4 study tips to help you prepare for exam season
When reading lists grow, keep materials easy to access, review, and cite so revision stays focused.
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The free all-in-one reference manager
Mendeley helps you stay organized, do more in less time, and bring ease to your research workflow.
v2.148.0
~278.88 MB EXE
Windows 10 / 11
Enjoy 2GB of free storage
Add papers straight from your desktop. Generate references. Sync your research across devices.
Advanced knowledge at speed
Like a research assistant that knows your library inside out, AI quickly finds what you need.
Trusted by millions of researchers
Researchers and students worldwide use Mendeley to organize, analyze and cite.
Let AI connect the dots
Uncover patterns, relationships and missing links across your references quickly. AI in Mendeley interprets the logic behind your queries, pulling context-rich insights from your documents.
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Reference management made simple
Add PDFs to your library in seconds, organize with collections and tags, then read, highlight and annotate, all from one place.
See what else you can doFrom first addition to final submission
Because behind every great discovery is a well-managed library.
Claim your 2GB of free storageStay informed with our latest news
Boost your research efficiency with Mendeley's new AI features
AI features support everyday research tasks such as reading papers and comparing references in your library.
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The future in Mendeley: AI features are here
From discovery to delivery, Mendeley tools help you focus on research instead of reference admin.
Read moreDiscover, save, organize, cite
The path from finding a paper to submitting a manuscript, mapped to real Mendeley capabilities.
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Discover
Search literature and pull papers into your account, including LeapSpace exploration where available.
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Save
Import PDFs from your desktop and keep attachments inside your synced library with the free 2GB allowance.
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Organize
Use collections, tags, favorites, notebooks, and duplicate checks so a growing library stays searchable.
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Cite
Insert citations and bibliographies with Mendeley Cite for Word in styles such as APA, MLA, Chicago, Vancouver, or IEEE.
Open detailed feature groups · Go to the Windows download center
Mendeley compared with common reference tools
Criteria researchers actually check before committing a thesis library. Figures reflect publicly described free-tier traits, not paid enterprise packages.
| Criterion | Mendeley | Zotero | EndNote | RefWorks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free personal storage (typical) | About 2GB | Smaller free cloud quota | License-dependent | Institutional |
| PDF annotate in app | Yes | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Word citation add-in | Mendeley Cite | Word plugin | Cite While You Write | Write-N-Cite / add-in |
| Windows 10/11 desktop app | Reference Manager | Yes | Yes | Primarily web |
| License model | Free to use, proprietary | Open source | Commercial | Subscription / campus |
What researchers say in practice
Composite notes based on recurring praise and complaints in public reviews of Mendeley Reference Manager.
“Dragging PDFs in and fixing metadata is still the fastest part of my lit review week. The 2GB free tier covers a full semester of readings.”
“Annotations sync when I read on one machine and write on another. That alone keeps our lab on Mendeley.”
“Mendeley Cite in Word is fine until someone turns on Track Changes. Then I get duplicate fields and have to pause editing citations.”
“I miss watched folders from old Desktop, but collections plus the Duplicates smart collection are enough for a 3,000-item library.”
“Sync can feel slow on a large library over hotel Wi-Fi. I still prefer the PDF reader over juggling three apps.”
“Dragging PDFs in and fixing metadata is still the fastest part of my lit review week. The 2GB free tier covers a full semester of readings.”
“Annotations sync when I read on one machine and write on another. That alone keeps our lab on Mendeley.”
“Mendeley Cite in Word is fine until someone turns on Track Changes. Then I get duplicate fields and have to pause editing citations.”
“I miss watched folders from old Desktop, but collections plus the Duplicates smart collection are enough for a 3,000-item library.”
“Sync can feel slow on a large library over hotel Wi-Fi. I still prefer the PDF reader over juggling three apps.”
Short FAQ
Direct answers researchers search before installing.
Yes. Mendeley Reference Manager is free to use. A free account includes about 2GB of personal cloud storage for attachments, with paid options if you need more space.
Yes. Supported desktop systems include Windows 10 and above (x64), which covers Windows 11.
Version 2.148.0, released 15 July 2026, packaged as an EXE of about 278.88 MB. See the download page for SHA256 and requirements.
Yes. Mendeley Cite works with Word 2016, Word 2019, Office 365, and Word Online. Turn off Track Changes while editing citations to avoid known field issues.
Download Mendeley Reference Manager for Windows
Get version 2.148.0 with published file size, SHA256, system requirements, and changelog notes in one place.