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Zettlr for Mac

One-stop publication workbench — from idea to publication in one app.

Free
In English
4.3
Based on 8 user rates

Zettlr overview

Zettlr is a reliable companion for writing scientific texts and taking notes. It is made for academics in the humanities and arts and is intended to keep your content apart from your design, but close to the notes you take. To reach this goal, Zettlr incorporates several important features:

  • File-agnostic editing. Zettlr does not store any information about your files, except in your files. This way you can always switch to and from Zettlr. Every file you see inside the preview pane corresponds to a file on your disk. With no special additions that might render the use of your files difficult for other editors.
  • Zettelkasten-Methods implemented directly into the app. With Zettlr, you can link files and searches using "Wiki-Links" in the format [[your search text|@ID:ID]], give IDs by typing @ID:Your-ID-Here and tag your files using Twitter-like hashtags: #hashtag. Holding down the Alt-key and clicking on links will try to open exact-match files and also initiate searches, while Alt-clicks on tags will simply initiate searches. More features are likely to come.
  • A directory list. This list contains all open directories and files. You can open new directories by pressing Cmd/Ctrl+O. New files can be opened simply by double clicking them in your file browser or by dragging them onto the app. Every time you start the app, all previously opened paths will be re-loaded.
  • A preview pane that lists all the files that are inside the currently selected directory and separates them by their subdirectory. Just click on a file to open it in …
  • … the editor, which takes the most space and is the crucial component that actually makes Zettlr an editor. You are able to write Markdown-files in the area, a slim text format that keeps formatting to a bare minimum.
  • Exporting options. Using the open source software pandoc and LaTeX, Zettlr enables you to export all files on the fly in a variety of formats; currently HTML, DOCX, ODT and PDF. Just open a file and press Cmd/Ctrl+E.
  • Searching. Zettlr enables you to quickly search through your files to find what you are looking for in a fraction of the time you'd need if you store all your information in several word documents that you'd have to open and search.
  • A toolbar containing all functions in handy button-form.

Note: While the software is classified as free, it is actually donationware. Please consider making a donation to help support development.

What’s new in version 3.2.0

Resolved Data Loss Issues
  • When Zettlr v3.0.0 was released, we started receiving reports by users mentioning that some files wouldn't properly save, potentially leading to data loss. After searching for the underlying root cause, we have now identified it as improper newline handling in files. Specifically, we have accidentally introduced a bug that would render Zettlr incapable of properly detecting Windows-style CRLF newlines. This means that Zettlr was only sometimes able to properly read and modify such files. This update fixes this bug. Now, Zettlr is able to properly read and modify any file, regardless of whether it has been created on Windows, macOS, Linux, or even some older systems. We would like to apologize for this bug and thank you for sticking with Zettlr despite it.
Changes to the file filtering logic
  • The filter field in the file manager has always applied OR-logic when searching for files and workspaces. In this latest update, Zettlr changes to AND file filtering logic, meaning that only items matching all queries will be displayed when entering phrases separated by spaces. As an example: Until now, searching for "Niklas Luhmann" would've surfaced files that contained either "Niklas" or "Luhmann," or both. From now on, searching for "Niklas Luhmann" will only show files that contain both "Niklas" and "Luhmann" and exclude files that miss one of these phrases.
GUI and Functionality
  • Feature: The attachment/assets/other file sidebar tab now also shows files found in the default image folder where applicable
  • Feature: The right-click context menu for external markdown links now contains an option to remove a link. When removing style links, the link text remains as plain text. When removing [title](link) style links, the title text remains as plain text.
  • Change: When searching for files in the filter field, only files and workspaces that match all queries entered will be displayed
  • Fixed the French translation of unsaved-changes dialog actions. (#5177)
  • Fixed bugs with properly saving files (and retaining linefeeds) on Windows
  • systems; now Zettlr should be capable of handling any type of linefeed (#5109)
  • Fixed an issue where checkboxes in various list controls would not be properly updated to reflect the actual, underlying value
  • Fix assets file icons in the sidebar
  • Design fixes in the sidebar
  • Fix: The file preview tooltip now respects the filename display settings
  • Fix: Focus input field when search in folder (global search) is triggered
Under the Hood
  • Upgrade Electron to v30.1.0 (cf. issue #5135 and Electron issue #41839)
  • Downgrade Linux builds to use Ubuntu 20.04 instead of 22.04 (#5137)
  • Fully abstract away newline handling from the internal logic. Now, newlines are always \n across the entire app. The actual newlines from the files will be stored in their respective file descriptor, and will be exclusively used on file reads (to replace them with \n) and file writes (to replace \n with)
View older Zettlr versions

Zettlr for Mac

Free
In English
Version 3.2.0

What users say about Zettlr

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4.3

(4 Reviews of Zettlr)

  • Comments

  • User Ratings

Michael-Vilain
Michael-Vilain
Dec 27 2021
2.0.3
2.0
Dec 27 2021
2.0
Version: 2.0.3
V 2.1 still crashes on 10.13. They've isolated the problem with the Electron framework. Sadly, I've supported other electron-based projects that were orphaned by them. So this is a hard-pass for me. Luckily FSNotes works great on MacOS. Don't need android, Linux, or Windows for now.
Michael-Vilain
Michael-Vilain
Nov 14 2021
2.0.3
2.0
Nov 14 2021
2.0
Version: 2.0.3
Still crashes on 10.13
Ptk3
Ptk3
Jul 26 2019
1.3.0
4.0
Jul 26 2019
4.0
Version: 1.3.0
Zettlr is incredibly powerful : you can create files and write them in GFM markdown (that means table of content and footnote, tables), plus extras, like folding text (really useful when you write long papers).
It uses Latex and Pandoc parser to export in a huge range of format (including .docx or .odt, of course PDF, ePub and other text format), and academics can use Zotero to manage bibliography.
You can manage extra folders without moving them (excellent: you store your files and folders wherever you want, just drag and drop them to Zettlr), and transform folder to project, meaning you can export a project as an only one merged file).
I just miss the preview feature, which is not fully implemented, but I asked the dev and I'm sure it will come soon.
This app is a gem, the dev is open and responsive, it's just an incredible free and open source app, as powetful as Ulysses, but you're not trapped in a subscription model, and the arrogance of the devs.

I recommand it to any one who want to manage a big writing project, like a paper, a novel, a bunch of short stories, a book (scientific books are welcome, as it can deal with latex and mathjax syntax).
Marcelo Leite
Marcelo Leite
Apr 18 2019
1.2.3
3.5
Apr 18 2019
3.5
Version: 1.2.3
Do not have android version?
Michael-Vilain
Michael-Vilain
Dec 14 2021
2.0.3
2.0
Dec 14 2021
2.0
Version: 2.0.3
jgogarcia
jgogarcia
Nov 8 2020
5.0
Nov 8 2020
5.0
Version: null
Ptk3
Ptk3
Jul 26 2019
4.0
Jul 26 2019
4.0
Version: null
Ervins Strauhmanis
Ervins Strauhmanis
Jun 11 2019
5.0
Jun 11 2019
5.0
Version: null
Marcelo Leite
Marcelo Leite
Apr 18 2019
3.5
Apr 18 2019
3.5
Version: null
sllsr
sllsr
Mar 30 2019
5.0
Mar 30 2019
5.0
Version: null
ygfz
ygfz
Feb 9 2019
5.0
Feb 9 2019
5.0
Version: null
pyob
pyob
Dec 30 2018
5.0
Dec 30 2018
5.0
Version: null