How to Create a Folder in Notion

What better way to organize your data than with Notion? Maybe you’re still unfamiliar with Notion’s ecosystem and are looking for ways to create a folder to list your files in.

If so, look no further – we’re here to provide you with detailed instructions on how to create folders in Notion. And not only that – you’ll learn how to create subfolders, databases, import CSV files into Notion, and much more.

How to Create a Folder in Notion

In Notion, you can see a list of pages you have in your workspace on the left-side panel. You can think of these pages as folders. How come? Well, just like you can have folders on your desktop and then make new folders inside them, you can create pages inside of pages in Notion.

To make a new page (folder) in Notion, follow these simple steps:

1. Open Notion on your Mac or PC.
   
2. Head over to the bottom left-hand corner and click on the “New page” button.
   
3. This will create a new page. Enter a name for your page where it says “Untitled.”
   
4. Press Enter on your keyboard.
5. Your page is now ready for customizing.
   

How to Create a Subfolder in Notion

People like to think of Notion’s subpages as subfolders since they have the same function. There are a couple of ways to make a subpage in Notion:

Creating Subfolders From the Side Panel

1. Head over to the left-hand panel where you can see the list of your Notion pages (folders).
   
2. Hover over the page (folder) you want to add a subpage (subfolder) to.
   
3. Click on the plus (+) sign next to that page.
   
4. This will add a new subpage (subfolder) inside your page (folder).
5. Name the subpage.
   

You have now created a subfolder in Notion and can customize it any way you like.

Creating Subfolders From the Current Page

Another way to make a subfolder in Notion is through a page you’re currently working on.

1. Make sure you’re on the right page.
2. Click on the blank space on the screen to start typing.
   
3. Type “/” on your keyboard.
   
4. Type “page.” This will trigger Notion to embed a new subpage (subfolder).
   
5. Give your subpage (subfolder) a name.
   

You have now created a new subfolder to the page that you’re currently working on.

How to Create a List in Notion

Creating a list block in Notion lets you work with pages (or subpages) that behave like a database. This way, you’ll have a more minimalist look with the same power as a database. Here’s how you can make a list block in Notion:

1. Launch Notion on your PC or Mac.
   
2. Go to the page you want to add a list to or simply create a new page.
   
3. Click on the blank space (body) of your page and type “/” followed by “list.”
   
4. In the command drop-down menu that appears, choose between “List – Inline” or “List – Full page” in the Database section. The former will create the list on the same page, while the latter will make a separate page for it.
   
5. You have now created your list block – it will show on your page.
   
6. Name your list block.
   
7. Click on Page 1 from the list. All pages will come with the same properties: “Created” (showing the date and time) and “Tags” (describing the page – usually you enter keywords here).
   
8. Click on “Add a property” to assign your page with new properties. You can choose among the same properties available for a database: text, number, select, multi-select, person, date, files, and media, checkbox, URL, email…
   

How to Create a Database in Notion

Once you’ve successfully mastered most of the basic Notion functions, you might be looking at how to create a more advanced type of page – a database. Databases will offer much more possibilities for page manipulation and can be perfect for managing group projects.

Here’s how to make a database in Notion:

1. Open Notion on your PC or Mac.
   
2. Click on the “+ New Page” button as we’ll start by creating a regular page.
   
3. In the “Database” menu that appears on the whiteboard, click on “Table” if you want to create a table-style database. You can choose between a table, list, calendar, board, gallery, or timeline database. We recommend starting with a table, as it’s the easiest one to fill-out, and later you can switch to any other view. For example, you can transform a table-view database into a calendar-view to have a better insight into deadlines.
   
4. A new table with three columns will now show up. The first column – “Name,” is where you enter your database items. You’ll also see a “Tags” column you can use to describe the items.
   
5. You can change column properties by clicking on its name and entering whatever property you want. For example, you can click on the “Files” column and rename it to “Deadline” to set a deadline property for your database.
   
6. Choose the property type from the drop-down menu. For the “Deadline” column, we would choose the “Date” property. If you wanted to make a column for members assigned with a specific task, you’d select the “Person” property from the drop-down menu.
   

You can now further customize your database until you’re happy with it. What is nice is that each item you add to the database has its own Notion page. This means you can edit or add even more information to your database items.

You can change the database view format by clicking on the “+ Add a view” button at the left-hand corner of your database. Choose between “Table,” “Board,” “Timeline,” “Calendar,” “List,” or “Gallery.”

How to Import CSV Files Into Notion

Like most of us, you probably have a bunch of data all over the place – Google Sheets, Excel, Drive… You can now centralize all your data in one place, including your CSV files. Here’s how to import them into Notion:

Note: Notion only allows importing files (of any type) using desktop or web browser – not a phone.

1. Click on the “Import” button on the left-hand panel in Notion.
   
2. A new window will show asking you which file type you want to import. Choose “CSV.”
   
3. Upload the file you want from your desktop.
   

Pro tip: To merge your CSV file with an existing database in Notion – click on the “Merge with CSV” option in your database menu. You’ll open the menu by clicking on the three horizontal lines in the top right-hand corner of the database.

How to Add Text to a Notion Page

Adding text to a page is one of the first steps you’ll take on your Notion journey. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open a page you want to add text to. You can also make a new page by clicking on the “New Page” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the side panel.
   
2. You’ll see a blank space appear – click anywhere to start typing.
   
3. There will be a message in the background saying “Type / for commands.” You can either follow the message and type / for the command menu to open, or you can simply type whatever text you want and edit it as you go.

Additional FAQs

We’ve prepared some more questions in case you need additional information when it comes to making and managing Notion pages.

How Do I Create My First Page in Notion?

When you’re just starting to use Notion, you’ll see a few built-in template pages on the left-hand side panel: Getting Started, Quick Note, Personal Home, Task List.

If you want to make your own page in Notion, here’s what you need to do:

• Click on the “New page” button on the left side panel in Notion. You’ll find it in the bottom left-hand corner.

• Name your page.

• You’ve now created your first page in Notion! Go ahead and start editing.

You can add a page icon and a page cover depending on the topic. You can also add various types of content on your page by typing “/” and choosing an option from the command drop-down menu. Your possibilities are limitless!

How Do I Create a Link to Another Page in Notion?

Linking your pages in Notion is quite handy as it helps you navigate the app easier. There are a couple of ways you can connect your pages:

Method 1

• Open the page you want to link a page to.

• Type some text and hit the open bracket key twice ([[).

• Type the name of the page whose link you want to insert.

• Click on that page from the dropdown menu.

Method 2

• On your keyboard, type a plus (+) sign and then type the name of the page you want to link to.

• Click on the page you want to link to from the dropdown menu.

Organizing Your Data in Notion

It’s never been more compelling to organize your files and folders – and it’s all thanks to Notion. You can now centralize all your work-related projects, pages, papers, table sheets, and whatnot into one place. That’s why it will come in handy to learn how to make pages and subpages (also called folders and subfolders).

In this article, we’ve shown you how to create a page (folder), import CSV files, create databases, lists, and more. Hopefully, we’ve made your Notion experience more enjoyable. We know how challenging it can be to navigate the app in the beginning.

What kind of data do you prefer to put into subpages in Notion? Do you use a database to keep track of your projects? Share your experiences in the comments section below.