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Third-Party Service Compatibility with .enex Files

Updated 04252025-215830


I. Introduction

A. The Evernote .enex Format: Purpose and Context

The Evernote Export format, identified by the .enex file extension, serves as Evernote’s proprietary mechanism for exporting notes and associated data. Structurally, .enex files are XML-based documents adhering to the Evernote Export Document Type Declaration (DTD).1 These files encapsulate the content of notes, including text, embedded images, and file attachments, along with crucial metadata such as note titles, tags, creation timestamps, and last updated timestamps.1

Evernote’s official documentation primarily positions the .enex format as a tool for backup and restoration within the Evernote ecosystem.3 Users can export notebooks or individual notes into .enex files and subsequently import them back into the same or a different Evernote account, typically using the desktop applications.3 This functionality ensures data preservation and allows for account migration or recovery.

However, beyond its intended internal use, the .enex format has become the de facto standard for migrating data out of Evernote and into alternative note-taking applications or services.1 Despite not being an open standard explicitly designed for universal interoperability, its widespread adoption by third-party developers reflects the significant demand among users seeking to move their data elsewhere.

B. The Need for .enex Compatibility

The demand for .enex compatibility in third-party services stems from various user motivations to migrate away from Evernote. Factors influencing this migration include changes to Evernote’s pricing structure and feature limitations in free tiers, a desire for alternative features or user interfaces, preferences for open-source software, concerns about data ownership and privacy, or simply exploring different platform ecosystems.2 For users considering such a move, the ability of a potential alternative application to import .enex files–either directly or through intermediate tools–is often a critical decision factor, as it determines the feasibility of transferring years of accumulated notes and data.6

C. Report Scope and Structure

This report provides a comprehensive inventory and analysis of third-party services and tools that support, or have historically supported, the import of Evernote .enex files. It examines applications offering native import capabilities, those requiring intermediate conversion utilities, the conversion tools themselves, and specialized solutions tailored for specific platforms. The analysis delves into the mechanisms of import, the fidelity of data transfer, common limitations and challenges encountered during migration, and user experiences gathered from official documentation, technical resources like GitHub repositories, and community forums such as Reddit and vendor-specific discussion boards.1 The report concludes with a comparative analysis and recommendations tailored to different user priorities.

D. The Dual Nature of .enex and Its Impact on Migration

An important consideration shaping the landscape of .enex compatibility is the format’s dual role. While Evernote primarily designed .enex for internal backup and restoration 3, the broader market has adopted it as the principal method for migrating out of Evernote.6 This divergence between intended design and practical application creates inherent tension. The .enex format, being XML-based but proprietary, was not engineered for seamless, high-fidelity translation into the diverse architectures of competing applications, which might use Markdown, block-based editors, different metadata structures, or distinct attachment handling methods. Consequently, many of the common frustrations users encounter during migration–such as lost formatting, broken internal links, missing notebook structures, and inconsistent attachment handling–can be traced back to the format’s original design focus, which prioritized Evernote’s internal consistency over universal data portability.1 This context is crucial for understanding the limitations discussed throughout this report.

II. Applications with Native .enex Import Support

A significant number of note-taking applications and related services offer built-in functionality to import data directly from .enex files. However, the implementation, data fidelity, and overall user experience of these native importers vary considerably.

A. Joplin

B. Apple Notes

C. Bear

D. Notesnook

E. DEVONthink

F. Trilium Notes

G. Nimbus Note / FuseBase

H. Amplenote

I. Simplenote

J. OneNote (via Third-Party Tools)

K. Notion (Official Importer - API based, not ENEX)

L. Variable Quality of Native Import Support

The term “native .enex import support” encompasses a wide spectrum of capabilities and limitations across different applications. While many platforms check the box for supporting .enex files, the actual quality and completeness of the import vary dramatically. At one end, applications like Notesnook claim near-total format compatibility, aiming to preserve a high degree of fidelity.43 At the other end, services like Simplenote offer native import but are fundamentally limited by their own architecture, supporting only plain text and losing all rich formatting and attachments.7 In between, numerous applications exhibit specific weaknesses: Bear struggles with tables and requires manual workarounds for notebook structure 25; Apple Notes drops any features or attachments it doesn’t support 39; DEVONthink has specific handling for PDFs and potential issues with task notes 27; Joplin documents limitations regarding complex HTML formatting and inter-note links 53; Trilium faces challenges with non-image attachments and HTML validity.35 This variability underscores the necessity for users to investigate the specific capabilities and documented limitations of the .enex importer for any application they are considering, rather than assuming “native support” implies a seamless or complete transfer.

