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Welcome to Logos! In this article, we’ll walk you through how to organize your layout, access various resources, and jump into your first study. If you need more help with any of the features mentioned here, click the link included in each section or browse the other articles and videos available on the Logos Help Center.

Looking for help with the Logos mobile app? Visit this page.

 

Getting access to Logos for free has never been easier. Simply open the app, whether on desktop, mobile, or the web, and the free version of Logos will automatically unlock if you don't already have it. Then, anytime you open the app in a different language or a different brand (Verbum/Logos), the free version will also be unlocked. If you don't already have Logos, you can download it at logos.com

Note: If you already have Logos 9 downloaded, you do need to make sure that you have automatic updates turned on for the free version to automatically unlock. If you have Logos 8 or earlier, Logos will not automatically update to the new version. Instead, you'll need to download the installer from logos.com

 

By default, Logos opens to the Home Page, where you can access your workflows, prayer lists, and reading plans as well as browse up-to-date Bible study content, and more. You can customize how this content displays by clicking one of the settings icons . The upper icon allows you to select the number of columns for your display as well as to refresh the Dashboard. Selecting the lower icon allows you to choose the kinds of resources that are displayed under the Explore heading.

1 Home Page Settings

 

You can return to this screen from anywhere in Logos by clicking the Home icon .

Note: Anytime you want to clear your workspace, you may do so by clicking the Close all icon on the toolbar. When you close panels in this way, they will return to the last place you were when you open them again.

Learn more about the Home Page

What do you want to do?

 

 

Read my Bible devotionally

 

  • Layouts

  •  

    Choosing a Layout opens a set of resources and tools in a predetermined arrangement.

     

    1. From the Home Page, click the plus icon . From here, you can choose a resource or a Layout that you would like to add to your Dashboard.
      2 Add Layout To Home Page Dashboard

       

    2. Select an available option (such as Bible and Commentary) and click Add.
      3 Select Layout Option

       

    3. Click the Layout's card on the Home Page to open it.
    4. Type the Scripture reference you would like to read in the reference box. Because these resources are linked together, you only need to enter the reference in one of the boxes.
      4 Enter Scripture Reference

       

      Note: Entering the book name and chapter will open the Bible to verse 1 of that chapter. When entering a reference, Logos recognizes multiple formats.

      For example:

      • 1 John 1:1
      • 1jo 1 1
      • 1st John 1:1
      • See the complete list of recognized abbreviations here.

       

    5. To rearrange your panels, drag and drop tabs to move them anywhere on the screen, or drag the edge of the panel to resize it.

       

      If you like your revised panel arrangement and want to save it, click the Layouts icon  and select Save as Named Layout, then give this layout a name. Now, you can go back to the Layouts menu anytime, click the saved layout, and reopen the resources exactly as you left them.

     

    Learn more about Layouts

     

  • Choosing a Devotional or Lectionary

  •  

    1. From the Dashboard, click the plus icon .
    2. Select Daily Devotional or Lectionary to open a window that allows you to choose an available devotional or lectionary from your Library. Then, click Add.
      5 Choose A Devotional Or Lectionary

      Once you select a resource, a new card will be added to your Dashboard.
      6 New Resource Card

       

    3. Click the card to open the devotional or lectionary to today’s reading. Hovering over any Scripture reference in this panel opens a window showing the full text.
    4. Click a Scripture reference to open a panel in your preferred Bible. Learn how to change your preferred Bible here.
      7 Click A Scripture Reference

       

    5. You may arrange the cards on your Dashboard by dragging and dropping them into your preferred order, or you may remove a card by clicking the ellipsis in the upper right-hand corner of the card and clicking Remove card.
      8 Remove Card From Dashboard

       

  • Information and Context Menu

  •  

    When working in a resource in Logos, you can reveal a wealth of information by clicking the Tools icon Tools icon and selecting Information Info icon. This is especially helpful when studying a passage of Scripture.
    9 Open Information From Tools

     

    Simply click on or hover over a word to reveal its definition, popular English translations, original language information, and more.
    10 Reveal Info On Word

     

    Most of this information is also available by right-clicking a term, which opens the Context menu. Here Logos lists different kinds of information about the term in the left column along with a set of actions you can perform on the right.
    11 Context Menu Example

     

  • Library

  •  

    If you want to browse your available resources or open a specific resource, click the Library icon  below the Home icon . You can search your Library by typing all or part of the title or author in the search bar.

