12
Troubleshooting

Although Evernote is exceptionally simple to use, it’s inevitable that sooner or later you’ll have a question or run into an issue. Evernote’s own customer support is pretty good, but you’ll find a wealth of other resources available to help you troubleshoot issues. In fact, there are even places on the Internet where you can get Evernote help that is specific to the unique needs of genealogists.

E-MAIL, PASSWORD, AND ACCOUNT ISSUES

Perhaps the most common questions related to Evernote involve managing your e-mail address, password, and account status. Luckily, these issues are usually easy to resolve.

Changing Your E-mail Address

Keeping your e-mail address current with Evernote is important. You’ll need it to log in, to open support tickets, and to receive password resets and other key information. Here’s how to change your e-mail address:

  1. Log in to your account through the web version of Evernote by navigating to <www.evernote.com>.
  2. In the top left corner, click on Account.
  3. A pop-up menu will appear. Click Settings.
  4. You’ll see a page called Account Summary (image A). In the middle, you’ll see your e-mail address listed. Click the link beneath it called Manage e-mail addresses.

    Initiate the process of changing your e-mail on the Account Summary screen.

  5. You’ll see a page called Security Summary (image B). The first option will be Change E-mail. Click that link.

    The Change E-mail link is on the Security Summary screen.

  6. Enter your password (so Evernote can be sure this is actually you), then enter the new e-mail address you’d like to use. You’ll receive a confirmation e-mail within a minute or two. If you don’t get it, check your spam filter.
  7. Click the link in the confirmation e-mail, and your e-mail address change will be saved.

POWER-USER TIP

Avoid the Spam Trap

Some spam filters are pickier than others. If you find that you’re missing important Evernote notifications, messages, or sharing invitations from cousins and colleagues, there’s an easy solution. Go to your e-mail provider’s security settings to ensure e-mails from Evernote will never be labeled spam (some providers refer to this as “whitelisting”). That way, you can be sure you’ll never miss important updates or new information on a shared ancestor.

Changing Your Password

Computer security experts advise that it’s always a good idea to change your password periodically. Some websites make that process painfully difficult, but in Evernote, it’s easy. To change your password, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your account through the web version of Evernote.
  2. In the top left corner, click on Account.
  3. A pop-up menu will appear. Click Settings.
  4. You’ll see a page called Account Summary. On the left, click Security Summary.
  5. Click Change Password.
  6. Enter your old password, then your new one (you’ll be asked to enter it twice, to avoid accidental typos). Click update.

Recovering a Lost Password

With as many online accounts as most people have, forgotten passwords are a common obstacle. If you can’t remember your Evernote password, don’t panic. Here’s what to do:

  1. Go to the web version of Evernote.
  2. Click the Login link, then click Forgot Password? (image C).

    The password reset link is at the bottom of the Evernote login dialog box.

  3. Check your e-mail (be sure it’s the account you used to register with Evernote). Within a minute or two, you should have an e-mail from Evernote with a password reset link. If you can’t find it, check your spam filter.

Changing Your Billing Status

If you’re an Evernote Plus or Premium subscriber, you’ll probably need to make changes to your billing information at some point. If you’re an Evernote Basic user, there’s a good chance you’ll want to upgrade in the future. To change your credit card number or billing method or to switch from monthly to yearly billing (or vice versa), do this:

  1. Log in to your account through the web version of Evernote.
  2. In the top left corner, click on Account.
  3. A pop-up menu will appear. Click Settings.
  4. You’ll see a page called Account Summary. On the left near the bottom of the menu, click on Billing Info. From here, you can change your address, your credit card/PayPal information, and your billing frequency (image D). Note that billing changes will take effect at the end of your current billing cycle.

    Change your payment preferences on the Billing Information screen.

TROUBLESHOOTING SYNCING ISSUES

Syncing is awesome—most of the time. Once in a while, though, you’ll run into problems. If you notice that your notes aren’t syncing properly, try these steps:

Add a Profile Photo

You can personalize your Evernote experience a bit by adding a profile photo. This is an especially nice feature to use when you begin collaborating with cousins you haven’t met in person, since people tend to respond more warmly to a real human face. To upload a photo, go to your Account Summary, then click on Profile.

Upload a profile photo to personalize your experience and ensure your collaborators see a friendly face.

OTHER COMMON ISSUES

Although everyone is different, issues that arise while using Evernote tend to follow some common themes. Is yours on this list?

Help! I Did Something Dumb! How Do I Undo It?

On a PC, click Control-Z to undo your last action. On a Mac, click Command-Z. If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, shake the device itself (gently!) to undo. As of this writing, Android, Windows, and BlackBerry devices don’t yet have an Undo function.

My Fonts Are a Mess—Big in Some Places and Small in Others. What Do I Do?

Highlight all of the text using your mouse (click Control-A on a PC or Command-A on a Mac). At the top of your note, you’ll see a toolbar with the font choice, font size, and formatting options (image F). Choose one font and one size, and all of your text will be adjusted to match your selection.

Wonky fonts in your notes can be frustrating, but they do happen (especially if you copy and paste text from other programs). You can fix them by selecting all of the text, then choosing one font and size to standardize the entire selection.

Why Isn’t My Search Finding XYZ Item? I Know It’s There.

It’s likely that your search feature has been restricted. Next to the search box, you’ll see a little magnifying glass. There’s a tiny drop-down arrow next to it. Click it, and you’ll see the option to narrow or broaden your search. Click Search All Notes, then try again. You can read much more about searching techniques and tricks in chapter 4.

My Note Is Missing! Where Is It?

It’s probably in the Trash notebook. When you find it, look for the Restore Note button in the top left corner. Click that, and your note will return to its original home.

FINDING MORE HELP

When you’ve exhausted all of the routine solutions, or you have a problem that seems unusual or complicated, it’s time to call in the big guns. With Evernote, there are lots of big guns. Here are your options for getting more help:

RESOURCES FOR LEARNING MORE

Like everything else in the technology world, Evernote changes often. New tools are released, and talking to other users is the best way to learn more about how to make the most of them. Genealogists have some unique needs with regard to Evernote, so it’s especially nice when we can find help that speaks to those needs. Here are some great places to discover how others are using Evernote:

KEYS to SUCCESS