Evernote Sync Trouble is Worsening

[M31415926 21]

The Evernote sync troubles were posted often in this community and Evernote is supposed to work hard on solving this problem. However, my personal experience on Evernote Sync is worsening. With the newest version of Evernote on windows, a simple edit of one existing note will produce either a duplicate note, the edits were just silently discarded, or both. This syncing trouble happens even when the Android Evennote is not involved. I wonder what is the experience from others. 

How can this trouble persist judging from the long threads of user complaints and bug reports? I believe the priority of Evernote is wrongly placed. They should place all their resources to iron out the data loss and sync issue. It is wise for them to stop developing all other features until they fix such an ugly bug. 

[PinkElephant 8,115]

Can’t confirm this at all, no syncing problems, no duplicates - unless I do provoke it myself, by editing the very same note on different devices at a time.

Some hints:

Sync is very negatively affected by a shaky internet connection (high values for Ping-time)

To watch if the sync from an editing device to the server is affected, or the sync from the server to the other devices, check when a change reaches the server, and when it shows on the other devices. Often you can isolate one device, spreading syncing trouble to the others. In this case make a complete uninstall of that client and set up fresh.

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,959]

5 hours ago, M31415926 said:

The Evernote sync troubles were posted often in this community and Evernote is supposed to work hard on solving this problem. However, my personal experience on Evernote Sync is worsening. With the newest version of Evernote on windows, a simple edit of one existing note will produce either a duplicate note, the edits were just silently discarded, or both. This syncing trouble happens even when the Android Evennote is not involved. I wonder what is the experience from others. 

How can this trouble persist judging from the long threads of user complaints and bug reports? I believe the priority of Evernote is wrongly placed. They should place all their resources to iron out the data loss and sync issue. It is wise for them to stop developing all other features until they fix such an ugly bug. 

WRT my experience, I'm really not having these problems, perhaps because I'm on a very reliable Internet connection.

The long threads here are indeed concerning, but they still represent a small fraction of Evernote's users. It's difficult to know how truly widespread the issue is. If you have a paid subscription (or if the problem is serious enough to be worth paying for one month to get support, then reverting to free), opening a support ticket at https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/requests/new would not only give you a direct line to the people who can do something about it, and get you a knowledgeable response, it would also make sure that Evernote's awareness of the problem is increased.

[Boot17 1,450]

I had a syncing issue the other day where I got 3 copies of the same note, but I believe it might have been self-inflicted as I had the same note open in a separate window and I was accidentally making changes to both of them at the same time. I don't know -- it could have been something else. The last time I had a duplicate issue was probably several months ago.

Sync on mobile can be kind of slow for me (I have an iPhone 11). Sometimes it will take like 20 seconds or so before my tasks and notes are synced and my internet connection at ~40 Mbps download (and not spotty) seems ok.

I haven't lost any data in a note (well, that I know) since one time in early 2021.

So overall sync isn't really an issue for me but I'm glad they are working on making it even better.

[M31415926 21]

Thanks all for pointing to potential solutions. To reproduce what I experienced, just open a note which contains a clipped web page and add one line of text before the web clip. The added line will be silently discarded or a duplicate note will appear. This behavior is for the latest version of Evernote on windows 10.  

[PinkElephant 8,115]

Just tried this on my iPhone.

Added a line of text in a note containing a web clip, in front of the web clip.

It saved in a second, and synced within 20 seconds. The sync just happened, I forced nothing. And no, no duplicates.

If I remember will try again on my Mac later.

[Mark Haffner 0]

This is a serious problem. A basic function. Evernote never did this before and now it’s happening all the time. Sound the alarm Evernote programmers!

Here’s what happens: I write my note and Evernote DOES NOT REMEMBER ALL OF IT. Only an earlier version of what I’ve written. Often I have added a title and it is forgotten. There’s simply a great deal of content missing when the note is recalled. 

This said, once Evernote saves the note fully no future opens are missing content. 

Attn Evernote! Please fix this problem!

[juli_k 1]

I am experiencing the same issue for a while now, where I start typing a note and Evernote will not save it, it freezes and I have to relaunch the app and so I lose everything I type. This seems to happen on iOS all the time, it's insanely frustrating and annoying! I've been a paying customer for several years, please fix this!!

[M31415926 21]

It is wise for Evernote to stop developing all other features until they fix such an ugly bug. 

[agsteele 2,950]

On 9/25/2022 at 4:28 PM, Mark Haffner said:

Attn Evernote! Please fix this problem!

 

37 minutes ago, M31415926 said:

It is wise for Evernote to stop developing all other features until they fix such an ugly bug. 

