How to Sync Zotero Files Using WebDAV and Google Drive with Koofr: A Step-by-Step Guide

Utpal Kumar   4 minute read      

Zotero is a fantastic reference manager, but getting your library — including the attached PDFs — onto both a Mac and an iPad trips a lot of people up. The fix is to point Zotero’s file syncing at WebDAV, using Koofr (backed by your Google Drive) as the storage. This guide walks through the whole setup, step by step.

The one thing to understand first

Zotero syncs through two separate channels, and this is the detail people miss:

  • Metadata (references, notes, links) always syncs through Zotero’s own servers.
  • Attachment files (your PDFs) sync through whatever file storage you choose — Zotero’s own storage or a WebDAV server like Koofr.

You’re only changing the file channel here, to sidestep Zotero’s small free storage quota.

Zotero's two sync channels Zotero syncs metadata through Zotero's own servers and attachment files through Koofr WebDAV backed by Google Drive; both your Mac and iPad connect to each. Mac Zotero desktop iPad Zotero app Zotero servers metadata: references, notes Koofr WebDAV → Google Drive attachment files (PDFs)
Metadata rides Zotero's servers; PDFs ride your WebDAV channel. Both devices see both.

Why bother with WebDAV? Zotero’s built-in file storage is generous for metadata but limited for files on the free plan (300 MB). Attachment PDFs eat that fast. Pointing file syncing at a WebDAV server you control (Koofr → Google Drive) lets your attachments live in your own cloud storage instead.

Step 1: Setting up Koofr for WebDAV

Before we configure Zotero, set up Koofr for WebDAV access.

  1. Create a Koofr Account:
    • Visit Koofr and sign up for a free account.
  2. Generate an Application-Specific Password:
    • Log into your Koofr account.
    • Navigate to Preferences > Passwords.
    • Generate an application-specific password. This will be used for WebDAV access.
  3. Note Down WebDAV Connection Settings:
    • Host: https://app.koofr.net/dav/Koofr
    • Port: 443
    • User: Your Koofr email address
    • Password: The application-specific password you just generated

Use the app-specific password, not your login password. Application-specific passwords can be revoked individually without changing your main account password — safer for a credential you’ll paste into two devices.

Step 2: Linking Google Drive to Koofr

Koofr allows you to link your Google Drive account, acting as a bridge for file storage.

  1. Connect Google Drive:
    • In your Koofr account, go to the Connections section.
    • Select the option to connect Google Drive.
    • Follow the prompts to authorize Koofr to access your Google Drive.

Step 3: Configuring Zotero on Mac

Now, let’s configure Zotero to use Koofr via WebDAV.

  1. Open Zotero Settings:
    • Launch Zotero on your Mac.
    • Go to Zotero > Settings. (In Zotero 6 and earlier this menu is called Preferences; Zotero 7 renamed it to Settings, following the macOS convention.)
  2. Set Up Syncing:
    • Navigate to the Sync tab.
    • Ensure you have entered your Zotero account details to sync metadata.
  3. Configure File Syncing with WebDAV:
    • In the Sync tab, click on Settings under File Syncing.
    • Select Sync attachment files in My Library using WebDAV.
    • Enter the WebDAV URL (https://app.koofr.net/dav/Koofr), your Koofr email address, and the application-specific password.
    • Click Verify Server to ensure Zotero can connect to the WebDAV server.
    • Once verified, click OK to save the settings.
Check your understanding

After this setup, which channel carries your attached PDFs to the iPad?

Step 4: Syncing Zotero files to WebDAV

  1. Sync Zotero:
    • Click on the green sync arrow at the top right of Zotero to start syncing your files to the WebDAV server.
    • Ensure the sync completes successfully.

Step 5: Accessing Zotero files on iPad

To access your Zotero library on your iPad, follow these steps:

  1. Install Zotero App:
    • Download and install the Zotero app from the App Store on your iPad.
  2. Set Up Zotero on iPad:
    • Open the Zotero app and log in with your Zotero account details.
    • The app will automatically sync metadata with your Zotero library.
  3. Configure WebDAV for File Syncing:
    • In the Zotero app, go to Settings > File Syncing.
    • Enter the WebDAV URL (https://app.koofr.net/dav/Koofr), your Koofr email address, and the application-specific password.

Step 6: Verifying access

  1. Check Sync on iPad:
    • Open a few entries in your Zotero library on the iPad to ensure that attachments are accessible and synced correctly.

Recap

Without scrolling up — can you name the moving parts? To sync Zotero across devices:

  • Koofr provides a WebDAV endpoint (https://app.koofr.net/dav/Koofr, port 443) with an app-specific password, bridged to your Google Drive.
  • In Zotero’s Settings → Sync, metadata syncs via Zotero’s servers, while File Syncing is pointed at that WebDAV URL.
  • The same WebDAV credentials on the iPad app make your PDFs appear there too.

Two channels, one library, every device — and your attachments live in storage you control.

Where to go next

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