     

    1. To locate a resource by title, enter the title in the search bar (e.g., Easton’s Bible Dictionary); then click the title link to open the resource in a new panel.
      12 Search For Resource By Title

       

    2. You can also find works by a particular author (e.g., St. Augustine). Type the word “author”, followed by a colon and the author’s name (author:augustine). Click a resource’s title to open it in a new panel.
      13 Search For Resource By Author

       

    3. In addition, use the Library filter panel on the left to explore the resources in your library and find them according to attributes like subject, type, author, or publisher.

       

      To find all of your New Testament commentaries, for example, select Bible N.T. from the Subject filter options, then scroll to the Type filter and select Bible Commentary.
      14 Apply Library Filters

       

      If there’s a resource you access often, you can create a button for it on the shortcuts bar to the right of the Command Box. Simply drag an item to the shortcut bar.

       

      Now, you only need to click the button whenever you want to open that resource or execute the command.

       

    Learn more about using the Library

     

  • Notes

  •  

    Notes is a powerful tool for documenting and collecting observations while you research and read. This tool is automatically opened with the Bible Journaling Layout.

     

    Notes can be organized in notebooks, allowing you to both record and organize your thoughts and then recall what you’ve learned with faceted searching.

     

    1. Add a note by right-clicking a word or selection.
      16 Add A Note

       

    2. Once the note has been created, you may add tags, which are keywords or phrases that you can use in searches to find the note again as well as to link it with other notes.
      17 Add Tags To A Note

       

      You can access all your notes by clicking the Tools icon Tools icon and selecting Notes.
      18 Select Notes From Tools Menu

       

      Note: Whenever you highlight a word or passage in a resource, Logos automatically stores these highlights in Notes.

       

    Learn more about the Notes Tool

     

Do in-depth Bible study

 

This section orients you to some opening steps and features to launch you to a deeper study of God’s Word.

 

  • Workflows

  •  

    A quick way to begin a guided study is by opening a Workflow--a predetermined framework that guides you through a study and directs you to the relevant resources in your Library at the appropriate stages of your study.

     

    1. Click the Guides/Workflows icon Guides icon.
      19 Click The Guides Workflows Icon

       

    2. Select the Basic Bible Study workflow.
      20 Select The Basic Bible Study Workflow

       

    3. Enter the passage you want to study, and Logos will generate your study outline.
      21 Enter A Passage

       

    Logos automatically saves each Workflow. You can access each one quickly by returning to the Home screen. Click the upper Settings icon and select Refresh.
    22 Refresh Your Dashboard

     

    This adds a card with your saved Workflow to your Dashboard. Clicking the card opens your saved Workflow where you left off.

     

    Learn more about Workflows

     

  • Original Language Study

  •  

    Logos gives you access to the original languages through interlinear Bibles. Reverse interlinears use Bibles like the Lexham English Bible (LEB) to reveal the original language behind the English text. Unlike a traditional interlinear Bible, reverse interlinear Bibles display an English translation with the corresponding Greek and Hebrew words placed below (and out of their original order).

     

    1. In an open Bible window, click the Interlinear icon .
      23 Click The Interlinear Icon

       

      With the Interlinear open, you can select any English term and see:
      • Its manuscript form in the original language and/or transliterated form,
      • Its lemma (or dictionary) form of the word in its original language and/or transliterated form,
      • Its root in the original language and/or in transliterated form,
      • Morphological data for the word
      • Strong’s and/or Louw-Nida Numbers
      • Its sense.

       

    2. You can choose which of these options display by clicking the dropdown arrow next to the Interlinear icon or right-clicking within the Surface text column of the bottom pane and selecting the options you want to view.
      24 Interlinear Options Dropdown

       

    Learn more about Interlinears

     

  • Information and Context Menu

  •  

    When working in a resource in Logos, you can reveal a wealth of information by clicking the Tools icon Tools icon and selecting Information Info icon. This is especially helpful when studying a passage of Scripture.
    9 Open Information From Tools

     

    Simply click on or hover over a word to reveal its definition, popular English translations, original language information, and more.
    10 Reveal Info On Word

     

    Most of this information is also available by right-clicking a term, which opens the Context menu. Here Logos lists different kinds of information about the term in the left column along with a set of actions you can perform on the right.
    11 Context Menu Example

     

  • Layouts

  •  

    Choosing a Layout opens a set of resources and tools in a predetermined arrangement.

