How to Migrate from Evernote to OmniCanvas

Why Switch from Evernote?

Evernote has been a staple of notetaking for years, but many users are looking for alternatives. Whether you want the spatial canvas approach, are frustrated with Evernote's pricing changes, or simply want a fresh start, OmniCanvas makes it easy to bring your existing notes with you.

The import feature reads Evernote's ENEX export format and creates OmniCanvas notes from your Evernote content, preserving titles, text content, and dates.

Step 1: Export from Evernote

First, you need to export your notes from Evernote in ENEX format.

On Evernote Desktop (Mac or Windows)

1. Open Evernote and navigate to the notebook you want to export.
2. Select all notes in the notebook (Cmd+A on Mac, Ctrl+A on Windows).
3. Right-click and choose "Export Notes."
4. Select "ENEX format (.enex)" as the export format.
5. Choose a save location and click "Export."

Repeat for each notebook you want to migrate.

Exporting Multiple Notebooks

Evernote exports one notebook at a time. If you have many notebooks, export each one as a separate ENEX file. OmniCanvas creates a folder for each imported file, so this maps naturally to your existing notebook structure.

Step 2: Import into OmniCanvas

1. Open OmniCanvas and click the Settings button in the sidebar.
2. In the Migration and Import section, you will see the Evernote import option.
3. Click "Import" and select your ENEX file.
4. OmniCanvas will process the file and create notes from your Evernote content.

What Happens During Import

• OmniCanvas creates an "Evernote Imports" folder automatically.
• Inside that, it creates a sub-folder named after your ENEX file (which usually matches your Evernote notebook name).
• Each Evernote note becomes an OmniCanvas note with the same title.
• Text content from your Evernote notes is preserved.
• The original last-modified dates are preserved so you can see when notes were last updated.

Large Files

If you have a large ENEX file with hundreds of notes, the import may take a moment. OmniCanvas processes the file in the background using a web worker, so the app stays responsive during import. A progress indicator shows you how the import is progressing.

Step 3: Organize Your Imported Notes

After import, your notes are organized in the "Evernote Imports" folder structure. From here, you can:

Reorganize into Your New Structure

Move notes from the import folders into your preferred OmniCanvas folder structure. You might want to consolidate multiple Evernote notebooks into fewer OmniCanvas folders, or you might keep the same structure.

Add Tags

Evernote tags are not imported automatically. Review your imported notes and add OmniCanvas tags where appropriate. This is a good opportunity to set up a fresh, consistent tagging system.

Enrich with Canvas Content

Your Evernote notes were linear text. Now that they are in OmniCanvas, you can enhance them with canvas drawings, sticky notes, and spatial organization. Consider which notes would benefit from a visual treatment.

Archive Old Notes

You probably don't need all your Evernote notes in your active workspace. Move old, rarely-referenced notes to an archive folder. Keep your active workspace focused on current and relevant content.

What Gets Imported (and What Does Not)

Imported

• Note titles
• Text content
• Last modified dates
• Notebook structure (as folders)

Not Imported

• Images and attachments (Evernote stores these in a proprietary format)
• Evernote tags (you will need to re-tag in OmniCanvas)
• Shared notebook settings
• Reminders and tasks

Tips for a Smooth Migration

• Don't import everything. If you have years of Evernote notes, many are probably outdated. Export and import only the notebooks you actively use.
• Start fresh alongside. Use OmniCanvas for new notes immediately. Import old Evernote notes gradually as you need them, rather than trying to migrate everything upfront.
• Keep Evernote temporarily. Don't delete your Evernote account until you are confident everything you need has been migrated and is working well in OmniCanvas.
• Use the graph view after import. Once your notes are imported, check the knowledge graph to see how they connect. You might discover relationships between old notes that you never noticed in Evernote's linear notebook structure.