unicode paths in WebDAV URL
• Fixed opening of some links in the About window
• Fixed a potential file sync error

• Debug Output Logging improvements
  • A new menu under the Help menu allows for quickly generating and submitting debug output to Zotero developers
  • Debug output can now be displayed in real-time using the View Output option
• [Mac] Allow Zotero window to be closed without quitting Zotero
  • Syncing, word processor integration, and saving from browsers will continue to work while the window is closed
• Improve handling of data directory–related startup errors
  • If configured data directory is missing but data directory is found at default location (“Zotero” within the home directory), offer to use the default location instead
  • Provide better guidance when data directory is inaccessible
• Update Quick Copy menu options based on current settings and URL
• Don't include notes and attachments when generating bibliography via Quick Copy
• Improve authenticated proxy detection at startup

• The Zotero Connector for Firefox can now be used with more restrictive privacy/cookie settings

• Trash didn't refresh properly when emptying deleted attachments
• Auto-expand parent items to show search matches when viewing saved search
• Fixed various problems when Zotero is started while Zotero is offline
• Fixed external zotero:// links
• Fixed various problems with Attachment Content search condition
• Fixed crash switching from item Notes tab to feed item
• Avoid unnecessary file access during full-text content syncing
• Fixed “Copy as HTML” Quick Copy option (since 5.0.5)
• Searching for “Presentation” attachment file type didn't find many PowerPoint files
• Timeline fixes
  • Fixed error generating timeline with many items
  • Show item at beginning of month/year if date is incomplete
  • Fixed icons on high-res displays

• User interface language switcher
  • Easily switch between supported languages from the Advanced pane of the preferences
  • Zotero will continue using the OS locale setting by default
• Moved Style Editor and Style Preview to Cite preferences
• Use HTTPS for Google Scholar lookup for Retrieve Metadata for PDF
• Increased font size in word processor integration document preferences

These changes require version 5.0.11 of the Zotero Connector.

• Follow the snapshot preference when saving webpage items to Zotero
• Show a PDF icon for the save button when viewing a PDF

• Fixed various issues related to data directory migration
• Don't auto-sync groups that are deselected in “Libraries to Sync…”
• [macOS] Fixed freezing in LibreOffice when attempting to display a dialog box
• Fixed date handling for auto-detected locales
• Fixed display of parent directory when locating missing file
• Fixed rare issue with WebDAV syncing

• Fixed tag selector search (broken in 5.0.5)

• Site-specific Quick Copy settings
  • Previously available only in Zotero for Firefox, now available in Zotero 5.0 for all browsers
  • Configurable in the Export pane of the Zotero preferences
  • Uses the URL of the last active tab in any browser running a Zotero Connector
• Item tags box improvements
  • Improved performance when adding/removing tags
  • Added “Remove All Tags…” option to pane context menu to remove all tags from an item
• Increased default window size to ~1000x600px
• [Windows] Moved Tools → Options to Edit → Preferences
• Restored Alignment menu with justification option in note editor context menu

These changes require version 5.0.10 or later of the Zotero Connector.

• Restore proxy entries previously created in Zotero for Firefox
• Show error message on save if collection selected in Zotero isn't editable

• [Windows] Fixed tag selector font
• Fixed ISBN lookup and PDF metadata retrieval for some ISBNs
• Fixed excessive load during WebDAV syncing
• Sort export translators in Quick Copy settings

• Fixed potential startup error
• Fixed some collections-pane context-menu options (e.g., Sync)
• [Mac] Closing Zotero in full-screen mode would leave window without title bar or toolbar
• Prevent freeze when clicking on search with invalid Collection condition

• Fixed potential startup error
• Fixed Windows menu key in items pane
• Fixed selection issues in collections-pane context menu
• Fixed blank window when opening ZotFile zotero://open-pdf links

