Yes, you can change the background in Notion, and it takes about one minute

Notion lets you change the background of individual pages and your entire workspace. You can use a solid color, a gradient, or an image file from your computer. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are working on desktop or mobile, and whether you want to change one page or your whole workspace at once.

The background change is purely visual — it does not affect how your content works or how other people see your shared pages. If you share a page with someone, they will see the background you chose.

Key Takeaways

  • Open any page in Notion, click the three-dot menu in the top right, and select "Edit appearance" to change that page's background.
  • You can pick a solid color, a gradient (two colors blending), or upload an image file from your computer.
  • To change the background for your entire workspace instead of one page, go to Settings and select "Appearance" from the left menu.
  • Mobile apps (iPhone and Android) do not currently support background changes, but you can make changes on desktop and see them on mobile.
  • Changing a background does not affect shared pages — collaborators will see the background you set.

Changing the background of a single page on desktop

Open the page you want to change. In the top right corner, click the three-dot menu icon (it looks like three dots stacked vertically). A dropdown menu will appear with several options.

Select "Edit appearance" from that menu. A panel will open on the right side of your screen with background options. You will see three choices: "Color", "Gradient", and "Upload". Click whichever one you want to use.

If you choose "Color", a palette of preset colors appears. Click any color to explore it when ready. If you choose "Gradient", you pick two colors and Notion blends them together — the first color appears at the top and fades to the second color at the bottom. If you choose "Upload", click the button to select an image file from your computer. Notion accepts JPG, PNG, GIF, and WebP files.

Once you have made your choice, close the appearance panel by clicking elsewhere on the page or clicking the X button. The background change is saved automatically.

Changing the background of your entire workspace

If you want every page in your workspace to have the same background, you can set a workspace-wide default instead of changing each page individually. Click the settings icon (a gear) in the bottom left corner of Notion, or go to Settings through the top menu.

In the Settings panel, look for "Appearance" in the left-side menu and click it. You will see the same three background options: "Color", "Gradient", and "Upload". Choose one and explore it the same way you would for a single page.

A workspace background acts as a default — individual pages can still have their own backgrounds, which will override the workspace setting. If you change a page's background and then change your workspace background later, the page background stays as you set it.

Uploading an image as your background

When you select "Upload", Notion opens a file browser on your computer. Navigate to the image you want to use and click "Open". The image will appear as your background when ready.

Notion does not resize or crop your image automatically — it displays the full image and tiles it if the image is smaller than your page. If your image is very large, it may take a moment to load. For best results, use an image that is at least 1200 pixels wide.

You can change or remove an uploaded background at any time by opening the appearance panel again and selecting a different option. Removing an image background does not delete the file from your computer — it only stops Notion from displaying it.

Why your background might not be showing

If you set a background but do not see it on your page, check whether you are in "Focus mode". Notion's Focus mode hides the background to reduce visual clutter. Click the three-dot menu and look for "Exit focus mode" to turn it off and see your background again.

If you are on a mobile app (iPhone or Android), backgrounds do not display in the current version of Notion. Make your background changes on desktop, and they will be saved — they just will not show on mobile until Notion adds that feature.

If you are viewing a page someone else shared with you, you will see their background choice, not your workspace background. You cannot change a shared page's background unless the owner gave you edit permission.

Removing a background you no longer want

Open the page with the background you want to remove. Click the three-dot menu and select "Edit appearance". In the appearance panel, click "Color" and then select the white or light gray option at the top of the color palette. This gives you a plain background with no image or gradient.

Alternatively, you can click the X button next to the background option in the appearance panel to clear it entirely and return to Notion's default background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a video or GIF as my background?

Notion accepts GIF files as image uploads, so a GIF will display as a static image — it will not animate. Videos are not supported as backgrounds. If you want movement on your page, you can embed a video in the page content itself, but it will not work as a background.

Will my background show when I share a page with someone?

Yes. When you share a page, the person you share it with will see the background you set. They cannot change it unless you give them edit permission on that page.

Can I set different backgrounds for different pages in my workspace?

Yes. Each page can have its own background, independent of your workspace background. Set a workspace background as a default, then customize individual pages as needed.

What image file types does Notion accept?

Notion accepts JPG, PNG, GIF, and WebP files. The file size limit is typically 5 MB. If your image is larger, compress it before uploading.

Can I change the background on the Notion mobile app?

The current version of Notion's mobile apps do not support background changes. Make your changes on desktop, and they will sync to mobile — you just will not see the background displayed on the app itself.