Have you raised this via support ticket? It has been noted many, many, many times that these forums are user-to-user support. Occasionally Evernote staff do come by but if you want to be sure that you issue is noted then open a ticket.

[Mikom 1]

Same problem here... please do not talk about "internet connection problem"!

The problem persist from years now. I have Evernote on Android, iPad, Macbook, iPhone and the problem is always the same: even if you make a small change on an existing note and you quit the app, this change is not uploaded and you can't find it on other devices. The only way is to reopen the app where you made the change and wait few seconds. This problem persist even with new devices that I owned so is not related with the device or with the internet connection (I tried wifi, 5G, Ethernet cable..........)

The legacy version had the ability to quit "only" when all the changes were synced to the server... is probably to complicate to achieve this behaviour again?

[agsteele 2,950]

I point you to my previous answer...

[PinkElephant 8,115]

@Mikom You describe what you are doing wrong, and then you blame it at EN.

When you make a change, and quit the app directly after, it has no time to sync. That’s it, do it again, and it will not sync again.

Use EN within the technical limits (one of which is that syncing needs time), and you rid yourself of a problem you caused yourself.

Clear enough to get the message ?

[bwydoogh 71]

49 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

When you make a change, and quit the app directly after, it has no time to sync. That’s it, do it again, and it will not sync again.

In 2022 users should not be deal with this (from a UX point of perspective); instant sync should be a thing (while typing, on focus lost of the editor, ...). If I want to quit the app after I am done typing / editing my note, then I quit the app.

While using Evernote for some projects I am also a user of Obsidian (and use their sync mechanism): sync of content is perfect and happens immediately. No need to hit a back button to make sure things get synced. We live in 2022; not in 2005. No need to pay attention about "don't quit the app too early...".

@PinkElephantyou sound rude 🙂. Sync is an issue; no need to blame a user because EN sync isn't really that good (and user friendly).

[PinkElephant 8,115]

If the user does cause (=initiate the failure by his own activity) the problem, I think clear language is the best way to communicate.

There may be a cultural bias, but as being German I regard this as being on the point, not rude. We may get rude after the one or other pint of good beer, but that's a different story (watch some Oktoberfest-Videos on YT to catch the difference).

EN needs time to sync - this is not user unfriendly, it is just a fact that moving so and so many bytes of information trough a sometimes narrow wireless connection, over some servers to the final cloud destination needs a factor X of time to run. Quit the app, and the syncing stops. On quitting an app iOS terminates the sandbox it had established when you opened the app, and with the sandbox all content is going into Nirwana.

It's not bad will, it's physics (and maybe a little iOS design). Ignore physics, and the car is beside the curve, the sauce is on the shirt and the sync is lost in transmission.

[bwydoogh 71]

30 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

EN needs time to sync

This; everything needs time to sync; EN needs a lot of time to sync (I do experience that very same issue even on good Wi-Fi or 4G connections).

My point was that this is not a good thing in 2022, especially not when compared to the new kids in town (f.e. Obsidian).

[PinkElephant 8,115]

Sync for me is pretty fast (when on WiFi, 5 or 4G). And if I have no patience, I can force a sync. Then it is nearly instantaneous.

[M31415926 21]

In the report I shared that you add a line of text in a web-clip note, Evernote most often will not see this edit. No matter how long you wait, the edit will be lost. In some rare occasions, a duplicate note will appear: one with the edit and the other the original web clip. This behavior has nothing to do with the internet connection. It has everything to do with Evernote code itself. 

By the way, Evernote tech support is quite disappointing. I have opened a bug report and have conversions with a help desk representative. The bug still stands after one month.  It is indeed wise for Evernote to stop developing all other features and put all their resources to fix such ugly sync bugs. No one, even a fan of Evernote, will stay if their notes can be just gone silently. 

[lost_gweedo 73]

It happened to me this morning.  Having EN open (Mac), only one window.  Not running on any other device.  Editing a note and suddenly have a duplicate.  Confirm the "old" version of the duplicate and trash it, and continue to get messages about duplicates.  Odd.  Plan to open a ticket if it continues.

[OGUser 0]

Will EN be bringing back the manual sync button on desktop?

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,959]

6 hours ago, Mikom said:

The only way is to reopen the app where you made the change and wait few seconds.

This. The same thing just happened to me: I edited a note on my laptop, closed it, turned around to my desktop, and the edit never showed up in Evernote there. Realizing my mistake, I opened the laptop back up, forced a refresh with Ctrl+R just to be sure, and then the sync to (the servers and then to) the desktop took place.

