JabRef

Install on your computer · Instructions checked 2026-10-19

1. Open downloads.jabref.org or the official stable 5.15 release and choose the installer matching your desktop operating system and CPU.
2. On Windows, download the MSI, run it and follow its installation instructions. On macOS, choose the Intel or arm64 DMG/package matching your Mac and follow the installer.
3. On Linux, choose the stable DEB/RPM package or the portable archive. For a portable installation, extract the archive and start bin/JabRef, as documented in the installation guide.
4. For portable Windows, extract the ZIP and start JabRef.exe. For portable macOS, use JabRef.app from the archive when that route is provided.
5. Use the Getting started guide to create or open a bibliography library. If you separately choose the 6.0 beta for AI, review its prerelease status, provider settings and API/local-model costs first.

JabRef is free MIT-licensed desktop reference management with no required subscription or server. Your computer, document storage and access to paywalled research remain separate. Stable 5.15 covers ordinary bibliography work; optional AI summarization and paper chat are in the public 6.0 beta and use a separately configured provider. Remote AI API usage can cost money; local models need your own memory, compute and electricity. It replaces common EndNote reference and citation workflows, with different integrations and collaboration features. Choose only your OS route. Public 6.0-beta.1 is available; it is not labeled stable here. No installation or AI request was executed.