Before you begin You need an active Rayyan account and at least one review created. Rayyan does not connect to databases directly — export your reference files from your database first, then upload them here. If you have not created a review yet, create one here.
How to upload references
Add References is the entry point for all uploads. You will find it in two places:
- On the Overview tab, inside the Imported References card
- In the left panel of the Review data tab
- Open your review and click Add References
- Choose your upload method — from your device, or from My Library. If you are uploading a ZIP or GZ archive, use My Library
- Select the file or files you want to import
- Give the import a clear name in Rayyan (e.g., PubMed – April 2025) — this name appears in the Review data panel and is important for PRISMA traceability
- Click Continue — a notification confirms the upload has started
- Files uploaded from your device are automatically saved to My Library once the upload is complete
Best practice Name each import after its source and date — for example, Scopus – March 2025. A clear name is far easier to trace than export_final_v2.ris when documenting your search sources for PRISMA reporting.
Common issue If you are uploading results from the same database in multiple batches, upload each batch as a separate named import rather than merging them into one file. This preserves the traceability of each search run.
Upload limits
| Parameter | Limit |
|---|---|
| Files per upload | Up to 10 files at a time |
| Size per file | Up to 100 MB per file |
| Total per session | Up to 1 GB per upload session |
| Compressed files (ZIP, GZ) | Supported via My Library only — not available for direct device upload |
Note If your database export exceeds these limits, split it into smaller batches and upload each as a separate named import.
How to check import progress
- Go to the Review data tab
- In the left panel, find the import by the name you gave it — it appears under Imported References
- The number of records in that import appears next to the name once processing is complete
Note Depending on dataset size, it may take a few minutes for all records, facets, and filters to fully populate. If the import appears to be taking longer than expected, refresh the page before contacting support.
How to delete an imported file
- Go to the Review data tab
- In the left panel, find the import you want to remove
- Click the trash icon next to it
- Confirm the deletion when prompted
Important Deleting an import permanently removes all references and any associated customizations from your review. This action cannot be undone. The original file remains available in My Library. Always double-check before confirming.
What to do if your import fails
Work through these steps in order before contacting support:
- Check the file format — confirm it is one Rayyan accepts. If not, re-export from your database in a supported format such as RIS or CSV
- Check the file structure — open the file in a text editor to verify it looks well-formed
- Try a reference manager as a converter — import the file into Zotero or EndNote and re-export as RIS or BibTeX before uploading to Rayyan
- Try a small sample first — upload 10–20 records to verify that key fields like title, abstract, and DOI are mapping correctly
Common issue Some databases export files with non-UTF-8 encoding, which causes garbled text or import failures. If you see unexpected characters after importing, re-export the file with UTF-8 encoding selected, or open it in a text editor and re-save as UTF-8.
Continue to: Supported File Formats for Importing into Rayyan
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