Sharing modes: “live” and “independent” copies

When you add references from your library to shared folders and libraries, you can choose if reference metadata and file changes are synced or not synced between personal and shared locations.

Paperpile supports two sharing modes: live copies (the default) and independent copies.

• Live copies stay connected to your personal library. When you or anyone else edits the reference, changes sync everywhere it's shared.
• Independent copies are completely separate—changes to one copy in one location don't affect the copies in other locations.

Most users can stick with the default live copy mode. However, understanding both modes helps you choose the right approach for different scenarios.

Live copies (default)

When you add a reference from your library to a shared folder or library in live copy mode, it remains linked to your personal library. Changes made in your personal library sync automatically to all locations where the reference is shared.

For example: You fix a typo in a reference title in your library. The correction appears in all shared folders and libraries with live copy mode where you've shared that reference. This keeps everyone working with the same accurate information.

When to use live copy mode

Live copies work well for:

• Collaborative research projects where everyone should see the latest information
• Reading lists that you update regularly with references from your library and want others to see the updates
• Any scenario where you want a single, up-to-date version across all locations

How live copies work

When a reference is added from a user’s library to a shared location with live copy mode:

• The reference stays connected to the owner's personal library
• Changes (metadata edits, addition or removal of files) made anywhere by anyone with “Editor” permissions sync between the owner’s library and shared locations
• PDFs and file attachments sync between the owner's library and shared locations
• Notes and annotations remain private to each library

Verify a reference is shared in live copy mode

Go to the shared folder or shared library and click the Shared button on any reference. The sharing menu shows where the reference is shared and who owns it.

If you see "From [username]'s library," the reference is a live copy:

• If it shows your name, you're the owner
• If it shows someone else's name, they're the owner

You may also see options to change, take, or give up ownership of the reference.

Important live copy mode behaviors to know

• When you edit a shared live copy owned by someone else:
  • Your edits sync back to the owner's personal library. Make sure the owner expects these changes.
• When you add a shared live copy owned by someone else to your personal library:
  • The copy in your library becomes independent and won't update if the shared version changes.
• When you delete a shared live copy that you own from your personal library:
  • In shared libraries: The reference remains in the shared library and becomes an independent copy (it has no owner).
  • In someone else's shared folder: The reference remains in the folder and ownership transfers to the folder owner.
  • In your own shared folders: The reference is deleted from the shared folder since the folder is part of your library.

Independent copies

Independent copies mode lets you maintain strict separation between shared folders/libraries and personal libraries.

When you add a reference from your library to a shared folder or library in independent copy mode, a completely separate copy is created. Changes to either version don't affect the other.

When to use independent copies

Independent copies work well for:

• Systematic literature reviews where metadata must remain stable
• Controlled archives or repositories where you need to preserve exact versions
• Situations where you don't want changes from others affecting your personal library

How independent copies work

When a reference is added from a user’s library to a shared location with independent copy mode:

• A separate copy is created with no connection to personal libraries
• Metadata edits and file attachment changes to one copy don't affect other copies
• PDFs, files, notes, and annotations are all independent

Who owns independent copies

Ownership differs by location:

• Shared libraries with independent copy mode:
  • References have no individual owner. The library itself is the source of truth.
• Shared folders with independent copy mode:
  • All references are owned by the folder owner and are linked to the folder owner's library. When someone else adds a reference, it becomes part of the folder owner's library. Changes made in other users' personal libraries don't affect references in the shared folder.

Verify a reference is shared in independent copy mode

Go to the shared folder or shared library and click the Shared button on any reference.

• In shared folders with independent copies mode:
  • The menu shows "From [folder owner]'s library" and there are no options to take or give up ownership.
  
• In shared libraries with independent copy mode:
  • The sharing menu does not show "From [username]'s library" and there are no options to take or give up ownership.
  
• In shared libraries with live copy mode:
  • Some references may have no owners if they are added using the file upload dialog, online search, or the Paperpile extension. These are independent copies and unlinked to anyone’s library (the sharing menu won't show "From [username]'s library."). Users with at least “Editor” permissions can choose to take ownership of these references.
  

See if a reference in a shared library or folder shared with you is linked to your library

In shared libraries and in folders shared with you, each reference displays a button showing whether it's connected to your personal library.

• Dot: The reference in the shared location is linked to your library (a “live copy” from your library) and you are the owner. Click to show it in your library.
• Checkmark: You have a copy of the reference in your personal library that is unlinked to the one in the shared location. Click to show it in your library.
• Plus: The reference is not in your library. Click to add a copy to your library that will be unlinked to the one in the shared location.

