PubMed: Save Searches and Set Email Alerts

Access PubMed

1. Go to Ruth Lilly Medical Library Databases (opens in new window).
2. Scroll down to click on the PubMed or click “P” on the alphabet bar.
3. NOTE: You may need to enter your IU username, passphrase and DUO.

Create a My NCBI account From PubMed (see above)

1. Click Log in [button] link in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
2. Click on the Sign up link under the list of buttons.
   
3. Click Log in [button] link in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
4. Choose which 3rd-party option you want to use to link a My NCBI account, and click that specific button.
   NOTE:
   1. Guidance on choosing the best 3rd-Party option for you. (https://ncbiinsights.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/my-ncbi-login-transition-tips/#choosing)
   2. You can link multiple 3rd-party accounts to My NCBI

   

5. Fill in requested information.

Log into your My NCBI account

From PubMed (see above)

1. Click Log in [button] link in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
2. Click on one of the 3rd-party accounts that you linked to your My NCBI account.
   
3. Fill in a 3rd-party username and password and follow directions.
4. You will return to PubMed and your My NCBI username will be in the box in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
   

Save a PubMed search

1. After logging into your My NCBI account (see above), run a search in PubMed.
2. From the Search Results screen, click Create alert [link under search box].
   
3. Your Saved search menu appears at the top of your search results. It is automatically named, but you can change it.
4. Under “Would you like email updates of new search results?”, select No.
5. Click Save [button].
6. To view, edit or delete your saved search, click your MyNCBI username [button] in the upper-right corner.
7. Select Dashboard [link].
8. Find all saved PubMed searches under Saved Searches (right-hand column).

Create an auto-alert of a PubMed search

1. Log into your My NCBI account (see above) and run a search in PubMed.
2. From the Search Results screen, click Create alert [link under search box].
   
3. Your Saved search menu appears at the top of your search results. It is automatically named, but you can change it.
4. Under “Would you like email updates of new search results?”, select Yes.
5. Scroll down to select options according to your needs.
6. Click Save [button].
7. To view, edit or delete your saved search, click your MyNCBI username [button] in the upper-right corner
8. Select Dashboard [link].
9. Find all saved PubMed searches under Saved Searches (right-hand column).

Edit/Delete saved PubMed searches & auto-alerts

1. Log into your NCBI account (see above)
2. Click your MyNCBI username [button] in the upper-right corner.
3. Select Dashboard [link].
4. Click Manage Saved Searches [link] at bottom right of Saved Searches box.
5. Click the gear icon next to the search that you want to edit or delete.
6. Make changes, and/or click on the appropriate button (Save OR Delete)

Assistance

Please feel free to email us at medlref@iu.edu or call (317) 274-7182.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.