How to Export Citations from Google Scholar to EndNote, BibTeX, RefMan, or Zotero

Google Scholar is one of the most important research tools for students, academics, and professionals who work with academic papers. It allows you to search for scholarly articles, books, theses, and conference papers across many fields. Beyond searching, Google Scholar also provides an efficient way to export citations for reference management.

When you export citations, you can move reference details such as the title, author, publication year, and source into software like EndNote, BibTeX, RefMan, or Zotero. These reference managers help you organize your research, format bibliographies, and cite sources accurately in your writing.

This guide explains, in detail, how to export citations from Google Scholar into each of these reference managers, how to configure your settings, and how to troubleshoot common issues.

 

1. Why Export Citations from Google Scholar?

Every academic project depends on reliable referencing. Exporting citations helps you:

1. Save time: You avoid typing citation details manually.

2. Reduce errors: The exported files preserve accuracy in author names and publication data.

3. Keep consistency: You maintain a single format across all your references.

4. Work efficiently: Reference managers automatically generate in-text citations and bibliographies.

5. Manage large projects: Tools like EndNote and Zotero help handle hundreds of citations for theses or research papers.

Whether you write a short essay or a full dissertation, learning how to export citations correctly from Google Scholar ensures professional referencing and saves hours of manual work.

 

2. Supported Citation Formats in Google Scholar

Google Scholar supports the following export formats:

• BibTeX (.bib): Commonly used in LaTeX for scientific writing.

• EndNote (.enw): Used by EndNote software for citation management.

• RefMan (.ris): Works with Reference Manager and other RIS-compatible programs like Mendeley.

• RefWorks: Cloud-based reference manager often used by universities.

You can also copy citations in plain text, MLA, APA, or Chicago style for direct use in documents, but these are less efficient for large research projects.

 

3. Before You Export: Configure Google Scholar Settings

Before you start exporting citations, you must activate the export option in your account.

Follow these steps:

1. Open https://scholar.google.com.

2. Click the menu icon (three lines) at the top left.

3. Select “Settings.”

4. Scroll to “Bibliography Manager.”

5. Under “Show links to import citations into,” select your preferred reference manager from the drop-down list (EndNote, BibTeX, RefMan, or RefWorks).

6. Click “Save.”

Once you save this setting, you’ll see new links labeled “Import into [manager name]” under every search result in Google Scholar.

 

Also Read: How to Set Up Email Alerts in Google Scholar

4. How to Export Citations to EndNote

EndNote is one of the most popular citation management tools for academic research. It supports large libraries of references, collaboration features, and automatic formatting in Microsoft Word.

Follow these steps to export from Google Scholar to EndNote:

Step 1: Choose EndNote in Settings

Go to Google Scholar’s Settings > Bibliography Manager, then choose “Show links to import citations into EndNote.” Click Save.

Step 2: Search for a Paper

Enter your topic or author in the Google Scholar search bar.
You’ll now see a new link under each result: “Import into EndNote.”

Step 3: Download the Citation

Click “Import into EndNote.”
This will download a small file with the extension .enw to your computer.

Step 4: Open in EndNote

• Open EndNote on your computer.

• Go to File > Import > File.

• Browse to the downloaded .enw file.

• Select the EndNote Import option and click Import.

Your citation will appear in your EndNote library. Repeat this process for multiple citations.

Tip: You can select multiple papers and export them one by one. For large-scale importing, use Google Scholar profiles or advanced search options to gather results quickly.

 

5. How to Export Citations to BibTeX

BibTeX is widely used by researchers who write in LaTeX. It stores references in a plain text .bib file format, which LaTeX uses to generate formatted bibliographies automatically.

Step 1: Choose BibTeX in Settings

In Google Scholar, open Settings > Bibliography Manager and select “Show links to import citations into BibTeX.” Save the setting.

Step 2: Search for a Paper

Type your topic, title, or author name in the search bar.
Under each result, you’ll now see “Import into BibTeX.”

Step 3: Export the Citation

Click “Import into BibTeX.”
The reference opens in a new browser tab in plain text format.

Step 4: Copy or Download

Copy the citation text and paste it into your .bib file using a LaTeX editor such as TeXShop or Overleaf.
Alternatively, right-click and save the page as a .bib file.

Example of a BibTeX Entry:

@article{smith2024climate,
  title={Climate Change Adaptation Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa},
  author={Smith, J and Ndlovu, T},
  journal={Environmental Studies Journal},
  year={2024},
  volume={12},
  number={3},
  pages={215-230}
}

Once saved, you can reference this entry in LaTeX using the command:

\cite{smith2024climate}

BibTeX automatically formats the bibliography in your preferred citation style (APA, MLA, IEEE, etc.) when you compile your LaTeX document.

Also Read: How to Log In to Google Scholar: Step-by-Step Guide for Researchers and Students

 

6. How to Export Citations to RefMan (Reference Manager)

RefMan (short for Reference Manager) uses the .ris format, which is also compatible with other citation tools like Mendeley and Citavi.

Step 1: Activate RefMan Option

In Google Scholar, open Settings > Bibliography Manager and select “Show links to import citations into RefMan.” Click Save.

Step 2: Search and Export

Search for your desired paper. Under each result, click “Import into RefMan.”
Google Scholar will download a .ris file to your computer.

Step 3: Import into RefMan

• Open Reference Manager or another RIS-compatible program (such as Mendeley).

• Go to File > Import > References.

• Select the .ris file and confirm.

