50+ Best Notion Tips

Modest Mitkus
April 4, 2024

Notion is a productivity and organization platform focused on allowing users to create anything they need from notes to entire databases. The suite of strong tools make it one of the most flexible apps on the market.

Just downloaded Notion and feeling a bit overwhelmed by the endless possibilities that stand before you? Don't worry, these Best Notion Tips will get you well-covered with everything you need to know to get the most out of Notion.

Looking for a Notion system to help you become twice productive and get things done? Check my Ultimate Productivity System.

Looking for free templates to get you started with Notion? Check my list of70+ free Notion templates.

Table of content

First of Best Notion Tips - Notion Shortcuts

Shortcuts are a great way to save time while using Notion. In this Tip, we're sharing the most popular ones to help you get started.

  • Press cmd/ctrl + N to create a new page (desktop apps only).
  • Press cmd/ctrl + shift + N or use cmd/ctrl + click to open a new Notion window.
  • Press cmd/ctrl + P to open search or jump to a recently viewed page.
  • Press cmd/ctrl + [ to go back a page.
  • Press cmd/ctrl + ] to go forward a page.
  • Press cmd + shift + K or ctrl + K in database peek view to go to the previous database page.
  • Press cmd + shift + J or ctrl + J in database peek view to go to the next database page.
  • Press cmd/ctrl + shift + L to toggle between dark mode and light mode.

Video on Notion Pages

Here's how to put your fave videos on Notion Pages:

  • Copy the video URL and paste it in the desired location on the page! Now, if you have a saved video that you want to put, just type the bar / and then type Video. Now click on Upload and finally in Choose a video!

Notion Web Clipper

There's a great chrome extension called Notion Web Clipper that will automatically import pages from the internet into your Notion database of choice. Just install the extension, click the icon on the page you want to save, and select your database. Save music, articles, videos, places you wish to see and more with this Notion tip!

Notion To-do Boxes

To create To-do Boxes in Notion, just follow this tip:

  1. Create a todo block.
  2. Change background color.
  3. Enter + tab.
  4. (optional) Turn indented block into text.

Add weather to Notion

If you want to be able to see the weather easily every time you open Notion on your Desktop or mobile, just follow this Notion tip:

  • Create a weather widget with the location you want in Indify and you will have a link ready to use in Notion.
  • Create a block in Notion, choose "Embed" and paste your link there.

Notion Icons and Covers

Notion is simple in nature which might seem tedious for some. However, with a little bit of change you can make it your own. This Notion Tip is about changing icons and covers, and it is really simple - you can change it by clicking on the 'Add Icon' or 'Add cover' icons. They are based on the top of a page.

Notion Dark Mode

If you love using dark modes on all different platforms, you will definitely love this Notion tip. Not only can you use a dark mode in Notion, it’s also very easy. To do this, just go to the Settings & Members menu, click Appearance, and, in the menu that appears, select Dark.

You can also hit Control+Shift+ L on a PC or Command+Shift+L on a Mac to enable dark mode in Notion.

Notion Quick Search

To quickly search for a page in Notion use this tip:

  • Hit Command+P on a Mac or Control+P on a PC.

This will pop up a quick menu that scans all of the pages. Try it once and you'll definitely be using this shortcut all the time!

Use @ Symbol for Another Page or Person Reference in Notion

To link directly to another page, simply type the '@' symbol and select the page you want to reference. You can also mention specific person by typing in the '@' symbol and selecting their name.

Keep in mind that any time you mention a person they will be notified!

Play with fonts in Notion

Picking a font for a document is pretty simple in Notion. You can do it from the menu right under the title of the page. Just select the menu in the top right and select your font style. This Notion tip is loved by creators and aesthetic seekers.

GIF Icons in Notion

GIF as an Icon in Notion? Yes, that’s possible, just follow this tip:

Icons can be image address links. Just add Google Image links of GIFs instead and you will have it!

Notion Block Columns

You can create a block column in Notion easily, jus follow this tip:

  • Select the six grey dots to the left side of the block or blocks you want to organize.
  • Move the selected block the side of the block you wish to create side by side columns
  • Once you see a blue vertical line you can click away.

Notion Forward Slash Shortcut

Just hit '/' and type in the name of the block you wish to create instead of selecting the plus icon to create a new block. This will allow you to quickly create new blocks without touching your mouse.

Page Width Changes in Notion

The default Notion layout has very wide margins. However, if you want to utilize the space just go to the menu at the top right of your screen and click on 'Full Width'.

Page updates view in Notion

Did you delete a crucial element from your page? You can find it back in the Page History section of Notion. Simply go to the ellipses on the right and then to Page History.

Add Database Colour Backgrounds in Notion

To apply colour to your Notion database, follow this tip:

  1. Create a Toggle List block using the + icon or typing / and choosing Toggle List.
  2. Apply your desired text and/or background colour(s) to that Toggle List. Click the dotted icon next to the block, or type / to reveal options, then search for or scroll to your color(s) when you are on desktop. Or select your colour(s) from the Colour option within the toolbar while using your mobile.
  3. Place your database within the same page as your newly coloured Toggle List, either by creating a new database or moving or linking to an existing one.
  4. Drag the database into the Toggle item.

