EndNote essentials

• Browser issues - If you are using Google Chrome and have trouble accessing the EndNote download in Student OASIS or the Staff Portal, try using a different browser such as Microsoft Edge, Firefox, or Safari.

• Product key problems - If you see a message asking for a product key or saying you have started a 30-day trial, something went wrong during the download. You will need to uninstall EndNote from your computer (if you are using a Mac, make sure you empty the trash to delete it completely) and download EndNote again, preferably using a different browser. This helps avoid downloading a cached version with the same problem.

• Security settings - Your computer’s security settings might block the installation of EndNote. If this happens, search online using the exact error message and include details about your computer, such as the operating system (e.g. Windows 11, Mac Catalina). Follow the instructions you find to fix the issue. You can also check related FAQs: EndNote cannot be opened on a Mac or Security settings in Windows preventing download.

• Access outside of Australia - The EndNote download is only available to Curtin students and staff based in Australia. If you are studying at an international Curtin campus, contact your campus library for options. If you are in Australia but cannot download EndNote, make sure you turn off any VPNs or location-masking programs during installation. If you are studying through Curtin Australia but are located overseas, you will not be able to download the software.

When you open EndNote for the first time, a toolbar will appear across the top of your screen. The full program will not open until you have created an EndNote library.

MacOS Security settings

Most Mac computers have security settings that may stop you from opening or running EndNote. By default, macOS only allows apps downloaded from the Apple App Store.

Allowing Apps from outside Apple Store

1. Click the Apple menu and choose System Preferences
2. Select Security & Privacy
3. Choose the option App Store and identified developers
4. Your Mac should now show an Open button when you try to install software from the internet.

EndNote cannot be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software

1. Click the Apple menu and choose System Preferences
2. Select Security & Privacy
3. Click Open Anyway.

EndNote cannot be downloaded because it is from an unidentified developer

1. Open Finder
2. Go to your Downloads folder and find the EndNote installer
3. Right-click on the installer. If you cannot right-click, hold down the Control (CTRL) key and click
4. Select Open
5. If a new window appears, right-click again and select Open
6. You will see a message: “EndNote.pkg is an app downloaded from the internet. Are you sure you want to open it?” Click Open
7. Your Mac will now remember EndNote as a trusted app and allow you to open it normally after installation.

The security settings on a Windows computer may stop you from downloading apps that are not recognised. To allow the EndNote download, you may need to temporarily change your settings.

1. Search for Windows Security in the Start menu
2. Click on App & Browser Control, then select the link for Reputation-based protection settings
3. On Windows 11, turn off SmartScreen for Microsoft Edge
4. Download EndNote
5. Immediately restore your security settings after the download is complete.

Sometimes when you export a .ris file from a database, it may open in another program like Notepad or Word instead of EndNote. If this happens, you need to link the .ris file type to EndNote so it opens correctly.

1. Find the .ris file on your computer (usually in your Downloads folder)
2. Right-click on the file and select Open with… then Choose another app
3. Click on Choose an App on your PC, then select EndNote from the list
4. Tick the box that says Always use this app to open .ris files, then click OK. From now on, .ris files should open directly in EndNote.

When you export references from some sources, such as the Curtin Library catalogue, you may be asked to choose an import filter. Import filters help EndNote understand and correctly format the data from the source.

• EndNote includes many filters already. When asked to select one, look for the name of the database in the list
• If the filter you need is not listed, you can download more from the EndNote website
• If you are unsure which filter to use, a quick Google search using the name of the database and “EndNote import filter” will often help you find the correct one
• When exporting from the Curtin Library catalogue, select the RefMan RIS filter.

If a corporate or organisational author is not showing correctly in your reference (for example, appearing as Health, D. o. instead of Department of Health), you need to add a comma at the end of the name in the EndNote record.

Example: Department of Health,

If there is no comma, EndNote assumes the author is a person, and it will display the name in inverted format (Last name, First name).

If you see an error message in EndNote when trying to insert citations, it could be caused by a few different things. Try the steps below to fix it:

Check where your EndNote library is saved

If your EndNote library is saved in a cloud folder (like OneDrive, Google Drive, or iCloud), move both the .enl file and the .data folder to a location on your computer, such as your C: drive, desktop, or documents folder.

Update EndNote

Make sure you are using the latest version of EndNote. Install any updates, then close and re-open both EndNote and Word.

Specify which library to open

1. In EndNote, go to the Edit menu and click Preferences
2. Select the Libraries tab
3. Change the setting for When EndNote starts to Open the specified libraries
4. Add your library to the list under Libraries
5. Click Apply, then OK.

Reset folder settings

1. In EndNote, go to the Edit menu and click Preferences
2. Select Folder Locations and click EndNote Defaults
3. Click Yes
4. Click Apply, then OK.

The EndNote support website also has further solutions that may help.

Sometimes, the Cite While You Write (CWYW) toolbar might not appear in Microsoft Word. This can happen when you first install EndNote or after updating either EndNote or Word. In some cases, installing other referencing programs like Mendeley or Zotero can also cause the toolbar to disappear or stop working.

To fix this, visit the EndNote support website. It has detailed and searchable FAQs that explain how to install or restore the CWYW toolbar for both Windows and Mac computers.

If your in-text citations are displaying in curly brackets: {Smith, 2017 #10}, and your reference list has disappeared from your Word document, it means instant formatting is turned off.

To turn it back on:

1. Go to the Cite While You Write (CWYW) toolbar in Word
2. Click Update Citations and Bibliography.

Tip for long documents:

If you are working on a long document with lots of references, it is a good idea to turn off instant formatting while writing. This helps Word run faster because EndNote will not update every citation each time you add a new one. It also makes it easier to cut and paste text without causing problems in your document.

Sometimes EndNote will show the author’s initials or first names in your in-text citations, instead of just the family name. This can happen due to how the references are entered or formatted. To learn how to fix this, watch Author initials appearing in in-text citations:

It is important not to save your EndNote desktop library in cloud-syncing folders like iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Doing this can damage your library over time and cause errors. If your library is saved in a cloud folder, move both the .enl file and the .data folder to a location on your computer, such as your C: drive, desktop, or documents folder and open the library from that location.

For more details, check the EndNote support FAQ on their website.

To keep using your EndNote library after finishing your course, you have two options:

• Buy your own EndNote desktop licence, or
• Sign up for an EndNote Online account from the EndNote desktop software before you leave Curtin.

Before you leave Curtin:

1. Log in to EndNote Online, click Options, then Email Address, and update it to your personal email
2. Log in to EndNote Online from an authenticated IP address (on campus or using VPN). This will extend your premium access for one year from the date you log in. You can check your expiry date by going to Options > Subscription in EndNote Online.

After one year, your account will change to a Basic account, which has:

• Limited file storage (2GB)
• Fewer citation styles (21)