M. The “Legacy vs. v10” Export Problem

A recurring theme in user discussions and migration guides is the potential difference in reliability between .enex files exported from older, “Legacy” versions of Evernote (pre-v10) and those exported from the newer Evernote v10 and subsequent releases. Several sources explicitly recommend using the Evernote Legacy application for exporting data intended for import into third-party tools like Notion (using enex2notion), Trilium (often involving an intermediate step through OneNote), and Apple Notes.5 Some users have reported that .enex files exported from v10 failed to import correctly even when attempting to restore them back into Evernote itself, suggesting potential issues with the export generation in newer versions.5 Furthermore, certain third-party tools, particularly those relying on direct interaction with the Evernote client (like older OneNote importers or DEVONthink’s direct import feature), may explicitly require the Legacy version to be installed and running.15 Users migrating to Obsidian have also encountered recommendations to use older Evernote versions for the export process.21 This pattern strongly suggests that changes implemented in Evernote v10’s export functionality may have introduced compatibility issues or regressions that negatively impact the reliability and success rate of importing .enex files into various third-party applications. Users encountering import problems may find exporting from the Legacy version (if accessible) yields better results.

III. Applications Requiring Intermediate Conversion Tools

For several popular Evernote alternatives, particularly those built around open formats like Markdown, direct import of .enex files is not supported. Instead, migration requires using intermediate tools or plugins to convert the .enex data into a compatible format first.

A. Obsidian

B. Craft

C. Notion (via Third-Party Tools)

D. Other Markdown-based Apps (General)

E. Markdown’s Role as a Migration Bridge

The significant number of tools dedicated to converting .enex files specifically into Markdown (like Yarle and evernote2md) 1, coupled with the number of target applications that rely on this conversion pathway (including Obsidian and Craft) 40, underscores Markdown’s growing importance as a lingua franca for note migration. Even applications with native .enex import, like Joplin, often default to converting the content to Markdown internally.8 This trend reflects a move towards using Markdown as an intermediate, more universal, and future-proof format. It allows users to extract their data from Evernote’s proprietary .enex structure into plain text files with standardized formatting conventions, enhancing data portability and reducing vendor lock-in compared to remaining within proprietary ecosystems.

F. Community Tools Addressing Official Shortcomings

The landscape of Evernote migration is heavily influenced by community-driven development. In numerous instances where official import tools provided by application vendors are non-existent (as with Craft 40), have been deprecated (like Microsoft’s OneNote importer 7), or are widely perceived as inadequate (such as Notion’s native importer 31), third-party developers and the user community have created essential tools to fill the void. Utilities like Yarle 84, enex2notion 31, OneNote Batch 57, the Obsidian Importer plugin 49, and others have become critical enablers for users seeking to move their data out of Evernote. This phenomenon highlights both the strong user demand for effective migration pathways and, often, the shortcomings or de-prioritization of robust import functionality by the vendors of alternative applications. Data portability, while desired by users, may not always align with vendor goals, leading the community to provide the necessary solutions.

IV. Specialized Import Solutions & Considerations

Beyond standard note-taking app imports, several specialized tools and overarching challenges define the Evernote migration experience.

A. Conversion Utilities Deep Dive

Understanding the capabilities and limitations of specific conversion tools is crucial when native import is insufficient or unavailable.

B. General Challenges and Limitations of .enex Import

Across nearly all import methods and target applications, users face a recurring set of challenges stemming from the nature of the .enex format and the complexities of data translation between different systems.

