Zettlr runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11, as well as macOS and Linux. On Windows, install the 64-bit version, then launch the program and open or create a workspace folder. Your writing is stored as ordinary Markdown files in folders on your disk, so you can work directly with those files rather than moving your documents into a proprietary format.
Zettlr is open source under the GNU GPL v3 and is developed by Hendrik Erz and contributors. It has no built-in sync, and it does not include a mobile app; to access files across devices, you can place the workspace in a cloud folder. The app has no telemetry, and its update check can be switched off.
Once a workspace is ready, Zettlr can support research writing by connecting Markdown documents to citations from Zotero, JabRef, or Juris-M. The editor supports over 9,000 citation styles, allowing references to be formatted for different academic requirements when you export a document.
Prepare references and citations
To use a Zotero library, export it as CSL JSON or BibTeX and select the resulting file in Zettlr’s citation settings. Better BibTeX can keep an exported library updated. After setup, you can insert citations while writing and choose the citation style used for the exported paper. This workflow keeps the manuscript in Markdown while drawing bibliographic details from your reference library.
Export finished work
Export profiles powered by Pandoc turn a Markdown file into Word, PDF, LaTeX, or slides using templates. A configured profile can apply the output format and template in one click, which is useful when a paper must be delivered in a particular document format. Zettlr’s export capabilities also include HTML and presentation files, including DOCX output for Word documents.
Because export profiles depend on Pandoc and user-selected templates, preparing them takes time. The same is true of citation settings: users need to connect a library and choose the relevant style before the workflow is ready. Once configured, those settings provide a repeatable route from draft to formatted document.
Organize linked notes
For work spread across multiple files, Zettlr includes note IDs, wiki-style internal links, related-file support, and a graph view. These tools help connect notes and view relationships between documents, making the editor suitable for a Zettelkasten-style process as well as longer academic projects.
Snippets provide reusable text blueprints with variables and tab stops. They can be used for recurring passages or structured text, reducing the need to retype the same material while keeping the underlying documents in Markdown.
Fit for a research-writing workflow
Zettlr is aimed at students, researchers, and authors who write papers, theses, or books in Markdown and need references and export options. Its folder-based files, citation integrations, and Pandoc profiles are practical for that work, while the absence of built-in sync and the setup required for citations and exports may be unnecessary for someone seeking only a simple note-taking app.