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Downloading a project

This page explains how to export Overleaf projects as a .zip file or download just the final typeset PDF. Each process is explained step-by-step but a quick guide is also provided.

Projects downloaded from Overleaf are provided as a .zip file. The .zip file will contain the source files only. It does not include the final typeset PDF, which must be downloaded separately after successful compilation.

How to download the PDF file

There are two ways to download the PDF file:

From the File menu

1

Select File in the upper-left of the editor window.

2

Select Download as PDF within the Download option of the dropdown menu:

The Download as PDF option within the Download option of the File menu
3

The typeset PDF is then exported in accordance with your browser and operating system settings, usually to your device's downloads folder. By default, the downloaded PDF will have the same name as your Overleaf project.

From the download icon

1

From within the PDF display window, select the Download PDF icon to the right of the Recompile button:

The Download PDF icon location
2

The typeset PDF is then exported in accordance with your browser and operating system settings, usually to your device's downloads folder. By default, the downloaded PDF will have the same name as your Overleaf project.

How to download Overleaf projects

Here we show how to download your current project as a .zip file, or how to download multiple projects as a single .zip file inside of which there are further .zip files, one for each project.

How to download an individual project as a .zip file

There are two ways to download an individual project as a .zip file:

From within the project

1

Select File in the upper-left of the editor window.

2

Select Download as source (.zip) within the Download option of the dropdown menu:

The Download as source (.zip) option within the Download option of the File menu
3

The project source code will be exported as a .zip file in accordance with your browser and operating system settings, usually to your device's downloads folder. By default, the .zip file will have the same name as your Overleaf project.

From the projects dashboard

1

If you're in the editor, select the Back to your projects button in the top-left, which appears with your cursor on The Overleaf icon:

The Back to your projects icon location
2

In the projects dashboard, click the Download .zip file button for the project you want to download:

3

The project source code will be exported as a .zip file in accordance with your browser and operating system settings, usually to your device's downloads folder. By default, the .zip file will have the same name as your Overleaf project.

How to download multiple projects as a .zip file

1

If you're in the editor, select the Back to your projects button in the top-left, which appears with your cursor on The Overleaf icon:

The Back to your projects icon location
2

In the projects dashboard, select the projects using the checkboxes.

3

Click the Download icon on the top-right to initiate download of the .zip file containing your projects.

The Download icon in the projects dashboard
4

The project source codes will be exported as a .zip file in accordance with your browser and operating system settings, usually to your device's downloads folder. The .zip file will be named "Overleaf Projects ([number of projects] items)".

How to include a .bbl file (for journal submissions)

Some journal-submission processes ask for the LaTeX-generated .bbl file—an auxiliary file containing the formatted bibliography data—to be included with the article source files of LaTeX submissions. On Overleaf, .bbl files, and any other auxiliary files created during compilation, are “cached” but there are two ways to access the .bbl files:

Using the Other logs and files button

Follow these steps to download just the .bbl file generated for your project:

1

Click on the Logs and output files button (next to the Recompile button).

Logs and output files button location
2

Scroll all the way down, and click on Other logs and output files.

Other logs and files button location
3

Select the project’s .bbl file, called output.bbl, to download it.

Via Overleaf’s arXiv submission process

The full project source files, including the .bbl file, can also be downloaded via the arXiv-submission process:

A GIF showing the arXiv steps that will described
1

Click on the project title and click on Submit.

2

Overleaf displays the Submit window which lists Overleaf’s publishing partners. Scroll down until you reach the Online Repositories section which contains arXiv.

3

From within the arXiv section, select Submit your paper to the arXiv.

Don't worry, selecting this option this will not immediately send the project files to arXiv; instead, it displays another window which lets you download your article, complete with .bbl file, for onward submission to arXiv:

4

Finally, select Download project ZIP with submission files (e.g. .bbl) which will initiate the download process.

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