A few seconds. I would guess that the seconds we'd all have to wait to assure perfect syncing of a hundred notes would not equal the time it has taken any of us to type one of the somewhat elaborate posts here. Seconds. Ooh, it's 2022, every fraction of a second counts now. Well, IMHO that is not so much a technical or economic issue as a philosophical (maybe even a spiritual) issue. If in that 3 or 4 seconds to let it sync I would close my eyes and refocus my mind, or look out the window at the autumn leaves and de-focus it, the time would be well spent, and the sync would have happened.

Honestly, if another app syncs truly instantly and that is the only criterion that matters, then one should use that app. If Evernote does other things better but takes 3 seconds to sync, then use it, and during the sync just contemplate your heart, or your significant other, or your plans for lunch. Unless we know the exact differences in data structure, server capabilities, and Internet latency between your computer and the servers of Evernote vs. Obsidian, I don't see what conversation there is to be had here, since we don't know what is being synced and under what conditions.

[agsteele 2,950]

4 hours ago, OGUser said:

Will EN be bringing back the manual sync button on desktop?

No. Or possibly yes but we don't know and Evernote is unlikely to say anything until it is released. But there is the option in the desktop apps tap Ctrl+R.

 

[Mikom 1]

On 9/30/2022 at 4:13 PM, PinkElephant said:

If the user does cause (=initiate the failure by his own activity) the problem, I think clear language is the best way to communicate.

There may be a cultural bias, but as being German I regard this as being on the point, not rude. We may get rude after the one or other pint of good beer, but that's a different story (watch some Oktoberfest-Videos on YT to catch the difference).

EN needs time to sync - this is not user unfriendly, it is just a fact that moving so and so many bytes of information trough a sometimes narrow wireless connection, over some servers to the final cloud destination needs a factor X of time to run. Quit the app, and the syncing stops. On quitting an app iOS terminates the sandbox it had established when you opened the app, and with the sandbox all content is going into Nirwana.

It's not bad will, it's physics (and maybe a little iOS design). Ignore physics, and the car is beside the curve, the sauce is on the shirt and the sync is lost in transmission.

If this your way of communicate....

On the legacy version, if you tried to quit the app it did not close until the sync was completed. I did not say that I cose the app just immediately after I made the changes! We do not have visual control that the sync is completed, like many others apps do. And if I add some large files to a note? I much I have to wait? seconds, minute? We do not know... We do not have visual control of it..

For my work I constantly jump from EN on Mac to EN on iPad and I need to know when the sync to the cloud is finished. I have to open EN on the iPad and see if is in sync. If is not, I jump to the MAC and I reopen the app to let the sync finish.

[Mikom 1]

On 9/30/2022 at 7:23 PM, Dave-in-Decatur said:

This. The same thing just happened to me: I edited a note on my laptop, closed it, turned around to my desktop, and the edit never showed up in Evernote there. Realizing my mistake, I opened the laptop back up, forced a refresh with Ctrl+R just to be sure, and then the sync to (the servers and then to) the desktop took place.

A few seconds. I would guess that the seconds we'd all have to wait to assure perfect syncing of a hundred notes would not equal the time it has taken any of us to type one of the somewhat elaborate posts here. Seconds. Ooh, it's 2022, every fraction of a second counts now. Well, IMHO that is not so much a technical or economic issue as a philosophical (maybe even a spiritual) issue. If in that 3 or 4 seconds to let it sync I would close my eyes and refocus my mind, or look out the window at the autumn leaves and de-focus it, the time would be well spent, and the sync would have happened.

Honestly, if another app syncs truly instantly and that is the only criterion that matters, then one should use that app. If Evernote does other things better but takes 3 seconds to sync, then use it, and during the sync just contemplate your heart, or your significant other, or your plans for lunch. Unless we know the exact differences in data structure, server capabilities, and Internet latency between your computer and the servers of Evernote vs. Obsidian, I don't see what conversation there is to be had here, since we don't know what is being synced and under what conditions.

Of course it's not a matter of time... I do not care wait time for the sync to be finished, but we need to know when is finished. Like in the old legacy version.

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,959]

5 hours ago, Mikom said:

Of course it's not a matter of time... I do not care wait time for the sync to be finished, but we need to know when is finished. Like in the old legacy version.

I apologize. I was quoting you to make a point about someone else's comments, really. I do take your point about needing to know when a sync has really finished. It's not a problem that I experience very often, but I'm sure it would be very annoying to have it occur frequently.

[suheti 1]

Speaking on 2022.10.10, using a mac, editing a single note on a single device produces 3~5 duplicates. Not always happening, but I get this problem about 3 times a day (I use evernote heavily throughout the work day).

this problem started after I upgraded to the latest version.

