Getting Started with Logos
Updated for Logos 10
This Wiki offers a step by step tutorial to becoming familiar with Logos.
It will help you customise your Bible Study together with Tips from experienced users.
Page Content
Installation, Indexing & Updates
Wiki: Installation and Indexing FAQ
Video: Installing
Tip: Logos is resource intensive and benefits from a fast processor and an SSD drive, along with adequate memory i.e. newer hardware.
After installing the Logos application, sign-in with your Logos account and choose an appropriate Library size dependent on the amount of disk space you have. Logos then downloads your library content, followed by indexing; which can take several hours.
Tip: Wait for indexing to finish before using Logos, as Searching will not function and other features will be sluggish.
Note that updates to the software and updated/new resources will be automatically downloaded by default, but you can change Automatically Start Downloads to No in Tools > Program Settings. You cannot know what is being downloaded, but you will get used to the size of a software update, so anything smaller will be a resource update(s).
Software updates are announced in the appropriate “Logos Desktop...” forum e.g. by a thread titled “10.0 SR-2 (10.0.0.0240) is Now Available”, when you will have access to Release Notes.
In Logos, you will receive detailed Notifications for resource and software updates.
Also, you can find which resources have been updated in Library. Right click on a Library column header e.g. Title, then click “Last Updated” to add that column to the Library display, followed by dragging the column header to the desired place. Clicking the “Last Updated” header will sort resources by date.
Tip: Many free resources are available (Logos does not charge your credit card).
First Steps
There is a lot to learn in Logos. But if you start with learning just a few features at a time and at your own pace push yourself to learn others, you will master Logos. As with any new programs it takes time to learn and gain in depth understanding and Logos is no different. So below are some suggested places to start.
Tip: Change Text Comparison link set to Follow for smoother scrolling in Bible. Optionally close Text Comparison since you can highlight Bible verse(s) and press F7 for a pop-up comparison of Top 5 Bibles (on Mac, if “Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard keys” in Keyboard preferences is unchecked, then (fn) key needs to be pressed with F7).
Tip: Use customised Passage and Exegetical Guides as it takes some time to populate all sections of a default Guide.
Tip: Collapse Guide sections for further speed improvements.
Tip: Use Settings in the Word by Word section of a custom Exegetical Guide to restrict the output for faster scrolling if your passage is a bible Chapter. Optionally create a custom Guide with only Word by Word section when you want a detailed report for several verses or chapters.
Tip: Windows Control key is equivalent to Command key on Mac.
The following videos demonstrate many Logos features; time is shown for each video (varies from 2 minutes to 9 minutes):
Windows & Mac Videos
Tip: You will learn as you go. It can take some time finish these setup procedures, but keep at it! Stop and try items in videos so you see how it works (may need to replay video section so you can repeat item in Logos). More Learning Logos options below.
Home Page
Wiki: Home Page Basics
The Home page is a place where you can initiate your studies via QuickStart Layouts and Readings in the Dashboard.
The Explore section can provide information about your Library, Faithlife products and provide access to blogs and messages.
Tip: Use Layouts to retain your preferences for different studies.
Layouts
Wiki: Layouts, Linking Resources, and Layouts useful to Users
Video: Layouts,
After you become more comfortable with Logos you will want to create your own Layouts. A layout will contain your resources and tools in the main Logos window. To open Logos to your Layout rather than the Home Page you will need to make an appropriate layout choice. The next time that you open Logos you will be taken to your layout.
You will probably want to create named Layouts for various studies. To do this you will open & arrange resources and tools, then save the Layout with a specific name. You can open a saved layout out by clicking on the Layout button, then in the drop down menu find your named layout on the right and click on it.
If you have a preferred Layout, you can add it to the shortcuts bar which will allow you to open that layout with a single mouse click.
Tip: Start with pre-defined QuickStart layouts for your study.
Tip: Save layouts for later use.
Tip: You can link resources so that when one scrolls the other scrolls, change where hyperlinks open, change the text size in one or all resources, use reading view or floating windows to maximise your reading experience.
Tip: After naming (or updating) layout, you can use the Close All command (or keyboard shortcut: Cmd+Option+W on Mac; Ctrl+Shift+W on PC) to close all panels.
Library & Prioritizing
Wiki: Library and Prioritizing with Basic and Advanced prioritization.
Video: Library, Prioritize Resources
Your Library will show you information (metadata) about each resource that enables you to categorise or tag them, and filter Library content according to your needs.
Tip: Prioritize your Top 5 Bibles, Commentaries, Dictionaries, Grammars, and Lexicons (used by Passage and Exegetical Guides).
Tip: Prioritize your devotional resource(s) to show on Home Page in all Logos apps.
Tip: For New Testament, Louw-Nida resources offer semantic domain (contextual usage) insights – a Greek word can have one Strong’s number and many Louw-Nida numbers.
Search
Wiki: 
Search help, Detailed Search Help, Morphological Search, and About Topic Search.
Video: Books Search , Bible Search, Morph Search, Inline Search
Tip: Search inline Help, or Search Templates (Logos 8) will assist you in formatting a query.
Tip: Case Study: Day of the Lord in Isaiah has a Bible Study example using several Searches, Passage List, and Passage Guide.
Tip: Use Books Search for topics using fields Heading Text and Large Text e.g. Deuteronomy in Journals, Prophecy study
Favorites
Wiki: Favorites, Bookmarks
Video: Favorites and Bookmarks
You can create favorites, re-order them, delete and rename them, and organise them into a hierarchy of folders. Favorites can include web links and files. Bookmarks are a limited way to store favorites using the keyboard.
Tip: If you open Library and drag a book into a folder under Favorites, it can open that book to the Scripture that is displayed in the active window at the time you click on it.
Tip: Favorites can open resources or tools into a floating window.
Highlighting + Visual Filters
Wiki: Highlighting, Visual Filter, Finding Highlighted Text
Video: Highlighting, Visual Filters.
Tip: a Search can become a visual filter with custom highlighting.
Tip: If you like to highlight when you read, Logos can do it. If you want to undo it right click the highlighted text and click Delete Notes and Highlights (was Remove Annotation). Also, Visual Filters can be clicked on and off.
Cited By
Wiki: Cited By
Video: Cited By
The Cited By tool searches your Logos Library for reference(s) to your Scripture Passage.
Tip: Cited By can be customized using collections and saved in layouts.
Wiki: Information
Video: Information tool
Click a word to get a wealth of information about it, especially from a reverse interlinear bible.
Tip: Other References gives you an overview of the searches you can conduct for that word, or its containing phrase/sentence.
Personal Books
Wiki: Personal Books
Video: Personal Books
You can build your own books in Logos from a docx file.
Tip: many document formats can be converted to docx
Learning Logos
Wiki: Visual Table of Contents, Table of Contents shows all Logos menus plus screen shots, tutorials, and examples.
Video: Logos Training has many links, including Sentence Diagramming, Sermon Preparation, and Syntax Search.
Becoming proficient with Logos features and capabilities takes months of use – practice and perseverance produces powerful results. It is an iterative process. Try using Logos features and capabilities, then can come back and improve initial attempts.
Tip: watch videos, pause, switch to Logos, try to do what video shows, switch back to video and play.
Tip: Logos Forums have many friendly discussions about using Logos Bible Software – good place to ask questions. The Wiki Using the Forum has usage tips, including searching.
Morris Proctor is the officially authorized Logos trainer: a 2 or 3 days hands-on Camp Logos is recommended, worthwhile and effective.
You can also purchase Camp Logos training items plus learning videos.
John Fallahee offers Independent training for purchase (not affiliated with Logos.com).