Your citation will appear in your library with full metadata, ready for citation formatting.

 

7. How to Export Citations to Zotero

Zotero is a free, open-source citation management tool that integrates with browsers, Word, and Google Docs. It automatically saves and organizes references from multiple sources.

You can export citations from Google Scholar to Zotero in two ways: manually or using the Zotero browser connector.

Option 1: Manual Export

1. Go to Settings > Bibliography Manager in Google Scholar.

2. Select “Show links to import citations into RefMan.” (Zotero reads .ris files, which are compatible with RefMan.)

3. Save your settings.

4. Search for a paper and click “Import into RefMan.”

5. Open Zotero and go to File > Import.

6. Select the downloaded .ris file and click Open.

Your reference will now appear in Zotero.

Option 2: Using Zotero Connector

If you have the Zotero Connector installed in your browser, the process becomes faster.

1. Install the Zotero Connector extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.

2. Open Google Scholar and search for a paper.

3. Click the Zotero icon that appears in your browser toolbar.

4. Choose whether to save a single paper or all papers on the page.

5. The citation will automatically appear in your Zotero library.

This method saves more details, including PDFs and abstracts, when available.

 

8. Exporting Multiple Citations at Once

Google Scholar does not provide a built-in “select all” export feature. However, you can still manage multiple citations efficiently:

1. Sign in to your Google Scholar account.

2. Use My Library to save multiple papers by clicking the star icon under each search result.

3. Once you’ve added all desired papers, open My Library.

4. Click “Export” at the top of the list.

5. Choose your format: BibTeX, EndNote, RefMan, or RefWorks.

6. The system will generate all citations at once for bulk download.

This approach is especially helpful when preparing systematic reviews or literature reviews that involve many sources.

 

9. Tips for Managing Exported Citations

To keep your reference library organized and avoid duplicates:

• Create topic-based folders in EndNote or Zotero.

• Review imported data and correct incomplete metadata.

• Remove duplicate entries after multiple imports.

• Backup your library regularly to prevent data loss.

• Add notes and tags to each reference for better tracking.

These practices make your reference management efficient and accurate.

 

10. Troubleshooting Common Problems

Problem 1: “Import into” link not showing.
Go to Settings > Bibliography Manager and ensure the correct export format is selected.

Problem 2: File won’t open in EndNote or Zotero.
Check that the downloaded file has the correct extension (.enw for EndNote, .ris for RefMan/Zotero, .bib for BibTeX).
If the format is incorrect, redownload the file.

Problem 3: Corrupted or missing metadata.
Sometimes Google Scholar entries are incomplete. You can edit citation details manually in your reference manager.

Problem 4: Browser automatically opens file instead of downloading.
Right-click the “Import into” link and select “Save link as” to force download.

Problem 5: Large imports fail.
When importing hundreds of citations, split them into smaller groups of 50–100 to prevent errors.

 

11. Advanced Tips for Researchers

• Integrate with Word Processors: Zotero and EndNote include plugins for Microsoft Word and Google Docs that automatically insert citations and generate bibliographies.

• Use Advanced Search Filters: Combine author, year, and keyword filters in Google Scholar to collect higher-quality citations.

• Export from Author Profiles: Visit an author’s profile and export multiple citations from their publication list.

• Keep Citation Styles Consistent: Choose one reference style (APA, MLA, or IEEE) for your project and apply it uniformly in your reference manager.

• Sync Across Devices: Zotero and EndNote both offer cloud synchronization, allowing you to access your citation library from any computer.

 

12. Benefits of Using Reference Managers

Reference managers do more than store citations. They streamline your entire research workflow.

With EndNote, Zotero, or RefMan, you can:

1. Automatically format citations in multiple styles.

2. Search and attach full-text PDFs.

3. Add notes and annotations.

4. Group references by topic or project.

5. Collaborate with other researchers.

By connecting Google Scholar’s export tools with a reference manager, you combine easy discovery with organized storage.

 

13. Summary

Exporting citations from Google Scholar to EndNote, BibTeX, RefMan, or Zotero takes only a few steps.
Once you enable the export feature in your settings, you can download or import citation files for any academic article you find.

Using a citation manager improves your research workflow by saving time, increasing accuracy, and ensuring consistency in your references.
Whether you write in Word, LaTeX, or Google Docs, managing citations through these tools keeps your research organized and professional.

 

FAQ Section

Q1: Can I export citations from Google Scholar without signing in?
Yes. You can export citations even without logging into Google Scholar. However, signing in lets you save papers to your library and export in bulk.

Q2: Can I export multiple citations at once?
Yes. Save papers to “My Library,” then export them all at once in your chosen format.

Q3: Which format should I use for LaTeX projects?
Use BibTeX (.bib) format. It integrates directly with LaTeX and supports automatic bibliography generation.

Q4: Can Zotero read EndNote files?
Yes. Zotero can import .enw and .ris files, so you can transfer references between EndNote and Zotero.

Q5: Do exported citations include PDFs?
No. Google Scholar exports metadata only. You must download full-text PDFs separately or through your library.

Q6: How often should I back up my Zotero or EndNote library?
Regularly, especially before major updates or when switching computers. Export your library as a backup file.

Q7: Why do some citations have missing details?
Google Scholar depends on the data provided by publishers. If metadata is incomplete, edit the reference manually in your citation manager.

Q8: Is exporting citations from Google Scholar free?
Yes. Google Scholar and all its citation export tools are completely free to use.