10.46.7-mac-ddl-public (3701)
Editor: v158.2.19526
Service: v1.58.7
© 2019 - 2022 Evernote Corporation. All rights reserved

[eric99 980]

@IanSmall  , when may we expect this: "...And most importantly, over the course of 2022, we will complete our multi-year journey to a more reliable, faster, and more modern sync architecture—the very backbone of the Evernote experience..." https://evernote.com/blog/ceo-update-january-2022/

[CR 2]

Just locking up all the time if I make a note using the camera. Might get one or 2 notes through (or stuck with the sync symbol), then on the next note you get the spinning wheel of death - only fix is to reboot phone. On 200Mbps fibre connection, so what's the delay? So painful. I'm having to look for an alternative.

[sharleenganerytl57 0]

Everyone has these problems now.

[Greg Pfister 3]

I have notes that haven't sync'd between my phone and my laptop FOR DAYS.

If this isn't fixed soon, I'll be ditching my subscription and just using iOS Note function. Doesn't do a lot, and I'll have to do a lot of migration of data, but AT LEAST IT WORKS.

[PinkElephant 8,115]

Your description is incomplete. Just a little "Pick your problem" list, for 2 devices:

1. It did not sync from the phone (what phone ?) to the server
2. It did sync to the server, but not from there to the laptop (what laptop ?)
3. It did not sync from the laptop to the server 
4. It did sync from the laptop to the server, but not from there to the phone

We can proceed once you added relevant information.

[lost_gweedo 73]

20 hours ago, Greg Pfister said:

I have notes that haven't sync'd between my phone and my laptop FOR DAYS.

If this isn't fixed soon, I'll be ditching my subscription and just using iOS Note function. Doesn't do a lot, and I'll have to do a lot of migration of data, but AT LEAST IT WORKS.

As @PinkElephant said, lack of info prevents help.  But, is it a data thing?  If you're not on wifi and your settings prohibit cellular data use for EN on your phone, that could be the issue.

Or, I know that I had problems with app functionality on my iPhone when I upgraded the iOS but didn't update my other apps right away.  Old apps running in new OS causes glitches.

[Greg Pfister 3]

My apologies for the delay in responding. As of a check just a minute ago, it's now, naturally, syncing immediately. ☹️

But to fill in the requested information anyway:

I have it on:

iPhone Xs running iOS 15.7
iPad Air (4th gen) running iPadOS 15.6.1
Lenovo Legion something or other, laptop running Windows 10 with all the updates Microsoft has shoved at me.

Networking - ISP is Xfinity. SpeedTest says wired connection has 850 mb/s down, 40 up ping 16ms; WiFi is 409 down, 38 up, ping 19 ms on the iPhone. Nobody's watching movies or gaming.

Evernote is version 10.46.7 on Windows,

But I would swear on a stack of bibles that Tasks, in particular, using the default Task note, didn't replicate for days. Never saw a conflict with the task note, but for others every once in a long while I would get a conflict, with the some new data in one note and some in a conflict note, but mostly nothing would happen for days or even weeks.

This afternoon, though, dang thing is working like a charm.  First I remember that happening in forever. Or ever. Since they decided the "sync" button was obsolescent.

[PinkElephant 8,115]

The sync button is in fact obsolete. Clients syncs immediately (or at least pretty fast), and if there is trouble at the far end, a local button will not make a difference.

To check on syncing issues in the future, the web client is the key. Everything needs to sync to the web client first, before it can sync to any other device. EN never syncs from one device straight to another.

So open your account on the web. Changes are there - the sync from the device where a change was made to the cloud has worked. Changes are missing on the web client - the sync from the initial client to the cloud has failed. Depending on this information, you can pinpoint where a sync is not happening, and check what is going on on this specific connection and client.

Often a simple logout, followed by restarting the device and logging back in is enough to reset everything. Good to know which device needs a treatment. So in the future, check on the web client, and then localise and solve the syncing problem.

[Greg Pfister 3]

Thanks for the information.

I did not know that about the web client. I actually haven't used the web client, ever. Until just now, to see what it is. Somehow it knew me; "log in" just opened my data without entering a password & ID. Like "Surprise! Got you right here!"

A question: What does "pinpoint" mean, and how do I do it? Do you mean finding the particular note that hasn't appeared updated on the web? If/when I find that note, what do I do to force it to update? (Sounds to me like pushing a sync button.) I've done all the other things you mentioned: Killing the app, logging in again, etc., to no avail.

[PinkElephant 8,115]

Basically you usually have a note on one device, and don’t find it on another. This is the situation when checking it on the web client can help.

To check a more general view, activate the notes count in the side panel. When it matches between clients, the sync is likely ok.

You can pull a fresh copy for the desktop clients yourself. On mobile it usually will get fresh data by itself (unless a cache on the mobile device is blocking it).