EndNote and Macs

Please note that the browser Safari does not allow for the direct export of references into EndNote. 

However, references can still be transferred into EndNote using an import method.

Importing references from Library Search

1. Run a search on Library Search
2. If you want to select multiple records to transfer, select Save next to each record. Once selected, the icon will change and items will be added to the Saved items folder located above the result list.
3. When you are ready to transfer your results to EndNote, select Saved Items (located above the result list).
4. A new screen will appear, listing the records to be transferred.  Then select Cite.
5. Choose Export to EndNote
6. This will download a .ris file to your downloads folder

Using EndNote Online

1. Login to your EndNote Online account
2. Select Collect and choose Import References
3. Next to File, select Choose File.
4. Find your Downloads folder 
5. Select the recent file that ends in .ris, then select Choose.
6. Use the drop down menu in the Import Option field and select RefMan RIS
7. Either choose to add the reference to a particular group or to the Unfiled area in your library. Then select Import.
8. A message in red will appear confirming your results are added to your library and can now be used for referencing

Using EndNote Desktop

• Open EndNote Desktop and your library of references
• Choose File, then Import, and select File.
• Next to Import File, locate the .ris file you downloaded then click Choose.
• Next to Import Option, click on the drop down arrow and choose RefMan RIS.
• Then select Import
• Your imported references will show on screen, select All References to return to the full list.

The first time you start the EndNote desktop software, only the EndNote toolbar will appear on screen.  You will need to select this toolbar, then choose File and New and name your EndNote library.  This will then open the full EndNote screen and you can start to add references to your library. 

This overview gives the basics of using EndNote 20:

How to use EndNote 20 in seven minutes: macOS

Please note that this video features the use of online search. This will only work with free resources such as PubMed. For resources such as the Web of Science, that the library subscribes to, you are advised to use the direct export method outlined on our adding references to EndNote page.

For more information, please see these user guides.
 

EndNote Desktop and iCloud

Many Apple macOS versions contain features to save the contents of the Document folder in iCloud, as a way to optimise storage. When you use EndNote to insert references into Word documents, it constantly reads and writes information back to your EndNote library. If you use files from a cloud-based location such as iCloud, this can potentially lead to data corruption within EndNote Desktop over time. 

It is recommended that if you are using your own device, then you save your EndNote library to a location such as a hard drive. You will have two files for EndNote – a .enl file and a .dat file. Both these files need to be saved in the same place on your computer for EndNote to function correctly.

If this is not possible, then you should create a backup of your reference library. It is recommended that a backup is created each time you make significant changes to your reference data in EndNote.

EndNote Desktop includes an easy option to create a compressed library which produces a single file holding all your data (.enlx) which is smaller in size to your original library.

To create a backup

1. Open your EndNote library
2. Go to File, choose Compress library (.enlx).
3. Save the .enlx file.

The compressed library file (.enlx) should be stored in the same location as your working EndNote library. As a compressed file does not contain any live connection to EndNote, it will not corrupt if stored on iCloud.