Evernote Note Limit Reached (Free Plan)
Ongoing All platforms Updated October 21, 2026
Quick answer
Evernote Free allows only 50 notes and 1 notebook. Over that, you can still view, edit and export notes but can't create new ones. Delete notes and empty the trash, or upgrade to Starter (1,000 notes) or Advanced (unlimited).
Most likely fix: Delete notes and empty the trash.
Symptoms
A message says you've reached your note limit, and the New Note button is disabled or prompts an upgrade.
Why it happens
- Free plan cap of 50 notes / 1 notebook (Starter: 1,000 notes / 20 notebooks)
- Notes in the trash still count
- Shared notes moved into your notebooks count
How to fix it
Try these in order — the most common fix is first.
1. Delete notes and empty the trash
- Delete notes you no longer need
- Open Trash and choose Empty Trash, since trashed notes still count
2. Merge short notes
- Combine several small notes into one to reduce the count
3. Export older notes, then delete them
- Export notes to ENEX from the desktop app as a backup
- Delete the exported notes and empty the trash
4. Upgrade or move to another app
- Starter allows 1,000 notes ($99/year); Advanced is unlimited ($249.99/year)
- Or import your ENEX export into a free app like Joplin or OneNote
This guide also covers
- evernote note limit reached
- evernote 50 note limit
- evernote can't create new note
- evernote free plan limit
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