• Fixed several sync errors
• Fixed error removing files after unlinking account

• Fixed several sync errors
• Fixed saving of reports

• A Unified Zotero Experience
  • The two full versions of Zotero, Zotero for Firefox and Zotero Standalone, have been replaced by a single standalone application for users of all browsers. A new Zotero Connector for Firefox, similar to the extensions available for Chrome and Safari, allows you to save to the Zotero desktop application or zotero.org in a single click.
  • If you're a current Zotero for Firefox user, you'll be automatically upgraded to the Zotero Connector for Firefox, and you should install the Zotero application if you don't have it already.
  • See the announcement for more details on this change.
• My Publications
  • Easily build a list of works — articles, papers, books, etc. — that you've created and share them on your profile page on zotero.org
  • Files can optionally be made publicly available to download under a license you specify
• Feeds
  • Subscribe to RSS or Atom feeds — such as those made available by academic journals — from within Zotero
  • Browse new entries and add them to your Zotero libraries with a single click, with metadata and files automatically collected from the associated webpages
• New syncing architecture
  • Selective library sync
    • Choose libraries to sync from the Sync pane of the preferences
    • Individual libraries can be synced on-demand via context menu
  • Independent syncing of libraries
    • Conflicts or other problems in one library no longer prevent other libraries from syncing
  • Improved handling of very large libraries
    • Data changes are now synced incrementally rather than in a single batch
  • Improved handling of sync conflicts
    • Many situations that previously resulted in conflicts are now automatically resolved without manual resolution
  • Immediate sync triggering on remote changes
  • Ability to interrupt syncing (previously only file syncing could be stopped)
  • Ability to unlink account and automatically remove local data
• Improved UI responsiveness
  • Long operations (e.g. large syncs and imports) are now performed in the background, allowing Zotero to continue to be used
• New stacked layout option for narrower screens
  • Moves item pane below items list
  • Configurable in the General pane of the preferences
• Note editor improvements
  • Upgraded to TinyMCE 4 (4.5.2)
  • New flat theme
  • Search/replace within notes
  • URL autolinking
  • Increased default font size
  • New blockquote style
  • Support for non-English locales
• Direct style installation
  • Styles can be installed from the Zotero Style Repository in a single click without leaving Zotero
• Faster translator/style updating
  • If automatic update checking for translators and styles is enabled, Zotero will now receive updates — including site compatibility fixes — within a few minutes instead of 24 hours
• New default data directory location
  • Files are now stored in a 'Zotero' directory in the user's home directory
  • A data directory in the previous default location within the Zotero or Firefox profile directory will be automatically moved to the new location
  • The new location allows PDFs and other files to be searched via Spotlight on macOS and restores the ability for PDFs to be annotated in-place via Preview on macOS Sierra
  • Future versions of Zotero will simplify the structure of the data directory for easier browsing from the filesystem
• Added “Delete Automatic Tags in This Library…” option to tag selector menu
• Allow file dragging to web targets (e.g., Gmail) and Linux filesystem
• Advanced Search improvements
  • Simplified search condition drop-down in Advanced Search window
  • Saved searches now appear under “Collection” condition
• Export character set selection changes
  • Show character set drop-down in export window by default
  • Show only “Unicode (UTF-8)”, “Unicode (UTF-8 without BOM)”, and “Western”
• Added “Manage Styles…” links to Create Bibliography and Document Preferences windows
• Automatically attempt to fetch citation style used in document if missing
  • If style is not from an official source, Zotero will prompt before fetching
• The Actions (gear icon) menu has been removed from the toolbar, as all options are now available in menus
• Resizing panes is now easier on macOS, with wider draggable areas for pane splitters
• Miscellaneous bibliographic output and word processor integration fixes
  • Updated citeproc-js to version 1.1.171
• Many smaller improvements and fixes

A number of new Zotero Connector features require Zotero 5.0:

• Proxy support (including support for hyphen-based EZproxy servers)
• CSL style installation
• RIS/BibTeX interception
• Improved attachment saving

• Preserve rich-text formatting when editing citations
• Fixed report printing
• Fixed hanging indent for references dragged to Google Docs
• Prevent DNS rebinding attack against connector server
• Fixed parsing of non-English months when using a non-English locale
• Edit menu options are properly localized
• Many more!

View the 4.0 changelog