     

    1. From the Home Page, click the plus icon . From here, you can choose a resource or a Layout that you would like to add to your Dashboard.
      2 Add Layout To Home Page Dashboard

       

    2. Select an available option (such as Bible and Commentary) and click Add.
      3 Select Layout Option

       

    3. Click the Layout's card on the Home Page to open it.
    4. Type the Scripture reference you would like to read in the reference box. Because these resources are linked together, you only need to enter the reference in one of the boxes.
      4 Enter Scripture Reference

       

      Note: Entering the book name and chapter will open the Bible to verse 1 of that chapter. When entering a reference, Logos recognizes multiple formats.

      For example:

      • 1 John 1:1
      • 1jo 1 1
      • 1st John 1:1
      • See the complete list of recognized abbreviations here.

       

    5. To rearrange your panels, drag and drop tabs to move them anywhere on the screen, or drag the edge of the panel to resize it.

       

      If you like your revised panel arrangement and want to save it, click the Layouts icon  and select Save as Named Layout, then give this layout a name. Now, you can go back to the Layouts menu anytime, click the saved layout, and reopen the resources exactly as you left them.

     

    Learn more about Layouts

     

  • Guides

  •  

    Another option for beginning a study is through the use of Guides. Click the Guides/Workflows icon Guides icon where you can create specialized reports for different kinds of information.

     

    For instance, to see everything your Library has to say on a Bible passage:

     

    1. Open the Passage Guide.
      25 Open The Passage Guide

       

    2. Type the reference you’re studying, and press Enter.
      26 Enter A Reference

       

    3. In the Guide, Logos queues all of your resources discussing this text, such as commentaries, journal articles, cross-references from the Bible, other ancient literature, and more.

     

    Each Guide serves a particular function:
    • Passage Guides are meant for in-depth study of Bible passages.
    • Exegetical and Bible Word Study Guides provide information on the original languages.
    • Theology Guides unearth what your library has to say about biblical doctrines.
    • Sermon Starter Guides help with preaching outlines and illustrations.

     

    Learn more about Guides

     

  • Link Sets

  •  

    Often it is helpful for multiple resources to work together in tandem (like a Bible and commentary or lexicon). You can easily control whether panels in Logos scroll together or independently of each other using Link Sets. Assign two or more resources to the same Link Set or assign some tools to follow an open panel through the resource panel menu.

     

    1. In the first panel that you want to link, open the panel menu by clicking .
      27 Open The Panel Menu

       

    2. Click a letter to establish the first part of your link.
      28 Click A Link Set Letter

       

    3. Open a second resource that you wish to link. You can do this by typing the title in the Command box or by clicking the Library icon and searching for your desired resource.
    4. Open the panel menu of the second resource by clicking .
    5. Click the letter that corresponds to the letter you selected in the first panel to complete the link.

     

    Open resources that share a Link set letter will scroll together.

     

    Learn more about Link Sets

     

  • Searching

  •  

    Another way to begin your study is by entering a topic or passage that you would like to study in the Command box. This is a quick and easy way to open the Factbook on a particular topic.
    29 Enter A Topic In The Command Box

     

    Alternatively, clicking the Search icon opens the search panel which helps you find words and phrases in your resources. This panel shows different kinds of searches (All, Bible, Books, Factbook, Morph, Media, and more).
    30 Start A New Search

     

    Bible search focuses only on Bible verses, while Books search finds terms throughout your Library. To learn more about the different kinds of searches, check out their respective videos.

     

    You can also access search templates in the navigation menu by clicking the  icon to the left of the All search option. These templates help you search for and find exactly what you’re looking for by empowering you to execute advanced searches in any of your resources.

     

    Learn more about Searches

  • Factbook

  •  

    Whether you’re looking for more detail about biblical people and places, background on significant historical events, or insight into a theological topic, the Factbook will get you started. The Factbook is one of the most powerful features of Logos, and it makes almost any biblical or theological term easily searchable.

     

    1. Click the Factbook icon on the toolbar.
      31 Click The Factbook Icon

       

    2. Enter the name of a person, place, thing, event, or topic into the search field and press Enter.
      32 Search The Factbook

    Note: You can also access the Factbook by toggling on the Factbook icon Factbook icon in the resource panel which will underline any words which have a Factbook tag. Clicking on the underlined word will open the Factbook to the tagged entry.

