LaTeX checklist for arXiv submissions

Currently, arXiv compiles LaTeX projects using a modified version of TeX Live 2023. For projects that use a different version of TeX Live, this can result in incompatibilities when submitting to arXiv. On Overleaf, you're able to select the version of TeX Live used to compile your project which allows you to choose the most compatible version of TeX Live available for arXiv submissions.

In addition, some projects that compile without errors on Overleaf may encounter unexpected compilation errors when submitted to the arXiv service. This help page outlines some common reasons, and how to solve them.

Are you using the Overleaf submit to arXiv feature?

arXiv expects a zip submission that includes some of the generated files from your project. These files can be obtained directly (see: View Generated Files), but the Submit to arXiv option under the Submit button will provide you with a zip file with these included. This option is provided under the online repositories section of the Submit menu. If your project is using a dedicated journal template, the Submit button may not include options other than the journal for the template. To see all submit options, including arXiv, please make a copy of your project: the Submit button on the copy will include all options, not just the journal for the template.

Are you using an incompatible version of TeX Live?

At the time of writing (September 2023) the arXiv service uses TeX Live 2023 to process LaTeX submissions. New Overleaf projects—either created from scratch or when you copy a project—are also based on a version of TeX Live 2023, but which may be slightly different than the version used by arXiv. Users submitting an Overleaf project to arXiv may be affected by mismatches in TeX Live versions due to unavoidable differences in some LaTeX packages. Currently, we are recommending that any project destined for submission to arXiv should be configured to use TeX Live 2023 using Overleaf’s TeX Live selection feature.

Are you using the hyperref package?

When processing LaTeX submissions, arXiv loads the hyperref package with its required set of options. If your project also loads hyperref with options, you may then get an “Option clash for package hyperref” error on your arXiv submission.

You can try setting your hyperref options separately from the package loading. For example, the line

\usepackage[colorlinks,allcolors=black,pdftex]{hyperref}

can be changed to

\usepackage{hyperref}
\hypersetup{colorlinks,allcolors=black}

Note that it is not necessary (nor recommended) to specify the pdftex (nor dvips, dvipdfm, ...) option for hyperref nor for other packages.

If the hyperref package is loaded by a document class or a package then it may not be feasible to change how hyperref options are loaded. One example is if you're using \documentclass{mnras}. In such cases you may have to prevent arXiv from injecting its hyperref commands. This can be done by adding a file to your project named 00README.XXX and putting this line in it:

nohypertex

Is your main .tex file on the project’s top level?

arXiv submissions might not compile where the main .tex file is inside a folder, so before re-attempting submission to arXiv try moving that .tex file to the root-level of your Overleaf project. Remember that you may also need to update file paths for your \include, \input, \includegraphics and \bibliography commands, etc.

Are you using any .eps image files alongside .png, .jpg or .pdf image files?

arXiv will use pdfLaTeX to process your submissions and, of course, pdfLaTeX cannot directly incorporate .eps graphics files into the typeset PDF: they must first be converted to a format that pdfLaTeX can use. Overleaf can automatically convert .eps files to .pdf format during pdfLaTeX compilation but arXiv may not have this feature enabled. Consequently, arXiv’s compilation might generate errors with commands that try to include .eps files, such as \includegraphics{plot.eps}.

If your Overleaf project uses graphics in .eps format we recommend that you convert them to .pdf format, upload them to your project and use the .pdf versions directly within any \includegraphics commands in your document.

Further References

• Common Mistakes that cause (arXiv) Automated Processing to Fail
• Considerations for TeX Submissions (to arXiv)