EndNote Library Rescue (Beta)

Open an EndNote library without EndNote and export every reference to Zotero, RIS, BibTeX or Excel, with groups and PDF attachments.

Opens: ENL, ENLX, sdb.eni
Saves: EndNote XML, RIS, BibTeX, CSV

Convert

EndNote library

Choose files… or drop them here

.enlx, .zip, .enl, .eni · up to 200 MB each, 10 files max

Add more files

Upload the compressed library (.enlx), a .zip of the folder containing “Name.enl” and “Name.Data”, or the file Name.Data/sdb/sdb.eni. Libraries from EndNote X8 and older: the .enl file alone is enough.

Options

Keep EndNote groups as keywords

Adds “EndNote group: …” keywords so you can rebuild your groups in Zotero or Mendeley.

Include references from the Trash

Your files are deleted after processing.

Get your references out of EndNote, even without EndNote

Your EndNote licence ran out, you moved to a new computer, or the old EndNote simply won't start any more, but your library is still sitting there. Every official migration path starts with “open the library in EndNote and export”. This tool skips that step: it reads the library files directly and gives you your references in open formats.

What to upload

You have…	Upload
A compressed library `Name.enlx`	the `.enlx` file
A library folder with `Name.enl` and `Name.Data` (EndNote X9, 20, 21, 2025)	a .zip of that folder (right-click → Send to → Compressed folder on Windows, or Compress on a Mac)
Only the `.Data` folder	`Name.Data/sdb/sdb.eni`
An old library (EndNote X8 or earlier)	the `.enl` file on its own is enough

Modern .enl files are only 4 bytes long; the references are stored in the .Data folder, so uploading just the .enl is not enough. We tell you if that happens.

What you get

EndNote XML, the best way into Zotero: every field, reference types preserved.
RIS for Mendeley, Citavi, Paperpile, RefWorks and most other reference managers.
BibTeX (.bib) for LaTeX, Overleaf and JabRef, with citation keys and DOIs.
CSV for Excel or Google Sheets, one row per reference with every field.
A ZIP with your PDFs when the upload includes them, laid out so Zotero attaches them automatically.

The preview shows the number of references, your groups, the reference types and the first 20 references, so you can check everything is there before downloading.

Importing into Zotero

Download the ZIP with PDFs (or the EndNote XML file) and unzip it.
In Zotero choose File → Import… → A file, pick the .xml file from inside the unzipped folder and keep the default options.
Zotero creates a new collection with all references; PDFs are copied into Zotero.
Your EndNote groups arrive as tags starting with “EndNote group:”; drag the tagged items into collections to rebuild them.

Importing elsewhere

Mendeley: File → Import → RIS (.ris).
JabRef / Overleaf: open or upload the .bib file.
Citavi: Import → Bibliography format → RIS.
Excel: open the .csv file (UTF-8, accents preserved).

Good to know

References in EndNote's Trash are left out unless you tick the option.
Rich-text formatting inside fields (italic species names, superscripts) is exported as plain text.
Custom reference-type names from a personalised EndNote setup are mapped to EndNote's standard types.
Your upload is deleted as soon as the conversion finishes; the converted files are deleted after 30 minutes or when you click Delete now.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need EndNote installed?

No. The library is read directly from its database files, so it works after your licence has expired, on a new computer, on Linux or a Chromebook, and for libraries whose EndNote version no longer runs.

I uploaded my .enl file and it says it's only a pointer. Why?

Since EndNote X9 the .enl file is a tiny 4-byte placeholder; all references live in the “.Data” folder next to it. Zip the folder that contains both “Name.enl” and “Name.Data” and upload the zip, or upload the .enlx file (File → Compress Library in EndNote), or upload just Name.Data/sdb/sdb.eni.

Which EndNote versions are supported?

EndNote X9, 20, 21 and 2025 libraries (SQLite-based), and older X1–X8 libraries whose .enl file contains the references. Compressed .enlx libraries from any of these versions work too.

Are my PDFs included?

Yes, if you upload the .enlx or a zip of the library folder including the .Data folder. You get a ZIP with the export and a PDF folder; import the .xml into Zotero from inside the unzipped folder and the PDFs are attached automatically.

What happens to my EndNote groups?

Groups and group sets are listed in the preview and, by default, added to each reference as keywords (“EndNote group: …”), so you can recreate them as collections or saved searches.

Is my library kept on your server?

No. The upload is deleted as soon as the conversion finishes, and the converted files are deleted automatically after 30 minutes (or immediately when you click “Delete now”).