Sharing mode of references added directly to shared locations

When you add a reference through upload, online search, paste, or the browser extension directly to a shared location, it's initially added as an independent copy.

In shared libraries:

• The reference has no owner (not linked to any personal library)
• In live copy mode: Any member with “Editor” permissions can take ownership by clicking the Shared button and selecting Take ownership
• In independent copy mode: References stay independent with no ownership change options

In shared folders:

• The reference is automatically added to the folder owner's personal library
• In live copy mode: Other users with access can take ownership by clicking the Shared button and selecting Take ownership
• In independent copy mode: All references remain owned by the folder owner and there are no ownership change options

Change sharing mode for an entire folder or library

1. Click the three-dot menu next to the folder or library in the sidebar
2. Select Share
3. Click Advanced sharing settings at the bottom of the sharing dialog
4. Select Live copies from users’ personal libraries or Independent copies
5. Click Apply changes in the confirmation dialog

What happens when you change sharing mode for a shared folder or library

• From live copies to independent copies: All existing references become unlinked from their owners' personal libraries. Changes made in the shared folder or library will no longer sync with the owner’s personal library and vice versa.
• From independent copies to live copies: Existing references remain unlinked. Going forward, new references added to the shared folder or library from users’ libraries will be live copies from owners' personal libraries.

Change sharing mode for individual references

If the shared library or folder has live copy mode enabled, users with “Admin” and “Editor” permissions can change the sharing mode for individual references, though this is rarely needed. We recommend controlling sharing at the folder or library level for consistency.

Give up ownership of a reference

You can give up ownership of a reference if you don’t want to accidentally change reference metadata or files outside of a shared library or a folder shared with you. The copy in the shared location will be independent of the copy in your personal library.

1. Click the Shared menu under the reference
2. Select Give up ownership

If you choose to give up ownership of a reference, you will still keep a copy in your personal library.

Take ownership of a reference

Taking ownership links a reference to your personal library so edits to it made in your library sync to the shared location.

1. Click the Shared button on the reference
2. Select Take ownership

What happens:

• The reference is added to your library as a live copy
• If you already have this reference in your library, the new copy becomes the linked version (the live copy in the shared location) and your old copy remains separate

Folder owners can take ownership from other users

If another user added a reference to your shared folder, you can take ownership to link it to your library instead of theirs. This prevents their edits from syncing to your library.

1. Click the Shared with you button on the reference
2. Select Take ownership

Change ownership in shared libraries

In shared libraries with live copy mode, you can change who owns a reference if you have “Editor” permissions or higher.

Why change ownership:

• Take ownership: Link the reference to your library so edits made in your library sync to the shared library
• Remove ownership: Convert a live copy from another user’s library to an independent copy with no owner so edits made outside of the library don't accidentally change the shared version

To change ownership:

1. Click the Shared button on the reference
2. Select Change ownership
3. Choose an option:
   • Take ownership — Links the reference to your library
   • Remove [username] as owner — Converts the reference to an independent copy in the shared library
   

Common questions

How do I know which mode a shared folder or library is using?

Find the folder or library in the sidebar and select Share from its three-dot menu. In the sharing dialog click Advanced sharing settings. The current sharing mode is displayed there. Note that only admins of the shared folder or library can view or change the mode in the advanced sharing settings.

When should I use independent copies instead of live copies?

Use independent copies when you need stable, unchanging reference metadata. This is important for systematic reviews, regulatory compliance, or any scenario where you need to preserve exact versions of references.

How do I stop my changes from syncing to shared references?

By default, when you add a reference from your library to a shared folder or library it's a live copy. You can give up ownership to unlink it from your library, which prevents future changes from syncing to the shared location.

How do I prevent others' changes from syncing to shared references?

Choose Independent copies mode in Advanced sharing settings. This unlinks all references from users' personal libraries.

What happens to my PDFs and annotations when I share references as live copies?

PDFs and other files sync from the owner's library to shared locations in live copy mode. Notes and annotations are always private to each user’s library and never sync between libraries.

Can I have some references as live copies and others as independent copies in the same shared library?

Yes, but we recommend keeping all references in the same mode for consistency. If you need different sharing modes, consider creating separate shared libraries for each use case.

What happens when someone edits a live copy that I own?

Their edits sync back to your personal library. If you're sharing references with users with “Editor” permissions with live copies mode enabled, be aware that their changes will update your version too.

What happens when someone adds a reference to a shared folder that I own?

The reference is added to your library because the shared folder is part of your library. If you're sharing references with users with “Editor” permissions, be aware that any references they add to the folder will also be added to your library, even if you have “Independent copies” mode selected for your shared folder. If you want true separation from your personal library, create a shared library with “Independent copies” mode.