Zotero automatically renames PDFs and other files saved to your library based on the bibliographic details of the parent item (title, author, etc.), freeing you from having to sort through piles of randomly named files or manually rename each new file to your preferred format.

Zotero always renames files saved from the web (via the Zotero Connector, Add Item by Identifier, or Find Available PDF).

By default, Zotero will also rename stored files that you add to items as the first child attachment as well as files for which it successfully retrieves metadata. You can disable this by unchecking “Automatically rename attachment files using parent metadata” in the General pane of the Zotero settings. If an item already has an attachment, additional files will not be automatically renamed, so as to avoid changing the filenames of supplementary materials.

Linked files are not automatically renamed, but you can enable “Rename linked files” from the General pane of the Zotero settings to apply renaming to those as well.

Attachments have two separate names: the attachment title shown in the items list and the filename of the file on disk. The parent item row already displays metadata such as the title and authors, so there's no need to repeat it by showing the filename underneath it, and the attachment title often contains additional information about the source of the file (e.g., “Accepted Version” or “Submitted Version” for open-access files). You can view the filename in the right-hand pane after clicking on the attachment or in the filesystem via right-click → Show File.

By default, Zotero names files after the parent item's creator (1–2 authors or editors), year, and title:

Lee et al. - 2023 - The First Room-Temperature Ambient-Pressure Superconductor.pdf

While Zotero has always renamed files automatically, Zotero 7, currently in beta, introduces a new, powerful syntax for customizing filenames. The default format can be customized from the General pane of the Zotero settings.

This is the default template string:

{{ firstCreator suffix=" - " }}{{ year suffix=" - " }}{{ title truncate="100" }}

The following variables and parameters are supported:

• TODO

The suffix parameter is supported on all variables.