Can I move the Evernote folder from My Documents?

[MikeEddyFL 3]

I searched to the best of my ability and could not find an answer. I am using the latest Windows version of Evernote and would like to know if I can move the "Evernote" folder our of My Documents to another location? Any help is appreciated.

[agsteele 3,069]

I am 95% certain that this folder in My Documents is a hangover from the older version of Evernote. Some data could be left over from the Evernote 10 installation which disabled the Legacy version

If I am correct you can safely delete it.

The safest option would be to completely uninstall Evernote 10 using a program such as Revo Uninstaller. Reboot your PC for complete safety. If the Evernote folder in My Documents is still present then you can delete it and all its contents. You can also check that the legacy 'Evernote Data' folder has been cleaned out too. I can't tell you where that will be as it is configurable in Legacy so it could be almost anywhere. You'll have to search for 'Evernote Data' and see what appears.

When you've completed the housekeeping you can reinstall Evernote 10.34 - get the installer from www.evernote.com if you don't already have it to hand.

Once loaded login and the data will reload from the Evernote servers.

 

[PinkElephant 8,996]

Did you use a migration tool to get from your old computer to the new one ? Or installed from a backup ?

Then the folder was probably migrated with all the rest of your data.

[agsteele 3,069]

As previously suggested, completely uninstall. Remove all directories that you want gone. Then reinstall and allow the data to be recreated from the Evernote servers.  That's where the master copy is. A backup may not hold everything (it should but may not).

If the folder is recreated then you know it is part of the v10 installation. Otherwise it is safely gone.

[agsteele 3,069]

Well I'm sorry that I was incorrect but glad that the process provided an answer. I don't think that this particular directory uses significant amounts of space but it is good to know what needs to stay and what can go.

[agsteele 3,069]

You say you are using the latest version of the program. However, the data directory for Evernote 10 is not in My Documents.  The folder you describe is typically linked to the older version of Evernote - now usually called 'Legacy'.

Can you please confirm the version number of the program that you are using and we may be able to advise more definitely.

[MikeEddyFL 3]

Thank you for your quick response.

Version 10.34.4-win-ddl-public (3310)
Editor: v145.1.17877
Service: v1.50.2

The folder contains sub-folder "205617774" containing folder "external-edits", and sub-folder "Failed Uploads"

[MikeEddyFL 3]

Thank you for the tips. My concern is that I have a new computer, I used the most recent installer from the Evernote site, I can't find an "Evernote Data" folder and the "external-edits" folder contains items from the day I started using Evernote up through today. I am using Windows 11 so something may have recently changed. I think I will leave it as is for now and take another pill for my OCD. Thanks again!

[MikeEddyFL 3]

I did install from a backup, I didn't think about that. Any way to move the folder in that situation?

[MikeEddyFL 3]

Final Result

I uninstalled every reference to Evernote that I could find in my files and registry. Then I reinstalled it using the latest installer on the Evernote website. Unfortunately, the folder in question was recreated. At this point I will live with it, but I would like to thank you both for trying to help!

[Killer-_-Bob 5]

Hello, same issue on my computer, bought in May 2022, Evernote has created a folder in "Documents", and I would like to move it elsewhere:

 

C:\Users\flore\OneDrive\Documents\Evernote

[PinkElephant 8,996]

Use Revo Ininstaller to remove EN from the PC. Restart the PC, install from the EN website.

No idea if this does the job, but that’s the only possibility known to us.

[Killer-_-Bob 5]

Thank you @PinkElephant, from the initial posts of @MikeEddyFL it seems that complete uninstall / re-install, even cleaning registryn, did not solve his issue. 

[PinkElephant 8,996]

The other way to place the EN folder elsewhere (even on another drive) is by using a symbolic link. Google for it to get tutorials how to set it up.

[Dave-in-Decatur 4,014]

On 11/28/2022 at 2:43 AM, Killer-_-Bob said:

Hello, same issue on my computer, bought in May 2022, Evernote has created a folder in "Documents", and I would like to move it elsewhere

I have this on my computer also (Windows 10, with Evernote 10 installed early on, and never Evernote Legacy). The structure is similar to what you show. It seems to hold attachments to notes. I assume this is a standard part of Evernote's setup, and so unlikely to be changeable, except by a symbolic link. May I ask why you need to move it?

[MikeEddyFL 3]

I'm my case... OCD 😀

[Dave-in-Decatur 4,014]

Yeah, I get that. "I can't change this and I can't control that" is an important life lesson on many levels, one which I diligently resist learning. (Once saw a T-shirt that said "I have CDO ... It's like OCD, but it has the letters in the right order.")

[Killer-_-Bob 5]

On 11/30/2022 at 4:28 AM, Dave-in-Decatur said:

I have this on my computer also (Windows 10, with Evernote 10 installed early on, and never Evernote Legacy). The structure is similar to what you show. It seems to hold attachments to notes. I assume this is a standard part of Evernote's setup, and so unlikely to be changeable, except by a symbolic link. May I ask why you need to move it?

