https://github.com/mobench/zotero-annotation-links
Clickable cross-reference links between PDF annotations in Zotero
https://github.com/mobench/zotero-annotation-links
annotation pdf zotero zotero-7 zotero-addon zotero-plugin
Last synced: 3 months ago
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Clickable cross-reference links between PDF annotations in Zotero
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/mobench/zotero-annotation-links
- Owner: mobench
- License: agpl-3.0
- Created: 2026-03-25T19:51:25.000Z (3 months ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2026-03-26T16:06:28.000Z (3 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-03-27T04:35:44.542Z (3 months ago)
- Topics: annotation, pdf, zotero, zotero-7, zotero-addon, zotero-plugin
- Language: TypeScript
- Size: 85.9 KB
- Stars: 2
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 1
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# Annotation Links
**Clickable cross-reference links between PDF annotations in Zotero.**
[](LICENSE)
[](https://www.zotero.org)
---
### Why this plugin?
Zotero's annotation comments don't support clickable hyperlinks — a [long-requested feature](https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/130051/clickable-links-in-annotation-comments-annotation-annotation-annotation-item-pdf) by the community. Researchers studying across multiple sources need to cross-reference annotations, but there's no built-in way to link one annotation to another.
This plugin solves that by making `zotero://` links in annotation comments **clickable and navigable** — within the same PDF or across different documents.
Community requests addressed
- [Clickable links in annotation comments](https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/130051/clickable-links-in-annotation-comments-annotation-annotation-annotation-item-pdf)
- [Zotero links in annotations](https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/102967/zotero-links-in-annotations)
- [PDF annotations: clickable links and advanced syntax](https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/100647/pdf-annotations-clickable-links-and-advanced-syntax)
- [Hyperlinks to PDF annotations](https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/128771/hyperlinks-to-pdf-annotations)
- [Ability to add links in the built-in PDF viewer](https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/93197/ability-to-add-links-in-the-built-in-pdf-viewer)
- [Auto-select/highlight annotations when opening link](https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/125101/enhancement-auto-select-highlight-annotations-when-opening-link)
---
### ✨ Features
- **Copy Annotation Link** — Right-click any annotation or press `Ctrl+Shift+C` to copy its `zotero://` deep link
- **Clickable link icons** — Annotations containing `zotero://` links show a chain icon in the sidebar; click to navigate
- **Auto-focus** — The target annotation is automatically selected and highlighted after navigation
- **Cross-document detection** — Links to other PDFs show an external link icon with the document title on hover
- **Multi-link support** — Annotations with multiple links show a dropdown to pick the target
- **"Link copied" notification** — Visual confirmation when a link is copied to clipboard
### 🚀 How It Works
1. **Copy** — Right-click an annotation and select "Copy Annotation Link", or press `Ctrl+Shift+C`. A clean `zotero://` URL is copied to your clipboard.
2. **Paste** — Paste the link into another annotation's comment field (as plain text).
3. **Navigate** — A link icon appears in the annotation header. Click it to jump directly to the target annotation — it will be highlighted so you can find it immediately, even on a page with many annotations.
This works within the same PDF, across different PDFs, and even when opening links from external apps like Obsidian.
### 📦 Installation
1. Download `annotation-links.xpi` from the [latest release](https://github.com/mobench/zotero-annotation-links/releases/latest)
2. In Zotero: **Tools > Add-ons > gear icon > Install Add-on from File**
3. Select the `.xpi` file and enable the plugin
### ⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|----------|--------|
| `Ctrl+Shift+C` | Copy link for the selected annotation |
### 🔗 Link Format
The plugin works with Zotero's native protocol links:
```
zotero://open-pdf/library/items/{ITEM_KEY}?page={PAGE}&annotation={ANNOTATION_KEY}
```
These links are generated automatically — no need to construct them manually.
### 🤝 Contributing
Found a bug or have a feature request? [Open an issue](https://github.com/mobench/zotero-annotation-links/issues).
### 💜 Support
If you find this plugin useful, consider [buying me a coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/mobench).
### 📄 License
[AGPL-3.0](LICENSE)
---
> [!NOTE]
> This plugin requires Zotero 7 or later. It does not make network requests or collect telemetry.