How to Migrate from Evernote to Notion in 2026: A Step-by-Step Guide

You're probably here because Evernote's price hikes have gotten ridiculous, or their free plan is now too restrictive (2 devices? really?). Notion has become the go-to alternative for people who want notes that double as project management, wikis, and databases. And it's actually free for most individuals — the free plan includes unlimited pages, blocks, and up to 7-day page history. (Paid plans start at $10/mo for Plus, but you likely won't need them.)

Before you jump, know this: the migration isn't perfect. Notion's official import tool handles Evernote's .enex files, but you'll lose some formatting, tags become messy, and attachments might not land where you expect. This guide walks you through each step so you don't end up with a digital landfill.

Step 1: Back Up Everything

Export your entire Evernote account before touching anything. Even if you plan to keep Evernote active (many people do for a month or two), a full backup gives you a safety net.

• On desktop: Go to File > Export All Notes… and choose ENEX format. This creates one .enex file per notebook. If you have hundreds of notebooks, this might take a while. Let it run overnight.
• On mobile: Exporting from mobile isn't reliable for bulk. Use a computer.
• What you'll get: Each .enex file contains note content (text, images, attachments), tags, notebook structure, and basic metadata. Important: Evernote's export does not include note history or reminders. Make sure any reminders you need are noted elsewhere.

Pro tip: Also download your attachments folder separately if you have large files. Go to File > Export All Notes as HTML as a secondary backup — it's easier to browse later if something goes wrong.

Step 2: Prepare Notion

Create a Notion account (free). You don't need to pay anything yet. Think about how you want your notes organized. Notion doesn't have notebooks — it has pages inside pages. A common approach:

• Create a top-level page called Evernote Import.
• Inside that, create sub-pages for each notebook you want to keep.
• Or just dump everything into one big page and sort later. I recommend the first approach to preserve some structure.

Step 3: Import Your ENEX Files

Notion's import tool is built in. Here's how:

1. In Notion, click the Import button (top right sidebar, or use the slash command /import).
2. Select Evernote.
3. Upload your .enex files. You can upload multiple at once, but I'd do one notebook at a time to keep things tidy.
4. Wait. For a notebook with 500 notes, expect 5–10 minutes. Large attachments slow it down.
5. After each import, Notion creates a new page with all notes from that .enex file. Notes become sub-pages, each with its own block.

What imports well: Text formatting (bold, italic, lists), basic tables, images that were embedded in notes, and attachments (PDFs, docs).

What doesn't:

• Tags: Notion doesn't have a native tag system. Imported tags become text labels on each note page. They're searchable but not as a filter. You'll want to convert them to database properties (see gotchas below).
• Notebook hierarchy: If you had nested notebooks (stacks), they flatten into a single list. You'll need to recreate nesting manually.
• Reminders: Gone. Set them up again in Notion using a reminder property in a database.
• Audio notes: Evernote's audio recordings import as attached files, not playable inline. You'll need to re-record or use a workaround.

Step 4: Clean Up the Mess

After import, you'll likely see a ton of pages with weird titles, broken formatting, and orphaned attachments. Set aside an afternoon to tidy up.

• Merge duplicate notes: Evernote often creates duplicates when you sync. Use Notion's search to find them, then merge by dragging content into one page.
• Fix broken images: Sometimes images appear as missing icons. Re-upload them from your backup if needed.
• Organize into databases: Notion shines when you turn notes into a database. Create a database page, add properties like "Date", "Tags" (as a multi-select), "Status", etc. Then move your imported notes into that database. This is the single biggest improvement over Evernote.
• Delete junk: If you imported everything, you probably have hundreds of notes you'll never read. Be ruthless. Archive or delete them.

Common Gotchas

• Tag overload: If you had 50+ tags in Evernote, they all become text. I recommend creating a multi-select property called "Tags" and manually tagging your top 10–20 most-used tags. Ditch the rest.
• Large notebooks crash: If an .enex file is over 100 MB, Notion's import might time out. Split your export into smaller chunks (by notebook or date range) before importing.
• Attachment paths: Attachments that were linked in notes (not embedded) may not import. Check critical notes and re-attach files from your backup.
• Table formatting: Evernote's tables are basic HTML. They import as simple tables in Notion, but if you had merged cells or complex layouts, they'll break. Rebuild important tables as Notion databases.

Post-Migration Checklist

• Confirm all notes from Evernote are present in Notion (spot-check 10% of your notebooks).
• Test search — type a few keywords you know should appear.
• Set up recurring reminders for anything time-sensitive.
• Recreate any shared notebooks as shared Notion pages (collaboration works differently).
• Delete Evernote from your devices only after you're satisfied with the migration. Keep the backup .enex files for a month.
• Explore Notion's templates — you might find a better way to organize than what you had.
• Learn a few Notion shortcuts: Cmd/Ctrl + N for new page, Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + L for dark mode, / for commands.

Why Notion Over Other Alternatives?

Notion isn't the only Evernote replacement. For a full list, check our Evernote alternatives guide. But if you want a flexible workspace that combines notes, databases, and project management, Notion is the strongest free option. Obsidian is better for local-first privacy fans, and Anytype is great if you hate the cloud. Notion hits the sweet spot for most people.

FAQ

Q: Will I lose my Evernote formatting? A: Basic formatting survives. Complex tables, images in weird places, and some special characters may break. Plan to spend an hour or two fixing things.

Q: How long does the import take? A: Depends on note count. A few hundred notes might take 30 minutes total. A thousand notes with attachments could take hours. Do it in batches.

Q: Can I keep using Evernote during migration? A: Yes. Export once, then import into Notion. Any new notes you create in Evernote after the export won't be in Notion. Either stop using Evernote or do a final export before you cancel.

Q: Does Notion have a desktop app? A: Yes, for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. It works offline for viewing and editing, but changes sync when you're online.

Q: What's the real cost of Notion? A: Free for most individuals. Paid plans start at $10/month (Plus) for unlimited file uploads and 30-day page history. The free plan is very generous — you likely won't need to pay unless you're a power user or team.

Still on the fence? Read our detailed Evernote vs Notion comparison for a feature-by-feature breakdown.