Should your files live inside Evernote? Or be linked?

 

February 2 2026 | Issue 81 | Link to this issue | Subscribe

Hi Reader –

Two weeks ago, we covered the foundational concept that files in Evernote are just one element of a note, not a note in themselves.

Now comes the bigger question: where should your files actually live?

Here's what I mean. A file can live inside Evernote (attached to a note) or outside Evernote (stored somewhere like Google Drive and linked from a note).

There's no right or wrong choice here. It's about workflow design. In fact, I do both, depending on the situation.

Let me walk you through how to think about this.

Option 1: Files Living Inside Evernote

When you attach a file to a note, the file itself is stored in your Evernote account. It syncs across all your devices and lives inside that note as one of its elements.

This approach works well when:

  • The file is primarily for your own reference (not collaborative)

  • You want everything in one place — no hunting through multiple apps

  • The document is "final" or archival (receipts, manuals, signed contracts)

  • You need offline access to the file

  • You want to find the file later by searching its contents (Evernote indexes text inside PDFs, Word docs, and other file types, making them discoverable even if you forget the file name)

The benefit? Evernote becomes a true command center for your project. The overview, the meeting notes, the timeline, and the actual documents — all in one note or notebook.

Option 2: Files Living Outside Evernote (Linked)

The alternative is to store your file somewhere else — like Google Drive — and paste a link to it inside your Evernote note.

When you do this, you're not storing the file in Evernote. You're just making it easy to get to by clicking the link inside your note.

This approach works well when:

  • You need to collaborate with others on the document

  • Version control matters (multiple people editing, tracking changes)

  • The file lives in a specific ecosystem (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365)

  • You're working with very large files

Evernote even has a Google Drive integration that formats these links nicely. When you attach a Google Drive file, it appears as a clickable object with the title displayed that’s easy to spot in your note. (That title then becomes searchable in Evernote.)

One important thing to understand is that when you attach a Google Drive file this way, none of the contents of that file are actually saved to your Evernote account. You're just adding a link. The file still lives in Google Drive.

🧠 Academy Members: Check out the Editing Documents Stored in Evernote training for a demo on how to edit documents you store in Evernote.

The Decision Framework

When deciding where a file should live, ask yourself these questions:

Do I need to share or collaborate on this file?

If yes, store it outside Evernote (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) and link to it. Evernote isn't built for real-time collaboration on files that are attached to notes.

Does version control matter?

If multiple people will edit the file or you need to track changes over time, keep it in a tool designed for that — and keep a link to it in Evernote.

Is this a "living" document or archival?

Living documents that change frequently often work better when stored externally. Archival documents (receipts, signed agreements, reference materials) live nicely directly in Evernote.

Do I need offline access?

Files attached to Evernote can be accessed offline if you've downloaded the notebook. Linked files require an internet connection.

Do I want to centralize search?

If you store the file inside Evernote, its contents become searchable alongside all your notes (several mainstream file types are indexed by Evernote). If you link to an external file, only the title is searchable. You’ll need to open the actual external file to search its contents.

How I Use Both

Often, I have documents living right inside my Evernote account. Reference materials, PDFs I want to access on my phone, project archives — they all get attached directly.

Other times, the file lives on Google Drive (my preferred cloud storage when I use one outside of Evernote). This is especially true for anything I'm actively collaborating on or that needs to stay in the Google ecosystem.

My project management notes often combine both approaches: attached reference documents and links to collaborative Google Docs.

The point isn't to pick one method and stick to it forever. It's to make intentional choices based on how you'll actually use each file.

Start With Intention

Next time you're about to add a file to Evernote, pause for a moment and ask: Should this file live here, or should I just link to it?

That small moment of intention will save you headaches down the road and help you build workflows that actually work for how you operate.

Cheers to your productivity —

Stacey

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Stacey Harmon