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Michigan State University

Mendeley: Getting Mendeley

Information for Mendeley uses, including citation download assistance, bibliography creation, and tips to make Mendeley a time-saving, citation management tool

Sign Up and Download

To begin using Mendeley, create a free account online and download the Mendeley Reference Manager. There is no limit to how many computers the Reference Manager can be installed on.

Word Processor Plug-In

Mendeley Cite, the word processor plug-in, enables inserting references into Word or Open Office documents.  To install the plug-in, click on the Tools menu within Mendeley Reference Manager and select the option for the desired word processor.

For more information, see What browsers and operating systems are supported for Mendeley products?

Mobile App

Mendeley is available as a mobile app for the iPad and iPhone.  It is a free download from the iTunes App Store.

Web Importer

Install the Web Importer to directly import references and documents from the web browser.  Once the Web Importer is installed citations are added to Mendeley with a simple click on the bookmark.  A wide variety of sites already support the Web Importer and more are being added.

Safari
Go to Mendeley Web Importer available for Safari.
Press Ctrl + Shift + B to show the Bookmarks bar under the address bar.
Drag and drop the red Import to Mendeley button into the Bookmarks bar. You can then import page to Mendeley by clicking this link.

If you are on a Mac and using Safari, make sure that the "Add bookmark" is set to "Bookmark Bar," not "Bookmark Menu." See here.

Premium Packages

Paid premium packages are available for Mendeley users who need more storage space or an increased number of group users.