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EndNote: For users

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Thank you for choosing EndNote™

You can use EndNote to organize your research literature, keep notes about reference materials, and even your copies of original journal articles. EndNote can do so much that it can appear overwhelming initially, but we have resources to help you get started.

Tips for getting started with EndNote

  • Although you can create as many EndNote libraries as you want, you can only sync and share one primary library. It is best to maintain a single library if you wish to have all your references available on all your computers, online, and on your iPhone or iPad, then use groups to organize the library into categories.
  • If there are references you do not want to share, you can create a second library for these and organize them by groups. However, you cannot sync or share this second library without merging the contents of the first synchronized library.
  • Storing EndNote libraries in cloud-syncing folders such as OneDrive, Box and iCloud or keeping modifiable EndNote libraries on network drives or certain types of flash drives will increase the risk of encountering library corruption. However, saving an EndNote library on a portable hard drive and using it with multiple computers is possible.
  • Select Compress Library from the File menu in EndNote to create backups of your libraries.

Important note for macOS users

Apple's macOS versions 10.12 (Sierra), 10.13 (High Sierra), 10.14 (Mojave), 10.15 (Catalina), 11 (Big Sur), 12 (Monterey)  and 13 (Ventura) contain features to save the contents of the Desktop and Documents folders in iCloud and to "optimize" storage by storing less-used files only in iCloud online. EndNote libraries stored in iCloud, even when existing on both the hard drive and online, are subject to corruption over time. If you choose to store your documents in iCloud, we suggest creating a separate folder in your Home folder dedicated to saving your EndNote libraries there.  Do not store EndNote libraries in iCloud or any other cloud-syncing folder; do not store EndNote libraries in the Documents folder if you have selected the option to synchronize documents in iCloud.

You can find more information on these features on the Apple support site at these locations.

General library safety notes

  • EndNote libraries consist of two parts: the enl file and the Data folder. You must keep these two components together at all times; both are essential for the library to work correctly.

  • Keep EndNote libraries on your computer's local hard drive. Storing and editing libraries on a network drive can lead to corruption and performance issues.

  • You should never store active EndNote libraries inside cloud-syncing folders such as Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, SugarSync and others. Syncing folders such as these will significantly increase your chances of encountering library corruption.

  • Though not a requirement, we recommend uninstalling your previous version of EndNote before installing a new version.

  • Synchronize references in EndNote libraries between desktop and laptop computers, an EndNote Web library and an iPhone or iPad using Sync.

  • Share complete EndNote libraries with other EndNote desktop users through EndNote Sync and Library Sharing.

Get started with EndNote in seven steps

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