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Why and How to Update Mendeley Desktop to Version 1.19.8
Last updated on May 18, 2026
You may have seen a recent communication stating that support for older versions of Mendeley Desktop would be stopped. We want to clarify that this is not the case - only syncing is affected. All other features continue to work as normal.
If you are using an older version of Mendeley Desktop, we encourage you to update to version 1.19.8 to ensure syncing continues to work as expected.
What is affected if I don't update?
Following a recent infrastructure change, syncing is no longer supported on versions older than 1.19.8. If you attempt to sync on an older version, you will see an error message letting you know that syncing is unavailable. All other features of Mendeley Desktop continue to work as normal - so if you haven't updated yet, you can still use the application locally in the meantime.
Will I lose any data when I update?
No. Updating is seamless, and you will not lose any of your existing data in the process. Once updated, your previous version will be replaced automatically and everything will be ready to go, including syncing.
How do I update Mendeley Desktop?
Follow these steps:
- Sign in to Mendeley Desktop.
- Navigate to the 'Help' tab at the top of your screen.
- Select 'Check for Updates'.
- Select 'Check Now' and follow the instructions on your screen.