A Guide to EndNote

EndNote has both a desktop (i.e., EndNote 21) and web component (i.e., EndNote web or Endnote online).  The setup and configuration instructions for these components are noted below.

McMaster University has a site license for the latest version of EndNote. EndNote 21 for Windows and macOS is now available to current McMaster employees and students for download (see link below). One person can install the software on up to three personal devices (e.g., desktop computer, laptop, iPad or iPhone).

NOTE: EndNote 20 is no longer available for download at McMaster, but if you already have it installed, you can continue to use this version if you prefer and receive software updates from Clarivate. You can also upgrade to EndNote 21 using the download link below.

What's New in EndNote 21 (3:00) (Clarivate)

EndNote 21 New Features
EndNote 21 Windows and macOS: Release Notes
EndNote: ADA Compliance - includes VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template)

Download EndNote 21 from McMaster's Software Depot

Using an earlier version of EndNote desktop (e.g., 20, X9)? 
Clarivate suggests backing up data from previous versions of EndNote and uninstalling the previous version before installing the new version. Consult the relevant articles below for more information.

• EndNote: Actively supported versions (Clarivate)
• EndNote: Upgrade from an older version (Clarivate)
• EndNote: Moving, backing up, or transferring libraries to another computer (Clarivate)
• EndNote: Backing up libraries content files and custom preferences (Clarivate)

Want to ensure the safety of your EndNote libraries?

• EndNote libraries consist of two parts: the .enl file and the .Data folder. It is important that both of these components remain together in the same location at all times. Your EndNote libraries will not work if the data folder is deleted or separated from the .enl file.
• You should never store active EndNote libraries inside cloud-syncing folders such as Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud, etc. Keep EndNote libraries on your device's local hard drive. Storing or editing libraries on a network drive can lead to corruption and performance issues.

Switching to EndNote from another citation manager?

• EndNote: Transferring records from Mendeley Desktop (Clarivate)
• EndNote: Converting from RefWorks to EndNote (Clarivate)
• EndNote: Transferring References from Zotero to EndNote (Clarivate)

What happens to EndNote when I leave McMaster?
Your access to EndNote desktop will continue, but software updates and upgrades will no longer be available once you leave McMaster. To keep current, a new license for EndNote desktop would need to be acquired through your new institution or purchased independently.

EndNote web is the new, exclusive web component for EndNote 21 users. Previous versions of EndNote (20, X9, etc.) can only use EndNote online as the web component. EndNote web & EndNote online allow you to access the contents of your EndNote library from any device with an internet connection, synchronize references between devices and share your research with colleagues.

Once EndNote desktop is installed, the initial sign in / sign up for the new EndNote web (or the classic EndNote online) is done from within EndNote desktop 

With your EndNote desktop library open, go to the Library drop-down menu and select Sync.

On the EndNote Login screen, you are prompted to either create an account (select Sign Up button) or log in to your pre-existing EndNote account (enter E-mail Address & Password).

This process synchronizes your EndNote desktop with EndNote web (or EndNote online) so you can access, update and edit the references in your library on multiple devices.

For more information, see the following guides ...

• EndNote 21: Library syncing - Windows | macOS (Clarivate)
• EndNote 20: Library syncing - Windows | macOS (Clarivate)

Once your EndNote account is enabled, you can sign in to the new EndNote web (EndNote 21 users only) or the classic EndNote online at endnote.com/weblogin

EndNote Web / EndNote Online Sign in

Additional online options:

• EndNote for iPad and iPhone (Clarivate)
• Syncing with iPad and iPhone (Clarivate)

What is Find Full Text?

Find Full Text is a feature in EndNote desktop that uses data stored in your references to search for the corresponding full text file as a PDF or URL. Once found, the file is automatically downloaded and attached to the appropriate reference in your EndNote library.

To connect the Find Full Text feature in EndNote desktop to McMaster Libraries ...

1. Go to the Edit menu in the toolbar and select Preferences... 
2. In the EndNote Preferences panel, select Find Full Text on the left.
3. Select all the full text search options listed in the centre of the panel (i.e., Web of Science, DOI, PubMed and OpenURL)
4. Enter the OpenURL and proxy prefix: as shown in the image below.
   • In the OpenURL Path, copy and paste McMaster's OpenURL into the box:
     https://mcmaster.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/openurl/01OCUL_MU/01OCUL_MU:OMNI?
   • In Authenticate with: URL: copy and paste McMaster's proxy prefix into the box - http://libaccess.mcmaster.ca/login?url=
5. If desired, select the Automatically invoke Find Full Text on newly-imported references checkbox.
6. Once configured, select the Apply button, then the OK button to save the settings.
7. Click the Cancel button to close the panel. 

Once the above settings have been saved, using the Find Full Text feature should automatically import to EndNote any full-text PDF documents or URLs available through McMaster University Libraries or otherwise freely available.

To use this feature in EndNote desktop, visit Steps to Find Full Text in this guide.