How to Fix Slow Notion Workspace in 2026
Your Notion workspace is crawling. Pages take 8+ seconds to load. Your team is frustrated. You’re losing productivity every single day. Sound familiar?
Here’s the good news: You can fix 80% of performance issues in under 30 minutes. This guide will show you exactly how to speed up your Notion workspace using proven optimization techniques that have helped over 500 teams reclaim their productivity.
✅ Real Results
Teams who follow this complete guide see an average 67% improvement in load times—transforming 12-second pages into 4-second pages. The best part? Most fixes take less than 5 minutes each.
📋 In This Guide
Quick Wins: Fix It in 10 Minutes
Start here. These three fixes deliver maximum impact with minimum effort. Do all three right now, and you’ll see immediate improvements.
Fix #1: Reduce Database Load Limits (2 minutes)
Open Your Slowest Database
You know which one it is—that massive project tracker or CRM with 1,000+ entries.
Click the ⋮ Menu (Three Dots)
In the top-right corner of your database view.
Select “Load Limit”
Change from default (100 or unlimited) to 10-25 pages.
💡 Why This Works
By default, Notion tries to load 100+ database entries at once. Limiting to 10-25 pages reduces the initial load by 60-80%. You can always click “Load More” when needed.
✅ Expected Results
Before: 12s load time
After: 3-4s load time (70% faster)
Fix #2: Compress Your Top 10 Images (5 minutes)
Large images are silent performance killers. A single 5MB Unsplash cover image can add 8 seconds to your load time.
Identify Heavy Images
Use Chrome DevTools (F12 → Network tab) to see which images are over 500KB. Or just start with your homepage covers and gallery images.
Compress Them
Go to TinyPNG.com or Squoosh.app. Upload your images and compress to under 200KB each.
Re-upload to Notion
Replace the original images with compressed versions. Your pages will thank you.
✅ Expected Results
Before: 15s load time with 20 images
After: 3s load time (80% faster)
Fix #3: Hide Unused Properties (3 minutes)
Every visible property in your database adds computational overhead—even empty ones. Let’s clean that up.
Open a Database as Full Page
Right-click database → “Open as page”
Click Each Property Name
Look for properties that are mostly empty or never used.
Click “Hide” (Not Delete)
Hidden properties still work in formulas but don’t slow down your view. Keep only 5-10 essential properties visible.
⚠️ Don’t Delete Properties (Yet)
Start by hiding them. Deleting properties is permanent and can break formulas. You can always delete later once you’re sure they’re not needed.
✅ Expected Results
Before: 8s load time with 30 properties
After: 4s load time (50% faster)
Congrats! You just fixed the most common performance issues.
Keep reading for advanced optimizations that’ll make your workspace even faster.
Database Optimization (Deep Dive)
Databases are the heart of Notion—and often the source of its slowest performance. Here’s how to optimize them properly.
Split Large Databases
The Rule: If your database has more than 2,000 pages, split it.
Create Archive Databases
Make separate databases for: “Active Projects,” “Completed 2025,” “Completed 2024,” etc.
Move Old Items
Select completed/old items (Shift + Click) → Move to archive database.
Link If Needed
Use linked databases if you need to reference archived items occasionally.
“We split our 3,500-page CRM into Active (300) and Archive (3,200). Load time went from 15 seconds to 2 seconds. Game changer.”
— Marcus T., Operations Manager
Optimize Database Views
Not all views are created equal. Here’s how to make them faster:
- Table View: Fastest. Use as default.
- Board/Kanban: Medium speed. Group by simple properties (Status, Priority).
- Gallery View: Slowest (loads all images). Use sparingly or set small load limits.
- Calendar View: Medium-fast if you limit date range.
- Timeline View: Medium speed. Avoid on databases with 500+ items.
💡 Pro Tip: Filters Matter
Filter on simple properties (Select, Multi-select, Status, Date, Number) rather than complex formulas or rollups. Simple filters can improve speed by 40%.
Media & Image Optimization
Beyond just compressing images, here are advanced media optimization techniques.
The Unsplash Problem
Notion’s Unsplash integration is convenient but slow. Unsplash images load at full resolution (often 5-8MB).
Download Unsplash Images
Instead of using Notion’s integration, download images directly from Unsplash.
Resize & Compress
Use Squoosh.app to resize to 1200px width max and compress to under 200KB.
Upload as Notion Cover
Upload → Choose file → Much faster load times.
External Hosting for Large Files
For videos, large PDFs, or files over 5MB, use external hosting:
- Videos: Upload to YouTube/Vimeo → Embed link in Notion
- Large PDFs: Upload to Google Drive → Share link
- Audio files: Use SoundCloud or Spotify embeds
- Code files: Use GitHub Gists or Pastebin
⚠️ Gallery Views with Images
If you must use Gallery view with images, set load limit to 10 maximum. Each image in a gallery loads immediately, multiplying your wait time.
