How to cite your BioRender figure

This article explains how to properly cite BioRender Content to ensure compliance with our Terms of Service and content license requirements. Citing BioRender accurately maintains ownership integrity and allows you to follow the terms associated with your subscription.

When and how to cite BioRender

All icons, templates, and assets from the BioRender library are considered "BioRender Content". Even when used in your own figures, BioRender retains ownership of these elements. According to our Terms of Service, this content is licensed—and proper citation is required when it appears in any published work.

When you export a figure using a Publication License (available on Premium plans), a unique citation and figure URL will be generated. This ensures proper attribution of BioRender Content and helps you comply with your subscription’s content license terms.

This citation can be included in:

• Figure captions
• References section
• Acknowledgements section

The unique figure URL allows readers to directly view your figure and ensures traceable use. You can choose the level of access—public, private, or editable—based on your needs.

By including this citation, you confirm that your use of BioRender Content aligns with the rights granted under your subscription. This protects both your work and BioRender’s intellectual property.

Open vs closed access publishing

Depending on your publication type, different licenses may apply:

• Open-access journals (CC-BY): Follow this guide for special requirements.

• Closed-access journals: See this article for usage and permissions.

Citing non-published figures

If you’re creating BioRender figures not intended for journal or textbook publishing (e.g., for a thesis, website, or social media), please use the citation: Created with BioRender.com.

Important note: If you create a figure solely from your own content within the BioRender app—without using any icons, templates, or public BioRender Community content—a Publication License is not required, and citing BioRender is unnecessary.

How to use a published BioRender figure in a new publication

If you (the reader) are interested in using a BioRender figure that has already been published, it’s important to follow the correct process to obtain permission. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Access to the figure 
   If the author has granted access to the figure, it will be available to view, modify or re-use by its readers. If the author has not granted access to the figure and the reader wishes to modify the authors figure, the reader can request an editable version through the “Request an editable version” option on the visitor page. Please note, BioRender figures included in published works are the intellectual property of the authors of those papers. For more information check out our related articles section below.
2. Why BioRender Cannot Grant Permission
   BioRender serves as a tool for creating figures but does not hold copyright over the figures created by its users. As such, we are unable to grant permission for the reuse of figures included in publications.

3. Best Practices for Citing BioRender Figures
   While you cannot reuse a figure without the author’s permission, you can cite the original publication where the figure appears. This ensures proper attribution and respects copyright laws.

By requesting access and citing appropriately, you can adhere to best practices for using published materials in academic or professional settings. 

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with accessing or using a figure’s unique URL, try the following:

• Ensure you are on a premium plan and export the figure with the appropriate Publication License.
• Check permissions settings to confirm reader access level.

Related articles

• CC-BY publishing and reader permissions
• How to reuse and republish a BioRender figure (without modifications)

What’s next

🎓 Watch: Top 3 Tips for Publication Figures. Learn actionable tips and techniques for designing clear science figures for your publications/manuscripts. Watch on Learning Hub ↗

🧠 Explore: Feature Highlight – BioRender AI. Let BioRender AI generate a first-draft figure layout from your research description in seconds. Explore AI ↗

🎨 See Examples: Community Template Gallery. Find inspiration from other scientists or reuse templates tailored to publishing use cases. Browse Templates ↗

Need help?

If you have any questions or concerns:

1. Email Support: support@biorender.com
2. Live Chat: Available by clicking on the "Help" bubble in the app on the bottom right-hand corner.