Mendeley Desktop for Mac

Mendeley Desktop for Mac is a free reference management software developed by Elsevier that helps researchers, students, and academics store, organize, note, share, and cite references and research data.

Powered by the extensive cloud library of references, scientific documents, and other open-source data, this service empowers everyone to collect verifiable data quickly and reliably and manage references, citations, and personal thoughts inside a single easy-to-use dashboard.

This app was designed from the ground up to simplify the workflow of managing references, making it easier to focus on achieving research goals. In addition to being available for the Mac platform as 100% free software, this popular app is also available on Windows, and Linux machines.

It is important to note that the developers of this app from team Mendeley have introduced a brand new app “Mendeley Reference Manager” that is fully integrated with new solutions offered by their new cloud reference platform.

While the old Mendeley Desktop app can still be downloaded and used, all users are recommended to upgrade to the newer and actively maintained Mendeley Reference Manager app for free.

Key Features

• Comprehensive Reference Management – Store and organize references in an easily accessible personal library.
• Citation Generation – Automatically generate bibliographies in various citation styles for projects of all types.
• Paper Import – Easily import papers from other research software.
• Search and Discovery – Quickly search and find recommendations for relevant literature.
• Easily Upgrade – Transfer all your projects to the new Mendeley Reference Manager platform that features many new services, including Word integration, web importer, and online collaboration.

Installation and Setup

To install this app, users must download it from a reliable online source, such as a secure FileHorse server. The app is available for all Mac users and only requires new users to create a free Elsevier account.

The official website does not host this app anymore and promotes that everyone who still uses this app upgrades to the new Mendeley Reference Manager application that is fully integrated with the new cloud service this provider offers.

How to Use

With this app, users can create a personal library that can be easily filled up with references. The software allows users to import references from various sources, including webpages, PDFs, and other research software.

Users can also use the web importer tool to import references directly from web pages, greatly accelerating the process of database building.

The newest version of this software also includes a citation add-in for Microsoft Word, making it easy to add citations and generate bibliographies directly in this popular text-processing app.

User Interface

The user interface of this app is traditional and reliable, enabling users to learn about its base functions very quickly.

In 2020 developers moved to a new app that features a more modernized UI layout, with a unified dashboard that retains the same look when accessed from all available platforms (including the web).

FAQ

What is Mendeley Desktop?
It is free reference management software for streamlined storing and organizing citations, references, and other valuable research project data.

Is it safe?
Yes. However, this app is no longer in active development. A new version called Mendeley Reference Manager is available, but users are not forced to upgrade to it.

Alternatives

JabRef for Mac – A free reference management software with excellent tool support for the collection, organization, and search of bibliographic information.

Zotero for Mac – An open-source reference management software that is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux computers.

EndNote for Mac – A commercial reference management software with a versatile service offering.

Pricing

This software is 100% free.

System Requirements

This app is fully optimized for Mac OS X and the newer version of this OS.

PROS

• Easy to use reference manager.
• Comprehensive toolset for database building.
• Extensive search and filtering tools.
• Easily deployed on Mac, Windows, and Linux.

CONS

• No longer in active development.
• Limited customization.
• Not cloud aware.

Conclusion

Mendeley Desktop for Mac is a great database management software that is designed to simplify the workflow of managing references and citations.

While this app is no longer in active development, it still provides an excellent platform for researchers, students, and academics in search of a streamlined citation generation toolset on Macs.

Note: Requires a 64-bit processor and Mendeley account.

Also Available: Download Mendeley Desktop for Windows