C. Managing Expectations: Migration is Imperfect

Given the multitude of challenges rooted in the .enex format itself, inconsistencies in Evernote’s export process, and the inherent difficulties of translating data between disparate application architectures, it is crucial for users to approach migration with realistic expectations. No currently available import method–whether native or tool-assisted–can guarantee a flawless, 1:1 transfer of all data and formatting from Evernote to another platform. Users should anticipate some degree of data loss, alteration, or formatting degradation. The extent of this will vary depending on the complexity of their Evernote usage (heavy reliance on rich formatting, tasks, internal links, etc.) and the capabilities of the chosen import tool and destination application. Preparation is key: identifying which aspects of the data are most critical (e.g., preserving text content and attachments above all else) helps in selecting the most suitable migration strategy. Accepting that some manual cleanup and reorganization will likely be necessary after the import is also important for managing the process effectively. Testing the chosen import method with a small, representative sample of notes before attempting a full-scale migration is highly recommended to identify potential pitfalls early.51

V. Comparative Analysis and Recommendations

Choosing the right migration path from Evernote depends heavily on individual needs, technical comfort, and the desired destination platform. A comparative overview can help navigate the options.

A. Key Comparison Factors

When evaluating different .enex import solutions, the following factors are critical:

B. Feature Comparison Table

The following table summarizes the key characteristics of prominent .enex import solutions based on the factors above. Note that “Native ENEX” refers to direct import of .enex files, while “Native API” refers to direct connection to the Evernote service. “Tool Required” indicates the need for external conversion utilities. Fidelity ratings are relative estimates based on documentation and user reports.

| —– | | Application/Tool | Import Method | Formatting Fidelity | Attachment Handling | Internal Links | Tags Fidelity | Notebook Structure | Metadata (Dates) | Ease of Use | Platform (Import) | Cost (Tool/App) | Output Format | | Joplin | Native ENEX | Medium (Markdown) / High (HTML) | Good (Resources) | Partial (Title Match) | High (Flat) | Via New Notebook | High | Medium | Desktop, CLI | Free | Internal DB (MD Sync) | | Apple Notes | Native ENEX | Low-Medium | Drops Unsupported | Broken | None | Via Folder | High | Easy | Mac, iOS, iPadOS | Free | Proprietary | | Bear | Native ENEX | Medium (Markdown) | Good | Broken | High (Flat) | Manual Workaround | High | Easy | Mac, iOS | Paid (App) | Internal DB (MD Export) | | Notesnook | Native (Web Tool) | High (Claimed) | High (Claimed) | High (Claimed) | High (Claimed) | High (Claimed) | High (Claimed) | Medium | Web | Free/Paid (App) | Encrypted DB | | DEVONthink | Native ENEX / Legacy API | High (HTML-like) | Good (PDFs separate) | Broken | High (Flat) | Via Group | High | Medium | Mac | Paid (App) | Formatted Note/HTML | | Trilium Notes | Native ENEX | Low-Medium | Files as Attachments | Broken | High (Attributes) | Via Sub-notes | High | Medium | Desktop | Free | Internal DB | | Nimbus/FuseBase | Native ENEX (Web) / API | Medium-High | Good (Reported) | Unknown | High (Optional) | Manual Workaround | High | Medium | Web | Paid (App) | Proprietary | | Amplenote | Native ENEX | High (Claimed) | High (Claimed) | High (Claimed) | High (Claimed) | High (Claimed) | High (Claimed) | Easy | Web/App | Paid (App) | Proprietary | | Simplenote | Native ENEX | Low (Text/MD Only) | None | N/A | None | Via New Notes | High | Easy | Desktop, Web | Free | Plain Text/MD | | Obsidian + Importer | Tool Required (Plugin) | Medium (Markdown) | Good (Resources) | Partial (Title Match) | High (Flat/Nested) | Via Folders (Manual) | High | Medium | Desktop | Free (Plugin/App) | Local Markdown | | Obsidian + Yarle | Tool Required (Ext.) | High (Markdown) | High (Resources) | High (Converted) | High (Flat/Nested) | Via Folders | High | Hard (CLI) | Win, Mac, Linux | Free (Tool/App) | Local Markdown | | Craft + Yarle | Tool Required (Ext.) | High (Markdown) | High (Resources) | High (Converted) | High (Flat/Nested) | Via Folders | High | Hard (CLI) | Win, Mac, Linux | Free (Tool) / Paid (App) | Proprietary | | Notion + enex2notion | Tool Required (Ext.) | Medium-High | High | Unknown | High | Via DB/Pages | High | Hard (CLI) | Win, Mac, Linux | Free (Tool) / Free/Paid (App) | Proprietary | | OneNote + OneNoteBatch | Tool Required (Ext.) | Low-Medium | Good | Broken | Via Sections | Via Notebooks | High | Medium | Win, Mac | Paid (Tool) / Free (App) | Proprietary |

