How do I make a backup copy of my Notebooks?

[Michael Bradley 1]

I'm using Evernote Personal 10.68.3 on a PC and can no longer export the entire content of Notebooks as a single file to store as a security precaution. I used to sign out and then pressed Ctrl/Shift/E to create the file as a  backup when logging back in again. In the current version this no longer works for me. What is the way to create the backup please?

thanks

Michael
 

[s2sailor 2,673]

On 1/5/2024 at 9:15 PM, Michael Bradley said:

I'm using Evernote Personal 10.68.3 on a PC and can no longer export the entire content of Notebooks as a single file to store as a security precaution. I used to sign out and then pressed Ctrl/Shift/E to create the file as a  backup when logging back in again. In the current version this no longer works for me. What is the way to create the backup please?

thanks

Michael
 

Export notebook by notebook.  In the past when selecting all notes to export you would lose the notebook information.  Backing up each notebook individually maintains that.  If you want to export all the notebooks at one time there is some GitHub code, Evernote-backup, that works pretty well.

[pkopko 0]

I tried to back up my Evernote notebook (over 2000 notes).  I am told that I have to back up 100 notes at a time!  How can this be?  Is there a way to back them ALL up in one step?

Thanks for any advice on this...Phil

[PinkElephant 9,253]

Choose a notebook in notebook view, select export from the 3 dot menu.

Or choose a notebook, and select export from the 3 dots above the notes list.

The 100 notes limit only applies for individually selected notes.

[mackid1993 1,673]

If on Windows you can use Evernote-Backup and my scripts:

1. Initialize database with

 evernote-backup init-db

evernote-backup-sync.bat (run this with task scheduler, keep the batch file in the same directory as evernote-backup.exe

evernote-backup sync -d C:\path\to\en_backup.db
evernote-backup export C:\path\to\\Notebooks -d C:\path\to\en_backup.db --overwrite
ping 127.0.0.1
taskkill /f /im evernote-backup.exe
exit

Once a year it needs to be reauthorized with Evernote:

evernote-backup-reauth.bat

evernote-backup reauth -d C:\path\to\en_backup.db 
pause

Set up a scheduled task similar to this:

 

Start in should be the folder evernote-backup.exe is stored in. The arguments should be:

/c C:\path\to\evernote-backup-sync.bat

I have this script run daily and backup my notebooks, then my backup software backs up the notebooks nightly.

 

[morvenwestfield 2]

I'm using the web client of Evernote. How do I back up my notes from that?

[PinkElephant 9,253]

One by one - there is no group export on the web client.

To export several notes at once, you need the installed client. Or you install something like the Evernote backup project from GitHub.

[RickMiranda 0]

To keep my local Evernote database in sync, I use a procedure similar to that shown by mackid1993. I simply run "evernote-backup sync" on the command line (and in the database's folder) every 2 weeks or so. This worked fine for the last year until last week when I was told my token expired. So I ran "evernote-backup reauth". But now I get a set of Python error statements ending with:

File "C:\Python39\lib\site-packages\evernote\edam\userstore\UserStore.py", line 781, in recv_authenticateLongSession
    raise result.systemException
evernote.edam.error.ttypes.EDAMSystemException: EDAMSystemException(message=None, errorCode=8, rateLimitDuration=None)

Online sources say to retry the reauth command a bit later. I retried about 10 times over a whole week, but no luck. I asked Evernote about this and go no reply.  Has anyone had this problem and is there a solution?

[PinkElephant 9,253]

Reauthenticate using the Auth job.

Then run the backup job manually to see if it works. Only when it does return to the automation.

If the manual job works, but the automatic doesn’t, set the automation up new again.

[pbelcl 23]

On 1/11/2024 at 2:05 AM, mackid1993 said:

If on Windows you can use Evernote-Backup and my scripts:

1. Initialize database with

 evernote-backup init-db

I've been using your great backup program for over a year now!
It runs for me via a batch in DOS without any problems!
Now I had to update the database and an error occurred during the init process (see attachment)

I use 2-way authentication for Evernote!
Do I still have to type in my Evernote password, or do I need a "one-time code" for that?
Please help me, THANK YOU!!

[agsteele 3,134]

The backup routine is a development by an individual user so not something that Evernote can help with. It's does require an annual update of the registration so that may be what you need. Take a look at the documentation on Github for more details and support.

[mackid1993 1,673]

Also it's not developed by me. Try evernote-backup reauth --oauth I think.

[LENBERG 0]

I have the exact same message

If i try evernote-backup reauth --oauth

I get

Reading database en_backup.db...
Database file en_backup.db does not exist. Initialize database first!

It is the firs time i run this script, but got the same message as pbelcl

Thank you for any help

[. . . 6]

It looks like this method no longer works. This seems like a pretty big liability for me now due to regulatory issues. I wish evernote had a reliable backup feature that allowed full database export and backup.

 

[agsteele 3,134]

 

16 minutes ago, . . . said:

It looks like this method no longer works.

It worked just fine for me on Sunday last.  I have it set to run automatically each weekend.  I fully expect it will work next weekend too.

