Is Notion free to use?

Yes, Notion has a generous free plan for personal use. You get unlimited pages, blocks, and up to 5 guests. Paid plans add features like unlimited file uploads, version history, and team features.

Can I use Notion offline?

Notion has limited offline support. You can view recently accessed pages offline, and changes will sync when you reconnect. For full offline work, apps like Obsidian work better.

How do I organize my Notion workspace?

Start with a simple structure—a personal home page linking to main areas. Use the PARA method (Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives) for organization. Add complexity only as needed.

What is a Notion database?

A database is a collection of pages with shared properties (like a spreadsheet with pages as rows). You can view data as tables, boards, calendars, or galleries. Databases are Notion's most powerful feature.

Can I use Notion for team collaboration?

Yes, Notion excels at team collaboration. Share workspaces, comment on content, assign tasks, and work together in real-time. Team plans add advanced permissions and admin controls.

How do I import data into Notion?

Notion imports from Evernote, Trello, Asana, and more (Settings → Import). You can also import markdown files, CSV data, and HTML. Some formatting may need adjustment after import.

What are Notion templates?

Templates are pre-built pages or database structures you can duplicate. Create your own for repeated content, or use thousands of community templates from the Notion template gallery.

Is my data secure in Notion?

Notion uses encryption in transit and at rest. Enterprise plans add additional security features. Your data is stored in the cloud; if you need local-only storage, consider alternatives like Obsidian.

Can I integrate Notion with other apps?

Yes, Notion integrates with Slack, Google Calendar, Figma, and many other tools. Use Zapier or Make for additional integrations. Notion's API enables custom connections.

Should I use Notion or Obsidian?

Notion is better for all-in-one workspace needs, team collaboration, and database-heavy workflows. Obsidian is better for local-first storage, bidirectional linking, and markdown enthusiasts. Many people use both.

Notion for Beginners: Complete Setup Guide (2026)

What is Notion?

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that combines notes, databases, wikis, and project management. Unlike single-purpose apps, Notion's flexibility lets you build customized systems for almost any workflow.

Why People Love Notion

Flexibility - Build exactly what you need, from simple notes to complex databases All-in-one - Replace multiple apps with one workspace Beautiful - Clean design that's enjoyable to use Free tier - Generous free plan for personal use Templates - Start with pre-built setups

Who Notion is For

Notion works for almost anyone, but especially:

Knowledge workers managing information
Students organizing courses and assignments
Teams needing shared documentation
Freelancers tracking projects and clients
Anyone drowning in scattered apps

Getting Started

Creating Your Account

Go to notion.so
Sign up with email or Google/Apple
Choose Personal or Team workspace
Walk through the brief onboarding

The Notion Interface

Sidebar - Your workspace navigation. Shows pages, favorites, and templates.

Main area - Where you create and edit content.

Top bar - Page title, sharing options, comments, and history.

Your First Page

Click the "+" button in the sidebar to create a new page. Type a title and start writing. That's it—you've created your first Notion page.

Basic Formatting

Type "/" to open the command menu. Here you can insert:

Headings (H1, H2, H3)
Bulleted and numbered lists
To-do checkboxes
Dividers
Images and files
And much more

Pages and Blocks

Notion is built on two core concepts: pages and blocks.

Pages

Pages are Notion's fundamental unit. A page can contain:

Text and media
Other pages (subpages)
Databases
Embeds and widgets

Pages can nest infinitely. This lets you create organized hierarchies:

📄 Work
  📄 Projects
    📄 Website Redesign
    📄 Q1 Marketing
  📄 Meeting Notes
  📄 Reference Docs

Blocks

Everything on a page is a block. Paragraphs, headings, lists, images—all blocks.

Block properties:

Drag to rearrange
Click ⋮⋮ to access options
Turn into different block types
Comment on specific blocks

Block types include:

Text (paragraph, headings, quotes)
Lists (bulleted, numbered, to-do, toggle)
Media (images, files, bookmarks, video)
Advanced (databases, embeds, callouts)

Toggle Blocks

One powerful block type is the toggle. Click to expand/collapse content. Great for:

FAQ sections
Hiding details until needed
Organizing long pages

Columns

Drag a block next to another to create columns. Useful for:

Side-by-side comparisons
Dashboard layouts
Multi-column pages

Understanding Databases

Databases are Notion's superpower. They turn simple notes into structured, filterable, sortable information.

