Duplicate removal
Finds repeated entries and repeated keys and keeps one of each.
BibTeX cleaner for a submission-ready bibliography
Bibliographies collected over months end up with the same paper under two keys, empty fields and entries missing the journal or year — which break the reference list at the worst moment. Paste your .bib file and get back a tidy, consistent one, with every entry that still needs attention flagged.
Free account: 50 tokens every month · no card needed
What it does
Features of the BibTeX Cleaner
Empty fields stripped
Removes fields with no content that clutter the file.
Missing fields flagged
Every entry missing a field its type requires is listed so you can fix it.
Paste or upload
Paste the .bib content or drop the file.
How it works
From draft to result in 4 steps
- Add your .bibPaste the content or drop the file.
- CleanDuplicates and empty fields are removed in one pass.
- Fix what is flaggedComplete the entries listed as missing required fields.
- DownloadCopy or save the cleaned file and recompile.
Who it's for
Built for the people who write research
LaTeX usersFix a bibliography before submission.
Research groupsMerge several people's .bib files without duplicates.
PhD candidatesTidy a thesis bibliography built over years.
EditorsStandardise the references of an edited volume.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does it change my citation keys?
Only duplicates are removed; the entries you keep retain their keys, so your \cite commands still work.
Which fields are required?
It follows standard BibTeX entry types — for example an article needs author, title, journal and year.
Can I use it with Overleaf?
Yes — clean the .bib here and paste it back, or edit your whole project in our online LaTeX editor.
Where do I get missing BibTeX entries?
The citation generator returns BibTeX for a DOI or title.
Is it free?
Every tool opens on the free plan: a free account gets 50 tokens every month. Longer documents, downloads and some advanced modes need a paid plan — the tool tells you when you reach one.
Why does my LaTeX bibliography show [?] or ??
The citation key in \cite{} was not found in the compiled bibliography. Check the key's spelling, make sure the .bib entry exists and is valid, then run BibTeX (or Biber) and compile again.
What causes "Repeated entry" errors?
Two entries in the .bib file share the same key — usually after merging bibliographies. The cleaner removes the duplicate so BibTeX runs cleanly.
Related
Tools that pair well with it
Citation Generator
Turn a DOI, title, author, ORCID or topic into real, formatted citations in APA, MLA, Chicago or BibTeX — from indexed literature, with links.
Learn more →
Online LaTeX Editor
Write and compile LaTeX in the browser on real journal classes — IEEE, ACM, Springer, Elsevier, MDPI, Nature, Wiley. Live PDF, SyncTeX and an AI assistant.
Learn more →
Journal Finder
Paste your abstract and see the journals that publish work like yours, ranked by fit, with ISSN, publisher, h-index, APC and open-access status.
Learn more →
Try the BibTeX Cleaner now.
Open it in your browser — nothing to install.