[Dave Green 316]

@LENBERG Did you initialize things before starting to backup the first time?

 

evernote-backup init-db --oauth

 

[RayV 19]

On 12/26/2024 at 3:55 PM, LENBERG said:

I have the exact same message

If i try evernote-backup reauth --oauth

I get

Reading database en_backup.db...
Database file en_backup.db does not exist. Initialize database first!

It is the firs time i run this script, but got the same message as pbelcl

Thank you for any help

Just ran the program and it works as usual.

[Josenzo 5]

So basically, I have 123 notes. And these are my options

1. I have to export them one by one.

2. I have to become a hacker and learn how to install and use evernote-backup

This is absurd. The new client is awful and slow, and now this. Running out from this software as soon as posible.

 

[Jon/t 1,991]

6 minutes ago, Josenzo said:

So basically, I have 123 notes. And these are my options

1. I have to export them one by one.

2. I have to become a hacker and learn how to install and use evernote-backup

This is absurd. The new client is awful and slow, and now this. Running out from this software as soon as posible.

 

Right click on a notebook and export as PDF, HTML or the Evernote ENEX format.

[Josenzo 5]

2 minutes ago, Jon/t said:

Right click on a notebook and export as PDF, HTML or the Evernote ENEX format.

Yes, I know. I have to do that 123 times. And if I need another backup next year, same process.

[PinkElephant 9,253]

Yes, it’s not logical that there is no functioning backup solution (never has been).

On the other hand nobody needs to become a hacker to install and run the Evernote Backup project. It’s pretty straightforward.

[Josenzo 5]

39 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

Yes, it’s not logical that there is no functioning backup solution (never has been).

On the other hand nobody needs to become a hacker to install and run the Evernote Backup project. It’s pretty straightforward.

Not really, I have this issue:

 

PS C:\Users\me\.local\bin> .\evernote-backup.exe init-db
Logging in to Evernote...
Username or Email: 
Password:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\evernote_backup\cli.py", line 305, in main
    cli()
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 1161, in __call__
    return self.main(*args, **kwargs)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 1082, in main
    rv = self.invoke(ctx)
         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 1697, in invoke
    return _process_result(sub_ctx.command.invoke(sub_ctx))
                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 1443, in invoke
    return ctx.invoke(self.callback, **ctx.params)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 788, in invoke
    return __callback(*args, **kwargs)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\evernote_backup\cli.py", line 158, in init_db
    cli_app.init_db(
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\evernote_backup\cli_app.py", line 38, in init_db
    auth_token = get_auth_token(
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\evernote_backup\cli_app_auth.py", line 56, in get_auth_token
    return evernote_login_password(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\evernote_backup\cli_app_auth_password.py", line 56, in evernote_login_password
    auth_res = auth_client.login(auth_user, auth_password)
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\evernote_backup\evernote_client_auth.py", line 27, in login
    return self.user_store.authenticateLongSessionV2(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\evernote_backup\evernote_client.py", line 138, in wrapper
    return target_method_retry(*args, **kwargs)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\evernote_backup\evernote_client_util.py", line 28, in wrapper
    return fun(*args, **kwargs)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\evernote_backup\evernote_client_classes.py", line 294, in authenticateLongSessionV2
    return self.recv_authenticateLongSession()
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\me\pipx\venvs\evernote-backup\Lib\site-packages\evernote\edam\userstore\UserStore.py", line 772, in recv_authenticateLongSession
    raise x
thrift.Thrift.TApplicationException: <exception str() failed>

 

[PinkElephant 9,253]

Did you try to authenticate as mentioned further up in the thread ?

Some remarks:

The GitHub project was developed by a fellow user, who (as I understand) mainly wrote it for his own purposes. He was so nice to share his work with the community - so every criticism should be directed at EN who doesn’t mange to get a reasonable backup solution on the ramp.

It may be he is not maintaining his project any more. He is not forced to maintain it, it was free of charge and use at your own risk.

EN changed the authentication method after the project was published. It may well be you need to change authentication initially, and on every renewal which is due once in a year.  How to do this is described in this thread. AFAIK the project documentation on the GitHub page does not reflect this change.

[Dave Green 316]

3 hours ago, Josenzo said:

.\evernote-backup.exe init-db

try

.\evernote-backup.exe init-db --oauth

[eric99 1,111]

On 3/6/2025 at 6:36 PM, Jon/t said:

Right click on a notebook and export as PDF, HTML or the Evernote ENEX format.

The attachment links in the HTML export remain broken even after four years of error reporting! To make matters worse, the attachment titles are also missing now, showing up as "untitled attachment."  😕  

Maybe you can convince BS to take archiving/backup of our precious data more seriously ?

[fowlesp 0]

Does anyone know a way use this utility to create a FULL backup? 

Currently  it just seems to download new and updated notes.

[agsteele 3,134]

The initial download is all notes thereafter the program syncs your local copy of the data to the Evernote Cloud so that you should always have a full copy.

It's all explained on the Github page: https://github.com/vzhd1701/evernote-backup