===How can I move my Zotero library to a different computer?===

==Option A: Copy the Library Folder==

The most reliable way to move your entire library to another machine is to copy the [[:zotero_data|Zotero data folder]] from your Firefox/Zotero profile on the first machine to the Firefox/Zotero profile on your new machine.

To locate your Zotero data, open the Zotero [[:preferences|preferences]] under the Actions ('gear' {{:gear.png?nolink&16|}} icon) menu and click “Show data directory” in the Advanced tab. 
See [[:zotero_data#default_locations|here]] for the default locations of the data folder.

Be sure to close Firefox/Zotero Standalone on both machines before copying the Zotero files.

In addition to the above method, you can also [[kb:using_multiple_computers|use a USB drive to sync your data between computers]]. Finally, Windows users can also transfer their entire Firefox profile with the tool [[http://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com|MozBackup]].

==Option B: Enable Zotero Sync==

You can also automatically [[:sync#syncing|sync]] your library between multiple computers via the Zotero server. Note that files (attachments such as PDFs, snapshots, etc.) are synced separately from data, via either [[:storage|Zotero File Storage]] or [[:sync#file_syncing|WebDAV]].

==Warning==

Exporting and importing your library (for instance via Zotero RDF) is not a recommended option. None of the available export formats allow for a complete transfer of your library data.

{{tag>kb}}