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Mendeley: Mendeley Desktop

Mendeley Desktop

Elsevier is migrating from the older (legacy) Mendeley Desktop and Cite-o-Matic to the new Mendeley Reference Manager and Mendeley Cite.  

This page refers to the legacy Mendeley Desktop software. You will no longer be able to download and install Mendeley Desktop from the 1 September 2022. 

Getting Started

Go to http://www.mendeley.com

Click "Create Account" and complete the online form.

You have now registered for Mendeley Online and created your online Mendeley library. 

Mendeley Online is an online version of Mendeley - accessible via the Browser.  The online version is enough for most student work.  

Syncing the two versions

It is possible to use both versions and sync them together. 

  • Set up an online account
  • In the desktop version Go to Edit then Preferences.
  • Select the sync option and enter your online username and password.
  • Click the Enable sync button to activate your account

If you already have references in one of your libraries it would be helpful to watch the tutorial video below first to make sure you don't get conflicts.

Mendeley Desktop workbook

Adding References Video

screenshot and link to adding references in mendeley video

Mendeley Plug-in

Mendeley comes with a Microsoft Word plugin which allows you to insert citations and bibliographies in to your Word document without having to cut and paste or leave Word. 

Image References tab in Microsoft Word

 

The plugin can be found under Tools in your Mendeley Desktop.

Mendeley Desktop plugin image

 

The Web Importer

Mendeley also provides a Web Importer tool which allows you to import citations, and sometimes the full text article, directly from your browser in to your library.

To install the plugin from the Mendeley app  click Tools >> Install Web Importer. 

Install web importer image