Mendeley Desktop May 2026

is a legacy reference management software designed to help researchers organize, share, and cite their research papers. While it has been largely superseded by the newer Mendeley Reference Manager , it remains a favorite among many academics due to specific local-storage features and a highly functional interface. Current Status and Availability

New researchers are encouraged to download Mendeley Reference Manager instead. Mendeley Desktop

It includes a built-in PDF viewer that supports highlighting, sticky notes, and text search within your documents. is a legacy reference management software designed to

If you are deciding which version to use, consider these primary differences: Mendeley Desktop (Legacy) Mendeley Reference Manager (New) Existing users only; no new downloads Available for all users Storage Local and Cloud sync Cloud-based only Word Plugin Legacy Citation Plugin Mendeley Cite (Microsoft Store add-in) Interface Traditional desktop look Sleek, web-like interface PDF Handling Export PDFs with annotations "Notebook" feature (cloud annotations) Getting Started (for Existing Users) To maintain your Mendeley Desktop library: It includes a built-in PDF viewer that supports

Unlike the cloud-only Reference Manager, Mendeley Desktop allows users to store their library and PDFs locally on their computer.