Read with source context
Keep PDFs, metadata review, highlights, source-linked notes, tags and project notes together.
Research workspace
Version 1.2.0 · Windows 10/11 · x64
CiteFlow
Read and compare research PDFs, keep notes tied to their pages, search for exact words or related ideas, and prepare citation drafts in one Windows project.
No account required
Good fit for: Researchers who already have their PDFs and want to read, compare, search, and cite them in one local project.
These previews show the main research tools. Feature details and limits are explained below.
Decision summary
Use a local evidence workspace after sources are collected
Choose exact search for known terms, optional semantic search for related wording and OCR for image-only pages. Reopen the source before relying on any result.
Compare evidence
Read two sources side by side. Citation-aware copy works from the built-in reader, and Citation History can reopen evidence in its original source context.
Search exactly or by meaning
Use exact search without a model or install E5 or BGE-M3 for optional local semantic suggestions.
Prepare citations and exports
Run local OCR, then create APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 18, or IEEE citation drafts to check against the source.
Who this app fits
Good fit when
Choose it when you already have research PDFs and want to read, compare, search, and organize their evidence in one local project.
Choose another tool when
Choose other services for shared cloud editing, database discovery, formal systematic-review screening, protocol reporting or a full writing editor.
Important limits
- Semantic Search is beta and can miss relevant passages or return irrelevant ones; similarity is not certainty.
- OCR, metadata, translation and citation output require review against the source.
- Encrypted, corrupted or poor scans can fail.
- CiteFlow does not automate critical appraisal or guarantee correct research conclusions.
System requirements
- Windows 10 build 17763 or later, or Windows 11; x64 processor.
- Multilingual E5 Large INT8 is about 557 MiB; 4 GB minimum and 8 GB RAM recommended.
- BGE-M3 Full Precision is about 2.13 GiB; 6 GB minimum and 16 GB RAM recommended.
- The optional OCR component includes eight text languages plus script detection.
Choose the right search method
Scroll the table horizontally on a narrow screen.
| What you need | Start with | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Known word, author or identifier | Exact search | PDF text layer or OCR output |
| Related ideas with different wording | Multilingual E5 Large INT8 | About 557 MiB and 8 GB RAM recommended |
| Larger semantic model | BGE-M3 Full Precision | About 2.13 GiB and 16 GB RAM recommended |
| Scanned or image-only PDF | OCR, then exact or semantic search | Selected OCR language; names, numbers and quotations checked against the page image |
What happens from input to result
What is current in 1.2.0Version 1.2.0 adds optional local meaning-based search, broader citation output, and a managed OCR setup for research PDFs.
- Use BETA local Semantic Search with E5 Large INT8 or BGE-M3 Full Precision.
- Choose project and index scopes, filter or refine results, open the source passage, and export checked work.
- Prepare APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 18, or IEEE citation drafts and reopen evidence from Citation History.
- Run local OCR in eight text languages with orientation and script detection, cancellation, and index recovery.
Product facts and standalone file verified August 27, 2026.
Turn source PDFs into traceable evidenceKeep every note and claim linked to the page that supports it.
Collect and review sources
Use a documented discovery method, then add the PDFs that belong in the local project.
Read and link evidence
Keep a note or copied passage connected to the source page and compare sources when needed.
Retrieve and verify
Use exact, semantic or OCR-assisted search, then reopen the page before using the evidence.
Installed research tools run without internetReading, notes, comparison, search, citation export and installed OCR run locally. Update checks, selected lookups and component downloads are separate requests.
Stays on your PC
- PDFs, extracted text, indexes, notes and project metadata remain in the local workspace.
- Exact Search and Semantic Search run locally after an optional model is installed.
- OCR runs locally after its managed component is installed.
Network actions and external links
- Optional model and OCR installers download only the files you select and check them before use.
- CiteFlow checks for updates at launch if six hours have passed since the previous check.
- The first time Donate opens, CiteFlow requests the public supporter list.
- Optional DOI lookup sends the selected DOI to the online lookup service.
- Title translation automatically sends the selected title to MyMemory first, then tries Google and LibreTranslate in that order if an earlier service fails.
See the portfolio-level explanation in Network & data.
Product tour
See the research workflow
These previews show six parts of the research workflow. The sections below explain what each tool does and what you need to check.
Keep source PDFs, project notes and reading progress in one research workspace. 
Compare two research PDFs while keeping each passage tied to its source. 
Highlight a passage and attach a note that can return to the original page. 
Copy a passage with source context and reopen it later from Citation History. 
Search a local project for related wording, then verify each suggested passage in its PDF. 
Export checked project notes and citations in the text format you choose.
Download CiteFlow
Microsoft Store is recommended for the simplest install and update path. A standalone EXE and verification details remain available below.
System: Windows 10 version 1809 (build 17763) or later, or Windows 11; x64 architecture; model-specific memory requirements apply
Latest: 1.2.0Product facts and standalone file verified August 27, 2026
Standalone EXEAdvanced install, checksum and backup sources
Alternative install
Standalone EXE
Download EXEDirect download for Windows
Windows SmartScreen checks publisher and reputation information for downloaded EXE files. If Windows shows a notice, confirm that you used the download link on this page before continuing. Understand Windows download notices.
Verify the exact file
Verified setup file
File: CiteFlow-Setup-1.2.0-x64.exe
Size: 64,215,549 bytes (61.24 MiB)
Authenticode: Not signed
567243d0619b15062cf3920295fe1ad67d8d5df5754626729763237ef6b93c8cVerified August 27, 2026 with two local hashing tools. A match confirms identical bytes; it does not add a publisher signature or guarantee that a file is safe.
View this SHA-256 on VirusTotalDownload the file from an official link, then compare its name, size, and SHA-256 with the values above. The illustrated SHA-256 guide shows every step.
Backup link
Use the primary link above first. This source provides the same verified release file.
Frequently asked questions
Does CiteFlow upload my PDF library?
No. CiteFlow never uploads the PDF library. It checks update metadata when the six-hour interval is due and requests the public supporter list when Donate first opens. A selected DOI lookup sends bibliographic query data. Title translation sends the selected title to MyMemory, then Google and LibreTranslate in that order after a failed response.
Does exact search require a semantic model?
No. Exact search works without E5 or BGE-M3 and depends on the PDF text layer or OCR output.
Is Semantic Search guaranteed to find the right evidence?
No. Semantic Search is beta. It can miss relevant passages or return irrelevant results, and similarity is not proof of a claim.
Which semantic model should I choose?
E5 Large INT8 is about 557 MiB with 8 GB RAM recommended. BGE-M3 Full Precision is about 2.13 GiB with 16 GB RAM recommended.
Can CiteFlow OCR scanned research PDFs?
Yes. The optional managed OCR component supports eight text languages plus script detection, but names, numbers, tables and citations must be checked against the page image.
Which citation styles are included?
Version 1.2.0 supports APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 18 author-date, Chicago 18 notes-and-bibliography and IEEE drafts.
Does CiteFlow replace a systematic review platform?
No. It supports local evidence organization after collection and does not replace database searching, protocol registration, formal screening, deduplication or critical appraisal.