Evernote has steadily tightened its free plan and raised prices over the past few years, pushing many users to look for alternatives. Notion has emerged as the most popular destination — not just because it’s more affordable, but because it offers a fundamentally different and more flexible approach to organizing information. This guide walks you through the full migration process, from exporting your Evernote data to building a clean Notion workspace.
Why People Are Leaving Evernote
The migration wave is largely driven by Evernote’s 2023–2026 changes:
- Free plan limited to 1 notebook and 50 notes
- Offline access locked to paid plans
- Price increases without proportional feature improvements
- Slower development compared to competitors
Meanwhile, Notion’s free plan remains generous, and its database-first approach lets you build systems that Evernote simply can’t replicate. For a full comparison, see Notion vs Evernote 2026.
What Migrates Well (and What Doesn’t)
Migrates cleanly:
- Text notes and formatted content
- Images embedded in notes
- Note titles and creation dates
- Tags (converted to Notion properties)
- Notebook structure (converted to Notion pages/sections)
Requires manual attention:
- Reminders and tasks (Notion handles these differently)
- Web clips (formatting may be inconsistent)
- Attachments other than images (PDFs, audio, etc.)
- Complex tables (may need reformatting)
- Shared notebooks (need to be re-shared in Notion)
Step 1: Export Your Evernote Notes
Evernote’s native export creates .enex files, which Notion can import directly.
Export by Notebook (Recommended)
- Open Evernote desktop app (web export options are limited)
- Right-click a notebook in the left sidebar
- Select Export Notes…
- Choose Evernote XML Format (.enex)
- Check Include tags if you want tags preserved
- Save the file — name it after the notebook for easy reference
- Repeat for each notebook
Bulk Export (All Notes at Once)
- Select all notebooks (Ctrl/Cmd+A in the notebook list)
- File → Export All Notes
- Choose
.enexformat
Bulk export combines everything into one file, which Notion will import as a flat list. Exporting per notebook gives you more control over the resulting Notion structure.
Step 2: Import into Notion
- Open Notion and go to Settings & Members (bottom-left)
- Select Import from the left menu
- Choose Evernote from the list of import sources
Notion will walk you through an Evernote OAuth connection or accept your .enex file directly:
- OAuth method: Connects to your Evernote account and imports directly. Easier but requires account access.
- File method: Upload your
.enexfile(s). Works even if you’ve already cancelled Evernote.
- After import, Notion creates a new page titled “Evernote Import” containing your notebooks as sub-pages
- Individual notes appear as pages within each notebook section
Allow several minutes for large libraries — Notion processes the import in the background.
Step 3: Review and Clean Up
After import, go through the content systematically:
Check Formatting
- Open 10–20 notes and verify text, headers, and bullet points look correct
- Web clips are the most likely to have formatting issues — these may need manual cleanup or deletion if outdated
Organize the Structure
Evernote’s flat notebook structure doesn’t fully translate to Notion’s nested page model. Take this opportunity to reorganize:
- Create top-level pages for major life/work areas (e.g., Work, Personal, Projects, Reference)
- Move imported notebook pages into the appropriate sections
- Delete outdated or irrelevant notes — migration is a good time to declutter
Handle Tags
Evernote tags appear as a Tags property on each imported page. In Notion, you can:
- Keep them as-is for filtering and searching
- Convert them to a Select or Multi-select database property
- Use them to inform your database structure (see Step 4)
Step 4: Rebuild as Notion Databases
This is where Notion’s real power becomes apparent. Instead of notebooks full of notes, you can structure your information as databases that are filterable, sortable, and linkable.
Convert a Notebook to a Database
If you have a notebook that functions as a collection (e.g., “Meeting Notes,” “Book List,” “Project Notes”):
- Create a new Database page in Notion (Table view)
- Add relevant properties: Date, Status, Tags, Project, etc.
- Copy your imported notes into the database as entries
- Fill in properties for each entry
Common Database Structures for Former Evernote Users
Note archive → Simple database with Date + Tags + Full Text Replicates the Evernote search-and-browse experience but adds filtering.
Project notes → Database linked to a Projects database Each project has its own linked notes, enabling bi-directional connections.
Reference library → Database with Source, Topic, and Rating properties Better than Evernote’s tags for building a searchable knowledge base.
Step 5: Rebuild Your Workflow
The biggest adjustment isn’t the data migration — it’s the workflow shift. Evernote is “capture first, organize later.” Notion rewards “structure first, capture into structure.”
Quick capture: Use Notion’s mobile app or Web Clipper (browser extension). It’s not as seamless as Evernote’s clipper, but it works reliably.
Daily notes: Many Notion users create a simple daily note template (date, tasks, notes). This replaces Evernote’s chronological note stream.
Search: Notion’s search (Cmd/Ctrl+K) searches across all pages and databases. It’s fast and works well for finding old notes.
Offline access: Notion’s desktop and mobile apps cache recently viewed pages. Full offline access is more limited than Evernote Personal — keep this in mind if you work frequently without internet.
After the Migration: Cancelling Evernote
Once you’ve verified your data is in Notion and your workflow is running smoothly (give it 2–4 weeks), you can safely cancel Evernote.
Before cancelling:
- Confirm all notebooks exported correctly
- Spot-check 20–30 notes at random in Notion
- Make sure any shared notebooks have been re-shared in Notion with relevant collaborators
- Download a final
.enexbackup just in case
For those exploring other options, see our best Evernote alternatives for 2026 — Obsidian and Notion are the top two, with different strengths.
Is the Switch Worth It?
For most Evernote users, yes. The migration takes 2–4 hours depending on library size, and Notion’s flexibility makes it a more durable long-term choice. The database-first approach has a learning curve, but it unlocks genuinely powerful ways to manage information that Evernote can’t match.
Want to explore Notion further? Read our full Notion review for 2026 →
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this take?
Most users can complete this process in 15-30 minutes by following the step-by-step guide above.
Do I need any technical skills?
No advanced technical skills are required. This guide walks you through each step with clear instructions.
What tools do I need?
See the requirements section above for the complete list of tools and accounts you’ll need to get started.