Notion beginner's guide: an all-in-one workspace for beginners

Notion is a versatile app that combines notes, tasks, databases and project management in one platform. Whether you want to organize your personal life, manage projects or build a knowledge base, Notion gives you the flexibility to set it up exactly the way you want. In this beginner's guide you'll learn the basics of Notion and how to get started right away.

What is Notion?

Notion is a digital workspace that replaces several tools. Instead of separate apps for notes, to-do lists, spreadsheets and project management, Notion combines all of this in one clear environment. Its strength is flexibility: you can adapt Notion to your own way of working.

Why choose Notion?

  • Everything in one place - Notes, tasks and projects combined
  • Fully customizable - Make it exactly the way you want
  • Free for personal use - Extensive free version
  • Works everywhere - Browser, desktop app and mobile apps
  • Collaboration - Share workspaces with others
  • Templates - Thousands of ready-made templates

Getting started with Notion

Creating an account

Go to notion.so and create a free account. You can sign up with your email address, Google account or Apple ID. After signing up you get access to your personal workspace.

Understanding the interface

When you open Notion, you see:

  • Sidebar on the left - Navigation to all your pages and workspaces
  • Main window - The page you are currently working on
  • Plus button - Add new pages and blocks
  • Search bar - Quickly search through all your content

Creating your first page

Click "+ New page" in the sidebar to get started. Give the page a title and start typing. It's that simple!

Working with blocks

In Notion, everything is a "block". A paragraph is a block, an image is a block, a table is a block. This modular system gives you maximum flexibility.

Types of blocks

Text blocks:

  • Plain text
  • Headings (H1, H2, H3)
  • Bulleted lists
  • Numbered lists
  • Checklists (to-dos)
  • Quotes
  • Dividers

Media blocks:

  • Images
  • Videos
  • Audio
  • Files
  • Web page embeds

Advanced blocks:

  • Tables
  • Databases
  • Toggle lists
  • Columns
  • Callouts (highlighted blocks)

Adding blocks

There are several ways to add blocks:

  1. Type / - A forward slash opens the block menu
  2. Click + - The plus button to the left of each line
  3. Drag and drop - Drag blocks in from outside Notion

Moving and organizing blocks

Click and drag the handle (six dots) to the left of a block to move it. You can also drag blocks to other pages in the sidebar.

Converting blocks

Want to turn a text block into a heading or a list? Click the handle and choose "Turn into" to change the type.

Organizing pages

Creating subpages

You can create pages inside pages for an organized structure:

  1. Open a page
  2. Type /page or click + and choose "Page"
  3. The new page appears as a subpage

Subpages are visible in the sidebar under their parent page.

Dragging pages into folders

Organize pages by dragging them in the sidebar. Create a hierarchy that makes sense for how you use it.

Favorites

You can mark frequently used pages as favorites. Click the star icon at the top right or drag the page to the favorites section in the sidebar.

Databases: the power of Notion

Databases are what set Notion apart from other note-taking apps. A database is a collection of items that you can filter, sort and view in different ways.

Creating a database

  1. Type /database or click + > Database
  2. Choose between inline (on the current page) or full page
  3. Add columns for the information you want to track

Properties (columns)

Every database has properties that you define yourself:

  • Text - Short or long text
  • Number - Numbers, currency, percentages
  • Select - Dropdown with options
  • Multi-select - Multiple tags
  • Date - Dates and reminders
  • Checkbox - Tick boxes
  • URL - Links
  • Email - Email addresses
  • Phone - Phone numbers
  • Relation - Link to other databases
  • Formula - Calculations

Views

One database can be displayed in several ways:

  • Table - Spreadsheet-like overview
  • Board - Kanban board with columns (like Trello)
  • List - Simple list
  • Calendar - Items on a calendar
  • Gallery - Visual cards with images
  • Timeline - Gantt chart for projects

Add multiple views to the same database to look at your data in different ways.

Filtering and sorting

Keep your database organized:

  • Filter - Show only items that meet certain criteria
  • Sort - Order items by a property

Click "Filter" or "Sort" above the database to add rules.

Practical examples

Personal task list

Create a database with:

  • Name (text)
  • Status (select: To do, In progress, Done)
  • Deadline (date)
  • Priority (select: High, Medium, Low)

Use a board view to drag tasks between statuses.

Reading list

Keep track of the books you want to read:

  • Title (text)
  • Author (text)
  • Genre (multi-select)
  • Status (select: Want to read, Reading, Read)
  • Rating (number)
  • Notes (text)

Project planning

Manage projects with:

  • Project name (text)
  • Description (text)
  • Status (select)
  • Start and end date (date)
  • Owner (person)
  • Tasks (relation to a tasks database)

Use the timeline view for an overview of all projects.

Using templates

Notion offers thousands of free templates:

  1. Click "Templates" in the sidebar
  2. Browse categories or search
  3. Click a template to preview it
  4. Choose "Use this template" to add it

Creating your own templates

Create reusable templates for recurring pages:

  1. Create a page with the structure you want
  2. Click the three dots at the top right
  3. Choose "Create template"
  4. The template is now available in your workspace

Database templates

Within a database you can create templates for new items:

  1. Open the database
  2. Click the arrow next to "New"
  3. Choose "New template"
  4. Design the default content for new items

Collaborating in Notion

Sharing a page

To share a specific page:

  1. Open the page
  2. Click "Share" at the top right
  3. Enter email addresses or copy a link
  4. Set permissions (view, edit, full access)

Sharing workspaces

For intensive collaboration you can create a shared workspace where several people have access to all pages.

Comments and mentions

Communicate within Notion:

  • Comments - Click on text and add a comment
  • @-mentions - Type @ and a name to tag someone
  • Page mentions - Type @ and a page name to link to it

Tips for beginners

Start simple

Notion can be overwhelming because of all its possibilities. Start with a simple note or task list and build up gradually.

Use keyboard shortcuts

Learn the most important shortcuts:

  • / - Open the block menu
  • Ctrl+N - New page
  • Ctrl+P - Quick search
  • Ctrl+Shift+L - Dark mode
  • [[ - Create a link to a page

Organize with emojis

Use emojis as page icons for quick recognition. Click the icon to the left of the page title to change it.

Make backups

Regularly export your workspace via Settings > Export to back up all your data.

Frequently asked questions

Is Notion free to use?

Yes, Notion has an extensive free version. For personal use you can create unlimited pages and share them with up to 10 guests. The paid versions offer extra features for teams and businesses, such as unlimited guests and advanced permissions.

Does Notion work offline?

The Notion desktop and mobile apps have limited offline functionality. You can view and edit recently opened pages without internet. Changes are synced as soon as you are back online. Notion is less suitable for working fully offline.

Is Notion hard to learn?

Notion has a learning curve because of its many possibilities, but the basics are quick to pick up. Start with simple notes and task lists. As you gain more experience, you can explore more advanced features such as databases. The template gallery also helps you get started quickly.

Can I use Notion as a replacement for other apps?

Notion can replace many apps, including note-taking apps, task managers, spreadsheets and project management tools. Whether it is a complete replacement depends on your specific needs. For highly specialized features, dedicated apps are sometimes better, but for most people Notion offers more than enough.

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