12 Best Libreoffice Extensions Every Designer Should Know About

LibreOffice, the powerful, free office suite, alongside its versatile LibreOffice Extensions, has become a user’s favourite, with millions of users worldwide. But what makes it so powerful? Is it endless customisation choices?   

You guessed it right! With a vast library of extensions, LibreOffice can seamlessly adapt to your needs, whether you’re designing, researching, or working in your office. This blog reveals those 12 must-have LibreOffice Extensions that can readily transform your workflow and make everyday tasks easier and more pleasing. 

Table of Contents 

1) Best LibreOffice Extensions 

   a) Zotero 

   b) TextMaths 

   c) VersionMgr 

   d) LanguageTool 

   e) EPC 

   f) Code Highlighter 2 

   g) Remove Duplicates 

   h) MultiFormatSave 

   i) ImpressRunner 

   j) Anaphraseus 

   k) Pepito Cleaner 

   l) Calculator For Calc 

2) Conclusion 

Best LibreOffice Extensions  

LibreOffice is more than just a free, open-source office suite—it's an extensive library of extensions to maximise your productivity and creativity. From simplifying complex tasks to adding advanced features, these extensions allow you to tailor LibreOffice to your unique needs. Below, we have listed the top 12 extensions that can help you work smarter, not harder, whether you’re writing, designing, or crunching numbers.  

1) Zotero 

The Zotero LibreOffice Integration is a powerful extension that seamlessly connects research with document creation in LibreOffice Writer. It simplifies citation and bibliography management, offering numerous benefits.
 

With this extension, you can insert citations and bibliography entries easily into your documents, choosing from thousands of different styles. This feature streamlines the often-complex task of formatting references, making academic and professional writing more efficient. It's especially useful for citing multiple pages and sources or customising citations to meet specific style requirements.
 

2) TexMaths 

TexMaths is a powerful LibreOffice add-on that seamlessly integrates LaTeX support into your document creation process. Using this LibreOffice Extension, you can effortlessly insert LaTeX equations as images in either Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) or Portable Network Graphics (PNG) formats while also preserving the LaTeX code for future editing. 

TexMaths is an indispensable tool for academics, researchers, students, and anyone working with mathematical equations within LibreOffice. Additionally, its LaTeX integration simplifies the process of creating and editing mathematical content, ensuring that your documents are both visually appealing and mathematically accurate. 

3) VersionMgr 

VersionMgr is an essential extension for anyone who is looking to streamline the versioning of their LibreOffice documents. This versatile tool offers various features that can easily simplify the version control process. These include: 

a) Auto Numbering: Automatically number your documents with tracking 

b) Custom Documents and File Names: Personalise your document and file names 

c) Numbering Schemes: Use various numbering schemes to suit your needs 

d) Metadata Integration: Integrate metadata for better document management 

e) User-friendly UI: Enjoy an intuitive and easy-to-use interface 

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4) LanguageTool 

LanguageTool is an indispensable LibreOffice Extension that serves as a comprehensive style and grammar proofreading tool for many languages, such as English, French, and German. It offers a robust set of features, including: 

a)  Error Detection: Identifies and corrects grammar and style errors 

b) Wide Language Support: Supports languages like Asturian, Belarusian, Breton, Catalan, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Esperanto, Galician, Greek, Italian, Persian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian, and more. 

c) Local Processing: Works without an internet connection 

d) Full-text Rules: Applies comprehensive rules for better accuracy 

e) Dictionary Enhancements: Improves word suggestions and corrections 

f) Grammar Checking in Spreadsheets and Presentations: Extends its capabilities beyond text documents. 

5) EPC 

This handy extension for LibreOffice equips you with all the tools needed to draw event-driven process chains. It works best in Draw, especially if you enable the grid and connectors.  

This setup ensures your diagrams are precise and well-organised, making it easier to visualise and manage complex processes. Whether you're mapping out workflows or planning projects, this extension can significantly enhance your productivity. 

6) Code Highlighter 2 

Code Highlighter 2 significantly improves how you work with code snippets in your documents. This extension supports over 350 programming languages to bring syntax highlighting to LibreOffice, making code segments more visually engaging and easier to understand. 

As a fork of the original Code Highlighter, Code Highlighter 2 ensures ongoing maintenance and improvements. To use it, simply paste your code, select the portion you want to highlight and go to “Format -> Code Highlighter 2 -> Highlight Code.” The selected code will be instantly highlighted according to the chosen programming language, enhancing readability and clarity. 

7) Remove Duplicates 

The “Remove Duplicates” extension is a valuable tool for LibreOffice Calc users to manage complex spreadsheet data. Data cleansing, especially removing duplicate entries, is crucial for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of your datasets.  

While LibreOffice doesn't have a one-click tool for this, you can use filters and other methods, though they can be a bit tricky. This extension simplifies the process by providing a user-friendly interface and automatic column detection, making it much easier to clean your data efficiently. 

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8) MultiFormatSave 

MultiFormatSave is a handy extension that allows users to save a document in OpenDocument, Microsoft Office (both old and new), and PDF formats simultaneously, based on user settings. This is particularly useful during the transition from Microsoft Office formats to the Open Document Format (ODF) standard.   

It offers the flexibility to save in both ODF for interoperability and Microsoft Office formats for compatibility with users who still use legacy formats. This dual-saving capability makes the migration process smoother and easier to manage. 

9) ImpressRunner 

Impress Runner is a straightforward extension that turns an Impress presentation into an auto-running file. It adds two icons to set and remove the autostart function.  

You can also manually enable this by modifying the File, then Properties, Custom Properties, and adding the time "autostart" in one of the first four textual content fields. This sort of extension is particularly useful for booths at conferences and events where you need the slides to run unattended. 

10) Anaphraseus 

Anaphraseus is a Computer-Aided Translation (CAT) tool designed to create, manage, and use bilingual memories for translation. It is available as a LibreOffice macro set and, therefore, can be used as an extension or a standalone document.    

Initially developed to work with the Wordfast format, Anaphraseus also supports exporting and importing files in Thermex Steel (TMX) format. Its main features include text segmentation, fuzzy search in Translation Memory, terminology recognition, and TMX Export/Import (compatible with OmegaT translation memory format). 

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11) Pepito Cleaner 

Pepito Cleaner is a handy LibreOffice extension designed to quickly resolve common formatting errors from old scans, Portable Document Format (PDF) imports, and various digital text files. 

By clicking the Pepito Cleaner icon located on the LibreOffice toolbar, users can open a window that analyses the document and displays the results categorised by type of error. This is especially useful when converting PDF documents to ODF, as it cleans up any leftover material from the automatic conversion process. 

12) Calculator for Calc 

If you frequently need to enter dates in Calc, the Calendar for Calc extension is a fantastic tool. Instead of having to check a separate calendar and manually enter the dates, this add-on allows you to simply select the range(s) and double-click on a day to insert the date in ISO format. 

This extension saves time and reduces errors, making it much easier to manage dates in your spreadsheets. Whether you're tracking deadlines, scheduling tasks, or managing data, Calendar for Calc streamlines the process and enhances your productivity. It's a small addition that makes a big difference! 

Conclusion 

These 12 must-have LibreOffice Extensions are game-changers for designers, offering tools that enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and spark creativity. By integrating these cutting-edge tools into your routine, you can work more efficiently and bring your ideas to life with ease.  

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