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The Scite Zotero plugin brings citation context into your Zotero library. It adds sortable columns for supporting, contrasting, and mentioning citations, along with total Smart Citations and distinct citing publications. No Scite account or API key is required.

Download the latest plugin

Download the .xpi file for Zotero 7 and 8.

View source and releases

Review the source code, release notes, and known issues on GitHub.
Version 2 of the plugin supports Zotero 7 and 8. If you still use Zotero 6, install the legacy v1.11.6 release.

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Install the plugin

1

Download the XPI file

Open the latest release. Under Assets, download the file whose name ends in .xpi.If Firefox tries to install the file as a browser extension, right-click the download link and choose Save Link As… instead.
2

Open the Zotero Plugins Manager

In the Zotero desktop app, select Tools → Plugins.
3

Install the XPI file

Drag the downloaded .xpi file into the Plugins Manager. You can also click the gear icon, choose Install Plugin From File…, and select the file.
4

Finish installation

Confirm the installation and restart Zotero if prompted. Future plugin releases install automatically through Zotero’s plugin updater.
Zotero plugins can access your Zotero data and your computer. Only install plugins from developers you trust. See Zotero’s plugin documentation for more information.

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Show the Scite columns

The plugin adds five optional columns to the center pane of your Zotero library: To show them, right-click any column header in your library and select the Scite columns you want. You can resize and sort each column like other Zotero columns.
Sort by Supporting to find papers with supporting evidence, or by Contrasting to find results that later research has challenged.
Smart Citation totals count individual citation statements. A single publication can cite the same paper more than once, so Total Smart Citations can be higher than Total Distinct Citing Publications. Learn more in Smart Citations.

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Open a Scite Report

Select a paper in your Zotero library, then click View Scite Report in the item pane. The report opens in your browser and shows the citation statements behind the tallies. You can also right-click a library item to refresh its Scite citation data.

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Troubleshooting

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The Scite columns are missing

Right-click a column header and make sure the Scite columns are enabled. If they are not listed, open Tools → Plugins, confirm that the Scite plugin is enabled, and restart Zotero.

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An item has blank or zero counts

Scite usually matches a Zotero item by its DOI. Check that the parent item—not only its PDF attachment—has a valid DOI in its metadata. A zero can also mean that Scite has not identified any citation statements for that paper. After correcting the metadata, right-click the item and refresh its citation data.

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Zotero says the plugin is incompatible

Install the release that matches your Zotero version. Version 2 supports Zotero 7 and 8. Zotero 6 requires the legacy release.

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Firefox says the XPI is corrupt

Firefox may mistake a Zotero .xpi for a Firefox extension. Right-click the download link, select Save Link As…, and then install the saved file from Zotero.

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Disable or remove the plugin

Open Tools → Plugins, find Scite Zotero Plugin, and choose Disable or Remove. Disabling the plugin does not remove items from your Zotero library.
  • Smart Citations: understand supporting, contrasting, and mentioning citations
  • Collections: import papers from Zotero into a Scite Collection and monitor them over time
  • Report an issue: check known problems or contact the plugin maintainers