Troubleshooting and FAQs
Frequently asked questions
This is a list of some of the more commonly asked questions about using EndNote. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please contact us.
My citations are displaying with curly brackets { } and my reference list is not appearing at the end of the document
Go to the EndNote tab in Word and check that the Instant Formatting button says “Instant Formatting is on”. When instant formatting is turned on, it should automatically solve this issue. If it does not, click the “Update Citations and Bibliography” button.
How do I open EndNote on my computer if I’m using AppsAnywhere?
The first time you use EndNote, you will need to visit the AppsAnywhere website to allow it to validate your device. Read this advice on getting started with AppsAnywhere.
When you want to use EndNote again, you should launch it using the Cloudpaging Player:
- Open the Start menu by clicking the Windows icon on the taskbar of your desktop, and scroll down to find the Cloudpaging player in the list of programs.
- Open Cloudpaging Player, select EndNote, and click Launch.
Can I use EndNote on a Chromebook?
You can’t use the desktop version of EndNote on a Chromebook, as it is not possible to install software to your device. However, you can set up an EndNote Online account and access this via a browser.
You will need to write your own citations in Word on a Chromebook, as you cannot use the “Cite While You Write” EndNote plugin.
When you have finished writing your document, you can generate a full reference list by following these steps:
- In EndNote Online, add each reference used in the essay to a new group. Go to “Organise” and then “New Group” to create the Group, and then go to “My References” and select references to add them to the group.
- Go to the Format tab and select Bibliography.
- Select the group from the “references” drop-down list, and choose the bibliographic style you want to use. Click “Select Favorites” to see the full list of styles.
- Select RTF (rich text file) format.
- Click “Save” to download the reference list.
- You can copy and paste this reference list into your Word document.
Where is the product key for installing EndNote on a Mac?
When you downloaded the installation file from AppsAnywhere you will also have had access to an instructions PDF. The product key is in this PDF. Go back to AppsAnywhere and go back through the process of downloading EndNote if you need to re-download the PDF.
I am getting a “COM exception” or “COM error” message on Mac.
Please visit this Clarivate article on the COM exception error to read the suggested solutions for this issue.
Can I use other referencing software instead of EndNote?
You may use any reference management software you prefer. Our referencing tools page has information on some alternatives.
However, EndNote is the only software that is officially supported by the Library and IT, so we are able to support you fully if you choose to use EndNote.