    Alternatively, you can also access the Factbook from the Context Menu. Simply right-click what you want to look up. Words with existing Factbook tags display a label in the left-hand column. Click the label to expand options in the right-hand column. Click Factbook to open the entry for your chosen word.

    33 Accessing A Factbook Tag

     

    Open Factbook in Logos

     

  • Notes

  •  

    Notes is a powerful tool for documenting and collecting observations while you research and read. This tool is automatically opened with the Bible Journaling Layout.

     

    Notes can be organized in notebooks, allowing you to both record and organize your thoughts and then recall what you’ve learned with faceted searching.

     

    1. Add a note by right-clicking a word or selection.
      16 Add A Note

       

    2. Once the note has been created, you may add tags, which are keywords or phrases that you can use in searches to find the note again as well as to link it with other notes.
      17 Add Tags To A Note

       

      You can access all your notes by clicking the Tools icon Tools icon and selecting Notes.
      18 Select Notes From Tools Menu

       

      Note: Whenever you highlight a word or passage in a resource, Logos automatically stores these highlights in Notes.

       

    Learn more about the Notes Tool

     

    May God bless your study as you grow in the light of the Bible!

Prepare a message

 

  • Guides

  •  

    When preparing a message, a Guide is a great place to start. Click the Guides/Workflows icon Guides icon where you can create specialized reports for different kinds of information.

     

    For instance, to see everything your Library has to say on a Bible passage:

     

    1. Open the Passage Guide.
      25 Open The Passage Guide

       

    2. Type the reference you’re studying, and press Enter.
      26 Enter A Reference

       

    3. In the Guide, Logos queues all of your resources discussing this text, such as commentaries, journal articles, cross-references from the Bible, other ancient literature, and more.

     

    Each Guide serves a particular function:
    • Passage Guides are meant for in-depth study of Bible passages.
    • Exegetical and Bible Word Study Guides provide information on the original languages.
    • Theology Guides unearth what your library has to say about biblical doctrines.
    • Sermon Starter Guides help with preaching outlines and illustrations.

     

    Learn more about Guides

     

  • Notes

  •  

    Notes is a powerful tool for documenting and collecting observations while you research and read. This tool is automatically opened with the Bible Journaling Layout.

     

    Notes can be organized in notebooks, allowing you to both record and organize your thoughts and then recall what you’ve learned with faceted searching.

     

    1. Add a note by right-clicking a word or selection.
      16 Add A Note

       

    2. Once the note has been created, you may add tags, which are keywords or phrases that you can use in searches to find the note again as well as to link it with other notes.
      17 Add Tags To A Note

       

      You can access all your notes by clicking the Tools icon Tools icon and selecting Notes.
      18 Select Notes From Tools Menu

       

      Note: Whenever you highlight a word or passage in a resource, Logos automatically stores these highlights in Notes.

       

    Learn more about the Notes Tool

     

  • Documents

  •  

    Logos helps you organize and present what you’ve learned. From the Toolbar, click the Documents icon Documents icon to open the Documents menu.

     

    Select New to reveal a dropdown menu with various resources to help you organize your material. You can also create prayer lists and reading plans.
    34 Create A New Document

     

    Whenever you create a Logos document, Logos backs it up to your Logos.com account and synchronizes it to everywhere you use Logos; whether that’s another computer or your mobile device, you always have the latest copy of your work.

     

    Learn more about Documents

     

  • Media Tool

  •  

    Content such as Scripture passages or other media can easily be copied to the clipboard and made available to paste in another document (like Microsoft Word or PowerPoint). Open the Tools menu by clicking the Tools icon Tools icon. Then, click Media Media icon to open a window with options to view, search, and export media elements for presentations.
    35 Access Media Tool

     

    Learn more about the Media Tool

     

  • Exporting and Sharing

  •  

    When you copy a passage from a resource in Logos and paste it in another document such as Microsoft Word, a footnote is automatically created.

     

    Notes and/or other sections can be exported to social media, email, or Faithlife.com.

     

    1. Select the portion you wish to share and right-click. This opens the Context menu where you can choose where to post the content.
      36 Share On Social Media

       

    2. You also have the option of creating a Media file that can be exported to PowerPoint or Proclaim by choosing Visual Copy from the Context menu.

     

    Learn more about the Media Tool

     

 

In addition to articles and videos on the topics discussed above, the Logos Help Center features training resources on a variety of other topics designed to help you get the most out of Logos.

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