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Enter reference data manually

By Suzanne O’Regan · Updated Mar 16, 2026

Use the metadata edit dialog to add new references to Paperpile manually.

In the Add menu, select Create new.

The Add menu open with the circled “Create new… — Enter metadata manually” entry highlighted, between “Upload files…” and “Search online…”, each showing its keyboard shortcut.

In the metadata edit dialog, enter the reference details.
To reveal more fields, click Add field and check any field you need.

Paperpile can auto-populate your fields. Enter a title, DOI, ISBN, or PMID, and click Auto update. Paperpile searches several academic databases and shows you matching results to choose from.

The “Create new reference” dialog with fields filled in and a red arrow from the circled “Auto update” button to a “references found” panel listing four database matches, one ticked, with “Close suggestions” and “Apply updates”.

Review the suggestions in the sidebar and adjust as needed. While you are editing, you can see a citation preview at the bottom.
Click Apply updates to save your changes.
Click Save to add the reference to your library.

Note: When you click Save, the reference will be added to the current folder, if one is selected.