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EndNote: EndNote Web and Sharing Libraries

All your EndNote questions answered

EndNote Online

 

EndNote online is a free, cloud-based service that allows you to create an online version of an EndNote library, including attached files such as PDFs. In addition to serving as a backup, EndNote online is useful if you want to use your EndNote library on different computers or share it with collaborators.

If you installed EndNote 21 on your computer, you can upgrade your classic EndNote online account to the new EndNote Web platform.

Creating an account and syncing

Use the registration link below to register and access your "classic" EndNote account, but if you have EndNote 21 this will upgrade after you go through the syncing process described below.

  • Once you have created your account, open your EndNote library and choose:
  • (Windows) Edit > Preferences | (Mac) EndNote 20 > Preferences or EndNote 21 > Settings
  • Then choose the Sync menu item. Add the email address and password you used to create your EndNote Web account, then click OK.
  • You can check the Sync Automatically box, but if you have a large number of references or a large number of attached files, the sync process can take some time. Syncing usually works better if you uncheck this box and regularly sync manually.
  • To sync manually you can use Library > Sync (EndNote 20 and earlier) or click on the Sync Configuration or Sync Status tab on the left of your Library window.

Sync status

 

Accessing your library on other computers

To access your EndNote library on a different computer:

  •  First sync it with EndNote Web.
  • Then go to the other computer, open EndNote, and create a new library.
  • In this new library, choose Edit > Preferences (Windows) or EndNote 21 > Settings (Mac), then Sync as before, adding the email address and password you used to create your EndNote Web account.
  • When you sync, the contents of your EndNote Web library will be updated with any changes you have made. Then, when you Sync on a different computer, the changes you have made on the other computer will effect themselves there too.

Stop Press: EndNote sharing for versions 20 and lower

 

As of January 2025, sharing with EndNote online will not work for users of versions EndNote 20 and below. This is to force users to use EndNote 21, which has an upgraded EndNote online platform. 

When you use EndNote 20 or an earlier version and try to share you will see a red error message saying

EndNote registration could not be completed at this time

  • To fix this download EndNote 21. You can download EndNote 21 via the link below
  • To learn more about EndNote Online, see our EndNote online and sharing libraries page

Sharing an EndNote Library or Group

 

You can share groups or your entire EndNote library with up to 100 people. However, any attached files such as PDFs will not be shared (for copyright reasons).

When you share, you set permissions for your collaborators to either view or edit the group or library. You and all your collaborators must have EndNote online accounts for this to work.

Sharing your Library or Group

  • Set up EndNote online and sync your library. (you and your collaborators must have EndNote 21 to share as of January 2025)
  • To share your whole library, select File > Share
  • To share a group, select that group in your library and use the Share this Group icon (pictured below). You can also right-click on a group. name and select Share Group.Ensure all the references in the groups are selected.Share button
  • A window will open; you can enter the email addresses of the people you want to collaborate with into the Invite More People box. The addresses must be the same ones your collaborators use for their EndNote Web accounts.
  • You can choose the level of access (read only, edit) for each of your collaborators, and you can add a message for them.
  • Your invitees will each receive an email letting them know that you have shared your group or library

Using a Library someone has shared with you

  • Sync your EndNote library
  • Once connected, select File > Open Shared Library to open a shared library.
  • You'll see any shared groups under your own groups, in a Group Set called Groups Shared By ...
  • As mentioned above, you will see all the references in the shared groups or libraries, but without any attached PDFs or other files.