TL;DR#
Zotero’s free plan only offers 300MB of cloud storage, far too little for managing PDFs, PPTs, and other attachments. Fortunately, you can get 10GB of free lifetime storage by using Koofr’s WebDAV integration. This guide will walk you through setting it up and syncing it with Zotero.
Introduction#
Zotero is a powerful reference and bibliography management tool that works across platforms. It simplifies organizing research materials, especially when dealing with attachments like PDFs, presentations, and other documents.
However, the free Zotero account includes only 300MB of cloud storage, which runs out quickly. Zotero offers a paid upgrade $20/year (about $1.67/month) for 2GB, but that may not be ideal for everyone.
Thankfully, there’s a free alternative: Koofr, a cloud storage provider that offers 10GB of free lifetime storage and supports WebDAV, making it a great alternative for syncing files with Zotero without paying.
What is WebDAV?#
WebDAV (Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning) is an extension of the HTTP protocol that allows users to collaboratively manage and edit files on remote web servers.
By default, Zotero uses its own storage to sync files. However, with WebDAV, you can configure Zotero to sync attachments using a third-party service like Koofr, saving money and giving you more space.
What is Koofr?#
Koofr is a cloud storage platform that lets you store and manage files across the web, desktop, and mobile apps. The free plan includes 10GB of lifetime storage, while paid plans offer up to several terabytes.
Koofr supports WebDAV, which makes it easy to integrate with Zotero and other services.
How to Sync Zotero with Koofr via WebDAV#
Before we begin, note that Zotero supports WebDAV syncing with a variety of services, which you can check here. Koofr is one of the easiest and most accessible options.
Step 1: Create a Koofr Account#
If you don’t have a Koofr account yet, sign up here and follow these steps:
- Go to the Koofr website
- Click Create a free account
- Register using your email or Google account
- Complete the registration process
- (Recommended) Enable Two-Factor Authentication for better security
Step 2: Configure Zotero to Use WebDAV#
Log in to your Koofr account
Go to Account > Preferences > Passwords, and generate an application-specific password
Open Zotero on your desktop
Go to Edit > Settings > Sync
Ensure you’re signed in to your Zotero account
In the File Syncing section, check Sync attachment files in My Library using and select WebDAV
In the WebDAV URL field, enter:
https://app.koofr.net/dav/KoofrUse your Koofr email address as the username
Use the application-specific password generated earlier
Click Verify Server
If successful, Zotero will create aZoterofolder in your Koofr account
You’re done! Zotero will now sync files via Koofr’s WebDAV service
Notes#
- This setup also works on mobile devices (with Zotero-compatible apps that support WebDAV).
- Why use Koofr?
- Free 10GB storage
- Easy to set up
- Limitations
- Attachments stored via WebDAV (Koofr) won’t be visible on Zotero Web Library (zotero.org).
- But don’t worry, your files are still accessible and synced properly on desktop and mobile.
Youtube Demo#
soon.