Technical overview of the web app

The Paperpile web app runs in your browser and works best with the Paperpile browser extension installed. This article explains how the web app works and how to manage its technical settings.

Browser compatibility

The Paperpile web app works in:

• Google Chrome (recommended)
• Other Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, Chromium
• Firefox (beta)
• Safari (beta)

For the best experience, we recommend using Chrome with the Paperpile Chrome extension installed.

Update the web app

The web app updates automatically. When a new version is available, you'll see a notification at the bottom of the screen prompting you to reload the page. Click Reload to update to update to the latest version.

If you don't see the update notification, manually refresh the page by pressing Cmd+R (macOS) or Ctrl+R (Windows and Linux).

To check the web app version, click the question mark and look for the version number at the bottom of the help menu.

Install the browser extension

We highly recommend installing the Paperpile browser extension. The extension provides:

• One-click saving from publisher websites and databases. See Add references while browsing using the browser extension and Save to Paperpile with the extension popup for more details
• Automatic PDF downloads
• Citation creation through the Google Docs plugin. See Get started with Paperpile and Google Docs
• Automatic reference metadata updating

To install:

1. Click on your profile picture in the bottom left and go to Settings > Browser extension
2. Click the link for your browser
3. Follow the installation instructions

For more information, see:

• Install and use the Chrome extension
• Install and use the Firefox add-on

Cached files

The web app stores PDFs and attachments locally in your browser for quick access. This means you don't have to re-download files from your cloud storage or our servers every time you open them.

How caching works

When you open a PDF:

• The file downloads to your browser's local storage
• Next time you open it, it loads instantly from the cache
• Files remain cached until you clear them

Clear cached files

To free up space:

1. Go to Settings > Data and files > Files on this device
2. Click Clear all local files

This removes locally stored files. They'll re-download when you open them again.

Common questions

How much space do cached files use?

Each PDF is stored at its original file size. Check your cache size in Settings > Data and files > Files on this device.

Can I read PDFs saved in Paperpile offline?

With cached files, you can view previously opened PDFs offline in your browser. You need internet to sync annotations or open uncached files.