Notion Embedded Videos

Notion is a great tool which you can use to embed links and videos from social media and other platforms like YouTube and Vimeo - here's how:

  • Simply get the video's URL link and paste it onto your page or in a video block.

It's great for organizing training videos or using them as a reference for your work.

Notion Favorite Pages

It can be tedious to find and visit the same pages over and over again. Just press the favorite button on the page you want to revisit regularly instead of clicking around or navigating your way back to it. Your favorite page will then appear in the 'favorites' list in Notion.

"Favorite" Pages from Other Notion Workspaces

Favoriting is a great way to save pages from a single workspace. But what if you want to quickly access a page on another workspace in the sidebar? Well it's easy too, just follow this tip:

  1. Move the page to your primary workspace
  2. Favorite it
  3. Move it back to the original workspace.

Notion Page Lock

Want to keep your Notion content safe from meddling fingers? No worries! You can lock your Notion pages by:

  • Selecting the ellipses icon in the top right
  • Choose 'Lock Page'.

This means that the page cannot be updated until you unlock it again.

Notion Embedded Documents

You can insert documents outside of Notion too! To embed a document in Notion:

  • Type '/' and 'embed'

You will be able to embed a lot of stuff! We have PDFs, Loom Videos, Google Maps and more!

Share Notion Pages

Looking for a way to share a specific page with someone? You'll find that by selecting 'Share'.

By sharing the link, you will allow anyone to see your page just like a website.If you want to allow people all over the world to edit your page, comment on it, or even save it as duplicates, all you need to do is click 'Show Link Options'. You can also decide if you want your pages to be indexed by Google or not.

You can add people as collaborators or individuals very easily. You type in their email and they will start receiving messages when you make changes, for example. Just remember that unless you restrict the page, any child pages inside will be visible to the person you share your parent page with.

Leave comments in Notion

You can mention people and pages from around your Notion board with the comment feature! To leave a comment in Notion simply select a block and click 'Comment'.

You can also hit Control+Shift+M on a PC or Command+Shift+M on a Mac to do the same thing.

Search Index in Notion Pages

A Notion Workspace can be accessed by anyone, anytime. To enable search indexing in your Notion pages, for them to be found by anyone using Google:

  • Select 'Share'
  • Click 'Show Link Options'
  • Select 'Search Engine Indexing'.

Notion Toggle List

A toggle list is a great way to organize long pages. To create one in Notion follow this tip:

  • Simply select your desired title text and turn it into a toggle list.
  • Add all of your relevant blocks inside.

When you click the toggle list, you'll see everything inside!

Create Formulas in Notion

You can create formulas in your tables to automatically display the numbers you want. It's similar to Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel, and can be really useful when, for example, counting something.

Copying Notion Heading Styles

You can copy and paste, or export styles from Notion to another word processor like Google Docs or Squarespace without any issue. That way if you write blog posts in the app, the styles should remain unchanged.

Home Page in Notion

Just like on the web, organizing your Notion dashboard begins with your home page. This will allow you to access all your keys links easily and quickly without bogging down the sidebar and breaking up single subpages so much.

Notion has a plain Personal Home page template that you can use, but it is better to customize it to suit your needs. It can include goals, financial tracking, for example.

Table of Contents in Notion Pages

A table of contents can be a great way to find out what the page is about. On longer pages, this might mean that you can scan what's on it more quickly. To create a table of contents in Notion:

  • Type in forward slash ‘/’
  • Select Table of Contents

The new links will now automatically take you to various sections of your page.

Duplicate Blocks in Notion

To duplicate blocks in Notion, follow one of these two tips:

  • Option 1: Hit Command+D on a mac or Control+D on a PC.
  • Option 2: Select your blocks, hold down the option, and drag them to where they need to go.

Keyboard shortcuts to switch between Notion workspaces.

When you're working with multiple Notion Workspaces, you can quickly switch between them by pressing "command" on a Mac or "control" on a PC and typing in the number of the Workspace.

Code Notion Blocks Colors

It can be super-fun and useful to organize things by color. To do this in Notion, just follow this tip:

  • Click either on the six dot menu next to a block, or right-click on the block, go to the Color menu, and finally choose the color you want apply to it!

Custom colors in Notion

The lack of color options in Notion is a bit disappointing, but there is a quick and easy workaround for this. Just follow this tip:

  • Add the following code to your page - $$color{000000}colorbox{E5DAED}{new colours!}$$

The colors are made up of hex codes, you can find them on Google and pick a color you want.

  • The first set of brackets in the formula {000000} controls the color of the text itself.
  • The second set of brackets {E5DAED} controls the color of the text box (or highlight color).
  • The last set of brackets {new colours!} controls what the box says.

This formula can be edited directly inside of Notion.

