# iBibTeX

> Read-only BibTeX file viewer for Google Drive, with optional BibDesk PDF integration. (iPhone/iPad app by UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibibtex/id924874217 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO](https://appshunter.io/developer/830381905)
- Category: Education, Utilities
- Price: Free
- Rating: 1.00/5 from 6 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 8.0 · 11 MB
- Released: 2014-10-05
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibibtex/id924874217/reviews.md

## What is iBibTeX?

iBibTeX is a reader app for your .BIB files stored on Google Drive. 

iBibTeX features:
- login into your Google Drive account, and iBibTeX will scout your drive for .BIB files;
- see all your .BIB files, and browse them in an easy to read list, ordering  by year, author, title, location and type of reference, and filtering by text;
- click on any reference for a comprehensive list of fields;
- users of BibDesk on MacOS with active AutoFile of PDF papers in a Google Drive folder can also browse PDFs linked to a reference.

How to use it:
- open the application (yes, you really have to do it!)
- in 'Google Drive' tab, click on "Change Account" and login with your credentials;
     - if you use BibDesk on MacOS, click on 'Select Folder', and chose the folder in which your BibDesk PDF files are auto filed;
- in 'File Browser' tab, a list of your .BIB file should now show (in case, press 'Refresh');
     - you can add a .BIB file to your favourites pressing the + button near the file name
     - you can delete a file from favourites by sliding on its name, and then press 'Delete'
- if you click on a reference, a window will open with a list of all the BibTeX fields
- on top of the fields view, one or more PDF buttons will open the linked PDFs

Please note:
- iBibTeX does not edit your file, is a read-only affair;
- there is no plan to extend iBibTeX to other cloud services, as our University runs on Google infrastructure. Anyone willing to contribute is welcome, and we are more than happy to share the code;
- BibDesk integration is a bit of an hit and miss at the moment, as the field BibDesk uses to store information about the attached PDFs is private. It usually works if you use auto filing and file papers in fixed location (in BibDesk go to Preferences/AutoFile to set up auto filing). The fixed location should also be on the same Google Drive in which the .BIB files are.

Release Notes:
- 1.00 Initial Release
- 1.01 Bug Fixing

## Key features

- Google Drive integration
- Browse and filter .BIB files
- View detailed reference fields
- Link and view associated PDFs
- Mark files as favorites

## Recent user reviews (6 of 6)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibibtex/id924874217/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Crash

*2019-08-10*

Can’t even connect with Google Drive

### 1/5 — does not work

*2019-02-13*

right after downloading the app, i opened it; it goes right away to “file browser” and displays an error “disallowed_useragent”; it is not possible to choose “google drive” as instructed. i’m on an ipad pro running ios 12.1.1.
hope you guys get this fixed, i was very much looking forward to this app.

### 1/5 — Google No longer allows in app oauth login

*2019-02-09, version 1.01*

So . . . It won’t work from the start as it tried to use it to login  and is stopped dead.

### 1/5 — Does not work at all

*2018-07-23, version 1.01*

The app’s reliance on Google Drive renders it useless. Whenever I open it, I get this message from Google:

This user-agent is not permitted to make an OAuth authorization request to Google as it is classified as an embedded user-agent (also known as a web-view). Per our policy, only browsers are permitted to make authorization requests to Google. We offer several libraries and samples for native apps to perform authorization requests in the browser.

There is no way to move beyond this screen. It’s too bad: at this point there is no iOS analogue to BibDesk on Mac, so I was thrilled when I found this app. However, since it is essentially useless, .bib files still cannot be viewed in any useful way on iOS devices — at least in the US. The market gap is actually pretty shocking. I wish iBibTeX had been the solution.

### 1/5 — Fatal bug

*2018-03-10*

Is not able to open google drive.

### 1/5 — Application will not open for use

*2017-12-01, version 1.01*

As soon as the app opens, there is an error from Google:

403. That’s an error.

Error: disallowed_useragent

Cannot do anything after that except to close the app.

## Frequently asked questions about iBibTeX

### What is iBibTeX?

iBibTeX is a read-only application designed to help you view and browse your .BIB files that are stored on your Google Drive. It allows you to easily access and organize your bibliographic data.

### Does iBibTeX edit BibTeX files?

No, iBibTeX is strictly a read-only application. It does not modify or edit your .BIB files in any way. Its purpose is solely for viewing and browsing your existing reference data.

### How does iBibTeX integrate with Google Drive?

You can log in to your Google Drive account directly within the app. Once authenticated, iBibTeX will scan your drive for .BIB files, allowing you to browse them from the 'File Browser' tab.

### Can iBibTeX display linked PDFs?

Yes, if you use BibDesk on macOS and have set up AutoFile for PDF papers in a Google Drive folder, iBibTeX can display PDFs linked to your references. PDF buttons will appear in the fields view.

### What are the supported devices for iBibTeX?

iBibTeX is available for iPhone and iPod devices. It is designed to be accessible on these Apple mobile platforms.

### Is iBibTeX free to use?

Yes, iBibTeX is completely free to use. There are no costs associated with downloading or using its features for managing your BibTeX files.

### How often is iBibTeX updated?

The app was initially released on October 5, 2014, with version 1.01 released on October 19, 2014. The last update was in 2014, indicating infrequent updates.

### What is the user rating for iBibTeX?

iBibTeX has a rating of 1.0 stars based on 6 ratings. This indicates a very low user satisfaction with the current version of the application.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.01 — 2014-10-19

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

Bug Fixing

### 1.0 — 2014-10-02

No release notes.

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All apps by UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO: https://appshunter.io/developer/830381905

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*