Step 2: Install and configure Zotero 7

2a. Download Zotero

Download Zotero 7 via zotero.org. Install the application by opening the .dmg and dragging Zotero to your Applications folder.

2b. Enable the local API

This is the crucial step that makes Zotero MCP possible:

  1. Open Zotero
  2. Go to Zotero → Settings → Advanced (or Cmd + ,)
  3. Scroll down to the Other section
  4. Check the box next to "Allow other applications on this computer to communicate with Zotero"
  5. Note the port number that appears (default: 23119)

Privacy note: This API is only accessible via localhost — no external access is possible.

2c. Verify the local API is working

Open a new tab in your browser and go to:

http://localhost:23119/

You should see a JSON response with version information from Zotero. If that works, the local API is functioning correctly.

2d. Create _inbox collection (central collection bucket)

In the 3-phase model, Zotero's _inbox collection is not a source in itself, but the central collection bucket where all sources flow: documents via the Zotero Connector or iOS app, RSS items via NetNewsWire, podcasts and videos via the Zotero iOS share sheet, and emails or notes via the iOS share button. You evaluate the content only in phase 2 (see step 14).

  1. In Zotero, right-click My Library → New Collection
  2. Name the collection _inbox (the underscore ensures it appears at the top of the list)
  3. Set this as the default destination in the Zotero Connector: open the browser extension → Settings → set the default collection to _inbox
  4. Set the same default on iOS: open the Zotero app → Settings → set the default collection location to _inbox

From now on, everything you save via the Connector or the iOS share sheet automatically goes to _inbox. You can also create a note directly within the Zotero app itself — it also ends up in _inbox if you have set that as the default.

Better BibTeX significantly improves annotation extraction:

  1. Download the latest .xpi from retorque.re/zotero-better-bibtex/installation
  2. In Zotero: Tools → Plugins → Gear icon → Install from file
  3. Select the downloaded .xpi file
  4. Restart Zotero