Kanban Boards in Notion

Kanban boards are a great way to organize your work and save you time and effort. You can use them in Notion and they're incredibly easy to use.

To create a new board, just create a new page through the side menu, Add a page, and then select the Board option. You’re set!

Have a link to Specific Notion Block

Just follow this Notion tip:

  • Selecting the six grey dots next to the block.
  • Choosing 'Copy Link'.

You can now navigate directly to that block using the copied link in the future.

Exportation of Notion Pages

To export Notion Pages**, just follow this tip:**

  • Go to the Ellipses in the top right of your page
  • Select Export.

You can export entire Notion pages as PDFs, Offline HTML files, or CSVs for Excel or Google Sheets.

Export CSVs from Notion

There may be cases where you want to transfer a table from Notion to an external tool such as Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel. To export a table as CSV in Notion use this tip:

  • Find the table you wish to export
  • Select the ellipses
  • Choose export as markdown and CSV.

The file can now be opened in your spreadsheet tool of choice.

Import CSVs into Notion

You can import tables from other databases to Notion by following this tip:

  • Select 'Import' from the dropdown menu.
  • Select CSV.
  • Select Your File from Your Computer.

Once imported you will see your new database on your page.

Database Properties Hiding in Notion

Want to keep things simple in Notion? Select the ellipses on top of your database and choose properties. That will allow you to hide or unhide property-related content.

Using Emojis in Notion

Unlike other word processing apps, you can't just right-click and add an emoji in Notion. However, you have two options:

  • Option 1: Hit ‘:’ and type the name of the emoji you want to use.
  • Option 2: Select Control+Command+Space on a Mac or Windows Key + Period on a PC to open up the emoji menu.

Toggle Between Notion Windows

The ability to have multiple windows open at the same time is one of the best things about Notion! It makes life so much easier for those who do a lot of work on-the-go.

If you want to toggle between your windows in Notion just follow this tip:

  • Hit command+~ on a Mac or alt+tab on a PC.

Linked Databases from Other Notion Workspaces

Databases are able to link between different workspaces. To create a linked database in Notion:

  • Copy the link to the database
  • Paste it in your workspace of choice.

Now, with this tip, you can see any updates made to both databases.

Journaling in Notion

So many of us need a place to capture our thoughts. But what if you have a million thoughts and they're all scattered in different places? If you want a one-stop solution for all your notes, ideas, and webpages, Notion is the app for you. With Notion you can create text notes, code, design documents, sketch ideas - anything that occurs to you.

Notion Reading List

The best way to read as many books as possible is to create a reading list for yourself. You can do that really easily in Notion! Organize all of your books by category, create reading wish lists, take notes, and even rate your readings all in one place.

Set your goals in Notion

Notion can help you achieve your goals. Create a bucket list to figure out what you want; set SMART goals to measure your progress-check them off as you complete them!

Notion Page Templates

Templates are one of the most powerful features inside Notion. To use them, follow this Notion Tip:

  • You can find Notion's template library by selecting the 'Templates' button on a new page.

Here you'll find templates for everything from Human Resources to Travel Planner.

Hide All Unwanted Properties in Notion

To avoid distractions in your Notion space, follow this tip:

Inside of a database you can hit “hide all” to get rid of all properties and better see what you can add which might be more relevant and better suit your needs

Notion Template Buttons

To create a template button in Notion use this tip:

  1. Create the thing you want to be generated from the template button. This can be text, spreadsheets, checklists or more.
  2. Select the 'Template' button from the block menu.
  3. Give your template a name.
  4. Drag in your blocks into the 'Template' section.
  5. Once you've added your template content select 'Close'.

Now you can recall your template by simply hitting the name of the template you just created.

Notion Databases Templates

Templates make life easy. It's not hard to create templates inside a Notion database, for example with upcoming meetings or new content checklists. Just follow this Notion Tip:

  1. Create a new page in the database
  2. Click 'open' to see the page inside
  3. Select the 'Create a Template' button.
  4. Create all of the blocks you wish to see. You can also emebed other databases into your template.
  5. Once your template is complete, Give it a name and click away.

Now when you create a new page in the database you will see the template option that you can click.

Databases in Notion Page Templates

When you create a new template you can embed a database.

  • When you create a new template on a new page, paste the link to reference the original linked database.
  • Filter the new database to your liking.

Now, whenever you activate the new template, the linked database will be inside. Any changes to the original database will be reflected in the created pages from the template.

Plan UI/UX Design Project in Notion

Notion supports two of the most popular design platforms in the app. You can directly integrate Figma and Invision prototype to the page and examine the relevant details regarding it. Just type ‘/Figma’ or ‘/Invisinon’ to use the functionality.

As you can see, Notion has a lot of great features to make your life easier. From the listed tips, explore the app more and you'll find even more tools to help your workflow. Share your favorite Notion tip with us! Also, make sure to visit our Notion marketplace for best free, paid Notion templates.

Frequently asked questions

No items found.