I know that I shall use the "Documents" folder of Windows as my main document folder, because it is designed for it, and this has several impacts on the system. In order to have a smart way to browse content on my computer I try to keep a given level of the folder tree with a maximum of 10 sub-folders. I am not maniac, exceptions are not an issue. But this is important for my root folder "Documents". And there I am polluted by software folders that I will never care, or only to secure back-up when changing my computer:

• Evernote
• OneNote notebooks
• Custom Office Templates
• Probably others I have yet moved and that I don't remember

I want to move these anywhere else in a sub-folder that I never use, to keep my Documents folder clean and easier to use. 

[PinkElephant 8,996]

You can use a Symbolic link (Symlink) to place any folder physically in another location.

If this makes it disappear from the myDocuments area: No idea. Personally (as long as I have been on Windows) I avoided the myDocs folder, because all sorts of programs where placing their own subfolder there. In fact the whole Explorer structure was littered with stuff dropped there by programs. I remember one that placed its data folder on the top (root) c:/ level. Asking it‘s support the answer was: It is there by default, and no way to move it elsewhere.

Not my way … so I created my own Documents folders, and shoved the myDocs section out of sight. If you can’t win a fight, don’t start it. The whole problem has disappeared for me with moving to a Mac.

[Killer-_-Bob 5]

57 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

You can use a Symbolic link (Symlink) to place any folder physically in another location.

If this makes it disappear from the myDocuments area: No idea. Personally (as long as I have been on Windows) I avoided the myDocs folder, because all sorts of programs where placing their own subfolder there. In fact the whole Explorer structure was littered with stuff dropped there by programs. I remember one that placed its data folder on the top (root) c:/ level. Asking it‘s support the answer was: It is there by default, and no way to move it elsewhere.

Not my way … so I created my own Documents folders, and shoved the myDocs section out of sight. If you can’t win a fight, don’t start it. The whole problem has disappeared for me with moving to a Mac.

For years I used to make my own "MyDocuments" folder, but the balance of benefits / issues made me change that way of doing. Using various software, from single dev to biggest projects, that brings too much issues to not keep Windows' standards in place. 

I also gave a try to Mac, but after many years on PC I consider having a very high level of effiency on PC, and I feel like a small child trying to walk for the first time when using a Mac. And even more at work, when you are in a Windows everywhere environment, if you use a Mac you will have to fight every month to achieve correct connection to this internal site or that specific network. 

I have deleted the Evernote folder, it apparently stores only attachments when using them in I-don't-know-what-process. I will shoot it again if it comes back to life, and have a look to Symlink if I get out of ammo. 

Thanks for your support

[PinkElephant 8,996]

This folder AFAIK stores attachments when you save them from a note, as default folder.

Another reason for the Mac: In many cases, I can open attachments directly from EN, edit them and save the changes right back into the file inside of the note. No idea how good this integration works on Windows.

[agsteele 3,069]

I think that this folder is what is used by Evernote to store a temporary copy of the attached file while it is open in a native application and then saves back into Evernote. If I'm correct I also suspect that deleting the folder will remove it only until I work on another a attached file when Evernote will recreate the directory and off we go again. I just live with the folder.

[truckreferral 14]

I really don't want evernote to use this folder, because my Documents folder is sync'd to one drive and I don't want evernote data on onedrive. Is there a way to tell evernote to not use this folder? Onedrive will follow the symlink which defeats the purpose. 

[agsteele 3,069]

I don't think that this directory can be moved. Your best option is probably to set your computer to empty it every day. 

[truckreferral 14]

Thanks,

I Hope someone from evernote team will see this. I don't understand why they don't just use the temp data folder. We can already specify a location for evernote data, why not just use only that folder? 

[agsteele 3,069]

Best to send your comments thoughts to feedback@evernote.com

[PinkElephant 8,996]

You can move it to another location through settings, unless you have installed from the store. Then the option will not be usable.

In this case you need to erase the store install, and get a fresh direct install from the website. This versions allows to pick a folder. But not to a Temp(orary) folder. Temp is under system control, and own data should not be stored there. Just create a folder in a place where you would like it to reside, and make an exception for OneDrive for not syncing this folder.

[truckreferral 14]

37 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

You can move it to another location through settings, unless you have installed from the store. Then the option will not be usable.

In this case you need to erase the store install, and get a fresh direct install from the website. This versions allows to pick a folder. But not to a Temp(orary) folder. Temp is under system control, and own data should not be stored there. Just create a folder in a place where you would like it to reside, and make an exception for OneDrive for not syncing this folder.

One Drive will not let me "unselect" the Evernote folder in my documents folder.  

[PinkElephant 8,996]

You move it through the option in the settings of the EN app, not by Explorer.

And yes, maybe you need to unsync the documents folder first, then move it, and only after everything is done sync the documents folder again.

OneDrive is deeply rooted into Windows, so it probably can make life difficult at some point.