Overview of the Sync Process
EndNote allows you to synchronize your entire desktop library with EndNote Web/online and the iPad app.
The Sync process automatically synchronizes both sets of references that reside in the desktop and online so that the references in your library in EndNote and EndNote Web/online are an exact match.
The Sync process is always initiated from EndNote. The data in EndNote and EndNote Web/online are synchronized in all three applications when you run Sync. You will have identical custom groups and references in both EndNote online and EndNote Web when Sync completes processing.
The Sync process includes all data changes to references (including file attachments) during the Sync process so that each library matches the other. For example, if you add or remove references and/or PDF files in EndNote, then those changes are updated in EndNote Web/online and vice-versa.
The Sync process includes updates and additions to groups in all three libraries. For example, if you create and add references to a new custom group in EndNote, then you will see this group in EndNote Web/online the next time you run the Sync process.
Although the information about group sets, smart groups, and combination groups is included in the Sync process, these groups and group sets are not supported by EndNote online and so are not visible. Group sets and custom groups are visible in EndNote Web, as well as tags, but smart groups and combination groups are not visible. If you sync your library with another computer, all groups, group sets, and tags will be available on the second computer.
Sync Preferences
Sync Preferences allow you to set your preferences so that:
- You only have to enter your e-mail address and password once in Sync Preferences and not each time you manually synchronize your references between EndNote desktop and EndNote Web/online.
- You can have EndNote automatically begin the Sync process every 15 minutes (background processing) by selecting the Sync Automatically checkbox.
To access these settings, go to the Edit menu, select Preferences, and then click Sync in the list of preferences. See Sync Preferences.
Important Points to Know About the Sync Process
- Sync synchronizes the references, groups, group sets, and tags in your library; it does not synchronize the library as a whole. The important difference is that the record numbers will probably not be the same in both copies of the library. This is because the references will be assigned new record numbers on the new computer. See Record Numbers.
- Sync includes an unlimited number of references in your library and an unlimited amount of storage for file attachments and figures during the three-year subscription period.
- Sync works with only one library and only one EndNote Web/online account.
- Your sync library can be shared with up to 1,000 other EndNote users on version 2025 or later. See About Shared Libraries.
- Sync your references in EndNote (including groups, group sets, smart groups, combination groups, and tags) between one desktop and another desktop on various platforms.
- After the Sync process completes, EndNote identifies each group that has Sharing enabled in EndNote online with a shared group icon. A shared group is a group in which your colleagues can access and see your groups in their Groups Shared by Others section.
- Sync will put groups, when a group set cannot be identified, in an Unfiled Groups set. Drag and drop the group to the appropriate group set in the desktop library.
- You can select any EndNote library that you created with EndNote to synchronize with your EndNote Web/online library, but only one library can be synced. If you try to sync your online account to another desktop library, the libraries will be merged. See Merging Libraries through Sync.
- Sync includes references that have been moved to the Trash group. If you have references that were moved to Trash in the desktop version, those references will be moved to the Trash group in the Web/online version.
- EndNote automatically prompts you to Sync your EndNote library with your EndNote Web/online library when you close your default EndNote library.