How to Import Google Scholar Citations into Mendeley: A Complete Guide

Screenshot showing a man in the process of exporting citations from Google Scholar and importing them into Mendeley reference manager.


Google Scholar and Mendeley are two essential tools for researchers and students. Google Scholar helps you find relevant academic articles and citations, while Mendeley acts as a reference manager, helping you organize your research and generate citations automatically. Importing citations from Google Scholar into Mendeley saves time and improves workflow efficiency.

This guide will walk you step by step on how to import Google Scholar citations into Mendeley, including tips for seamless management, troubleshooting, and optimizing your research workflow.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction to Google Scholar and Mendeley

  2. Why Import Google Scholar Citations into Mendeley

  3. Preparing Google Scholar for Citation Export

  4. Exporting Citations from Google Scholar

  5. Importing Google Scholar Citations into Mendeley

  6. Organizing Imported Citations in Mendeley

  7. Troubleshooting Common Issues

  8. Tips for Optimizing Citation Management

  9. Conclusion

Introduction to Google Scholar and Mendeley

Google Scholar is a freely accessible search engine that indexes scholarly literature across disciplines. It provides citation counts, links to full-text articles, and bibliographic information. Researchers use Google Scholar to track publications, find articles, and generate references.

Mendeley is a reference manager and academic social network. It allows researchers to:

  • Collect and organize references

  • Store PDFs and annotate them

  • Generate citations in multiple styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)

  • Collaborate with colleagues

By integrating Google Scholar with Mendeley, you streamline research, avoid manual citation entry, and reduce errors in academic writing.

Why Import Google Scholar Citations into Mendeley

There are several benefits of importing Google Scholar citations into Mendeley:

  1. Time-saving – Avoid manually typing every reference.

  2. Accuracy – Reduce human error when formatting references.

  3. Organization – Group references by project, topic, or publication.

  4. Collaboration – Share organized references with colleagues.

  5. Citation Generation – Automatically generate in-text citations and bibliographies in your preferred style.

For students and researchers handling multiple sources, integrating these tools ensures efficiency and better research quality.

Preparing Google Scholar for Citation Export

Before exporting citations, configure Google Scholar to make the process easier:

  1. Access Google Scholar Settings:

    • Go to Google Scholar.

    • Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner.

    • Select Settings.

  2. Enable Bibliography Manager:

    • Scroll to Bibliography manager.

    • Choose Show links to import citations into and select BibTeX.

    • Save changes.

This setting allows you to download citation files in a format compatible with Mendeley, such as BibTeX (.bib) or RIS (.ris).

Exporting Citations from Google Scholar

After configuring Google Scholar, follow these steps to export citations:

  1. Search for Your Article:

    • Enter the keywords, author names, or titles in the Google Scholar search bar.

    • Browse the results and locate the desired article.

  2. Access the Citation Link:

    • Click the “Cite” button beneath the article.

    • A popup will appear showing citation styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago.

  3. Choose Export Format:

    • At the bottom of the popup, click “BibTeX”.

    • The page will redirect to a plain text BibTeX entry.

  4. Save the Citation File:

    • Copy the BibTeX entry and save it as a .bib file on your computer.

    • Alternatively, for multiple citations, use the “Import into Mendeley” link if available.




Importing Google Scholar Citations into Mendeley

Once you have exported the citation, import it into Mendeley using these steps:

  1. Open Mendeley Desktop:

    • Ensure Mendeley Desktop is installed.

    • Open the application and log in.

  2. Import the Citation File:

    • Click File > Add Files…

    • Select the saved .bib file or RIS file.

    • Click Open to import the citation.

  3. Verify Imported Citation:

    • Check that the author names, title, journal, and year are correctly imported.

    • Edit any missing or incorrect metadata directly in Mendeley.

  4. Drag PDFs (Optional):

    • If you have the full-text article PDF, drag it to the citation in Mendeley.

    • Mendeley will automatically link the PDF to the reference.

Organizing Imported Citations in Mendeley

Once citations are imported, organizing them improves accessibility:

  1. Create Folders:

    • Click Create Folder on the left panel.

    • Name the folder based on the project or topic.

  2. Assign Citations:

    • Drag imported citations into the appropriate folder.

  3. Add Tags and Notes:

    • Use tags for keywords or themes.

    • Add notes to summarize key points from the article.

  4. Sync Across Devices:

    • Click Sync to upload references to your Mendeley account.

    • Access references from Mendeley Web or Mobile App.




Troubleshooting Common Issues

  1. Missing Metadata:

    • Sometimes BibTeX imports incomplete information.

    • Manually edit author names, titles, and publication years.

  2. Duplicate References:

    • Check for duplicates using Tools > Check for Duplicates in Mendeley.

    • Merge duplicates to maintain a clean library.

  3. PDF Linking Issues:

    • Ensure PDF file names match the citation or manually link them.

    • Use File > Watch Folder to auto-link PDFs in a folder.

  4. Failed Syncing:

    • Check internet connectivity.

    • Log in with the correct account credentials.

Tips for Optimizing Citation Management

  • Regular Backups: Export your Mendeley library periodically to avoid data loss.

  • Use Mendeley Web Importer: For faster citation capture directly from websites.

  • Combine Sources: Import from Google Scholar, PubMed, or other databases for a comprehensive library.

  • Set Citation Styles Early: Choose your preferred style (APA, MLA, Chicago) before writing.

  • Collaborate: Share folders with team members to synchronize references for joint projects.


Importing citations from Google Scholar into Mendeley enhances research productivity and accuracy. By following this guide, you can export citations efficiently, manage your references effectively, and ensure a seamless workflow from research collection to manuscript writing. With proper organization, tagging, and collaboration features in Mendeley, researchers and students can save time and focus on quality research output.

Start integrating Google Scholar with Mendeley today to streamline your academic writing, maintain accurate references, and reduce the time spent formatting citations manually.

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