Database Basics

A database is a collection of pages with shared properties. Each row is a page; each column is a property.

Property types:

Text - Plain text
Number - Quantities, ratings
Select - Single choice from options
Multi-select - Multiple tags
Date - Dates and reminders
Person - Team member assignment
Checkbox - Yes/no
URL - Links
Formula - Calculated values
Relation - Link to other databases
Rollup - Aggregate data from relations

Database Views

The same data can be displayed multiple ways:

Table - Spreadsheet-style grid Board - Kanban columns (like Trello) List - Simple list of entries Calendar - Items by date Gallery - Visual cards Timeline - Gantt-style timeline

One database can have multiple views. Your task database might show:

Board view for project status
Calendar view for deadlines
Table view for detailed data

Filters and Sorts

Customize views with:

Filters - Show only items matching criteria (e.g., "Status = In Progress") Sorts - Order by property (e.g., due date ascending)

This lets you create focused views like "My Tasks Due This Week" or "Completed Projects."

Your First Database

Type "/database" and choose "Table - Inline"
Add properties (columns) for your data
Create entries (rows)
Add views (Board, Calendar, etc.)
Create filters for different perspectives

Using Templates

Templates save time and provide starting points for common setups.

Block Templates

Repeatable content blocks. Create once, insert anywhere:

Meeting note structure
Project page format
Weekly review template

To create: Make a template button block, design content inside, then click to duplicate.

Page Templates

New pages can start from templates. In a database, click "+ New" then create a template for new entries.

Notion Template Gallery

Visit notion.so/templates for pre-built systems:

Personal wikis
Project management
Goal tracking
Content calendars
CRM systems

Download, customize, and make them yours.

Duplicating Templates

When you find a public template:

Click "Duplicate" in the top right
Choose your workspace
Customize to fit your needs

Practical Use Cases

Personal Wiki

Create a home page linking to your knowledge:

📄 My Wiki
  📄 Books & Reading
  📄 Health & Fitness
  📄 Recipes
  📄 Travel Notes
  📄 Learning

Task Management

Build a tasks database:

Status (Not Started, In Progress, Done)
Due Date
Project (relation to projects database)
Priority (High, Medium, Low)

Views: Today's Tasks, This Week, By Project

Meeting Notes

Database for all meetings:

Date
Attendees
Meeting Type
Linked Project
Notes (page content)
Action Items (linked tasks)

Reading List

Track books and articles:

Title
Author
Status (To Read, Reading, Finished)
Rating
Notes and highlights

Project Dashboard

Central page with:

Active projects (database view)
Tasks (filtered to this week)
Meeting notes (filtered to recent)
Quick links to key resources

Pro Tips and Shortcuts

Keyboard Shortcuts

Essential:

Cmd/Ctrl + N - New page
Cmd/Ctrl + P - Quick search
Cmd/Ctrl + / - Command menu
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + L - Toggle dark mode

Formatting:

Cmd/Ctrl + B - Bold
Cmd/Ctrl + I - Italic
Cmd/Ctrl + U - Underline
Cmd/Ctrl + E - Inline code

Blocks:

/todo - Checkbox
/h1, /h2, /h3 - Headings
/toggle - Toggle list
/callout - Callout block

Markdown Support

Notion supports markdown:

**bold** → bold
*italic* → italic
# Heading → H1
- item → Bullet
[x] → Checkbox

Synced Blocks

Content that updates everywhere:

Create block content
Select and choose "Copy link to block" or "Turn into synced block"
Paste elsewhere—edits sync across all copies

Great for: headers, contact info, recurring content.

Relations and Rollups

Relations link databases together. Your Tasks database can link to Projects. Click a task to see its project.

Rollups aggregate data across relations. Show total tasks per project, average rating, or completion percentage.

Web Clipper

The Notion web clipper (browser extension) saves pages directly to your workspace. Great for research and reading lists.

Next Steps

Start Simple

Don't build complex systems on day one. Start with:

A few simple pages
One basic database (tasks or notes)
Template for repeated content

Add complexity only when you feel the need.

Learn More

Notion Help Center - Official documentation YouTube tutorials - Visual learning r/Notion - Community tips Template galleries - Inspiration and starting points

Common Next Steps

Connect to other tools (calendars, Slack)
Learn formulas for calculated fields
Build a personal dashboard
Create team workspaces
Explore API and integrations

Notion's power comes from customization. There's no "right" way—build what works for your workflow and iterate over time.