Notes on Table:

C. Recommendations Based on User Priorities

The optimal migration strategy depends on balancing the factors above according to individual priorities:

D. Universal Recommendation: Test Before Migrating

Regardless of the chosen application or tool, a universal best practice is to conduct a trial import before committing to migrating the entire Evernote archive. Export a single notebook from Evernote that contains a representative sample of note types–including notes with complex formatting, various attachments (images, PDFs), internal links, and tags. Import this test .enex file using the intended method into the target application. Carefully review the results, checking for data loss, formatting issues, broken links, and attachment handling. This small-scale test allows users to identify potential problems, understand the limitations of the chosen path, adjust expectations, and potentially switch strategies before investing significant time and effort into a full migration that might yield unsatisfactory results.51

E. The Absence of a Single “Best” Solution

The analysis clearly demonstrates that there is no single “best” way to migrate data out of Evernote using .enex files. The optimal path is highly subjective and contingent upon a user’s specific circumstances and priorities. Factors such as technical expertise (comfort with CLI tools vs. preference for simple GUI operations), tolerance for data alteration (is preserving exact formatting critical, or is content and attachment preservation paramount?), the features and ecosystem of the desired destination application, budget constraints (free vs. paid solutions), and preferred operating systems all play a significant role in determining the most suitable approach. The wide array of available tools, the varying degrees of success reported by users for different methods 5, the documented differences in data fidelity outcomes (Section IV.B), and the diversity of target platforms confirm that users must weigh these trade-offs carefully based on their individual needs, as outlined in the tailored recommendations (Section V.C).

VI. Conclusion

A. Summary of Findings

The landscape of third-party support for Evernote’s .enex format is diverse and complex. Numerous applications offer some level of import capability, ranging from robust native importers (like Notesnook or Joplin) to those requiring external conversion tools (like Obsidian or Craft) or specialized utilities (like OneNote Batch or enex2notion). However, the .enex format itself, designed primarily for Evernote’s internal use, presents inherent limitations regarding data portability, particularly concerning notebook structure, internal links, and complex formatting. Compounding this are inconsistencies observed in Evernote’s own export process, especially comparing legacy versions to v10+, and the fundamental challenge of translating data between different application architectures (e.g., proprietary rich text to Markdown). Consequently, data fidelity issues are common across most migration paths. In response to these challenges and often inadequate official solutions, a vibrant ecosystem of community-developed tools (like Yarle, enex2notion) has emerged, playing a critical role in enabling users to move their data out of Evernote.

B. Final Thoughts on Navigating Migration

Successfully migrating from Evernote via .enex files requires careful planning and realistic expectations. Users should begin by clearly defining their priorities: which data elements (text, attachments, tags, structure, links, formatting) are most crucial to preserve? Next, thoroughly research the capabilities and limitations of the import tools and destination applications being considered, paying close attention to documented issues and user feedback. The most critical step is to conduct a small-scale test import with representative notes to validate the chosen method before attempting a full migration. Be prepared for the likelihood that the migration will not be perfect and that some degree of manual cleanup, reorganization, or data adjustment will be necessary post-import. Ultimately, navigating the Evernote migration process involves understanding the available options, acknowledging the inherent trade-offs, and making an informed decision based on individual needs and tolerance for imperfection.