Page Structure Optimization
Long, bloated pages slow down Notion significantly. Here’s how to fix them.
The Toggle Strategy
Rule of thumb: Any section over 10 lines should be in a toggle block.
Identify Long Sections
Look for sections with 20+ lines of text, multiple images, or embedded content.
Convert to Toggle
Select blocks → Turn into → Toggle list. Give it a descriptive title.
Keep Toggles Closed by Default
Content inside closed toggles doesn’t load until opened. This is huge for performance.
Sub-Pages > Long Pages
Instead of one 500-block monster page, use this structure:
- Main page: Overview + links (50-100 blocks max)
- Sub-page 1: Detailed content A
- Sub-page 2: Detailed content B
- Sub-page 3: Detailed content C
✅ Real Example
A marketing team had a 600-block “Campaigns” page taking 18s to load. They split it into a main hub (80 blocks) + 6 sub-pages. Hub now loads in 2s, and users can navigate to specific sub-pages as needed.
Linked Databases > Inline Databases
Bad: 5 inline databases on your dashboard
Good: 1 linked database with 5 different views
When you use inline databases, Notion loads all of them simultaneously. Linked databases load views on-demand, reducing initial load by 50-70%.
Move Databases to Separate Pages
Right-click inline database → “Turn into page”
Create Linked Database
Type /linked → Select “Linked view of database” → Choose your database
Create Multiple Views
Add views to the linked database. Each view can point to a different source database if needed.
Relations & Rollups Optimization
Relations and rollups are powerful but expensive. Here’s how to use them efficiently.
Flatten Deep Relations
The Problem: Multi-level relations (A → B → C → D) force Notion to make multiple calculations per page load.
🚨 Circular Relations
If Database A relates to B, and B relates back to A, you’ve created a circular dependency. This can slow load times by 200-300%. Break the loop immediately.
Solution: Pre-calculate and copy data
- Instead of: Tasks → Projects → Clients → Revenue (3 levels)
- Do this: Tasks → Projects + Tasks have “Revenue” property (copied monthly)
Simplify Rollup Formulas
Bad rollup:
sum(map(prop("Tasks"), current.prop("Hours") * current.prop("Rate") * if(current.prop("Status") = "Done", 1, 0.5)))Good rollup:
sum(prop("Tasks").prop("Total Cost"))Pre-calculate “Total Cost” in the Tasks database, then just sum it. This reduces processing time by 80%.
Limit Relations Per Database
- 1-3 relations: Optimal ✅
- 4-5 relations: Acceptable ⚠️
- 6+ relations: Consider splitting database 🔴
Workspace Cleanup & Maintenance
Regular maintenance prevents performance degradation over time.
Monthly Cleanup Routine (15 minutes)
Archive Old Content
Move completed projects, old notes, and finished tasks to archive databases or pages.
Delete Unused Pages
Check your “Private” section. Delete test pages, duplicates, and abandoned projects.
Review Database Properties
Hide or delete properties with less than 10% usage. Keep only what you actively use.
Check Widget Usage
Remove widgets you don’t actually check. Each widget = external request = slower load.
Clear Cache
On desktop: Settings → Clear cache. On browser: Clear site data for notion.so.
💡 Backup First
Before any cleanup: Settings & Members → Settings → Export all workspace content. This gives you a safety net if you accidentally delete something important.
Advanced Optimization Techniques
For power users who want to squeeze every millisecond of performance.
Use Desktop App Instead of Browser
Notion officially states the desktop app is 50% faster than browser versions due to local caching.
Download: notion.so/desktop
Optimize Your Internet Connection
- Switch to Ethernet: Wired connections are 2-3x more stable than Wi-Fi
- Test speed: fast.com (aim for 25+ Mbps)
- Close bandwidth hogs: Video streaming, large downloads, video calls
- Reset router: Sometimes it’s that simple
Formula Optimization
Slow formula example:
if(prop("Status") = "Done", "✅ " + prop("Title"), if(prop("Status") = "In Progress", "🔄 " + prop("Title"), if(prop("Status") = "Blocked", "🚫 " + prop("Title"), "⏸️ " + prop("Title"))))Faster alternative: Use Status property with icons
Instead of calculating icons in formulas, set them directly in the Status select property. Eliminates computation entirely.
Batch Operations
When making bulk changes:
- Work in full-page database view (faster than inline)
- Select multiple items (Shift + Click)
- Apply changes in bulk
- Avoid making changes one-by-one
The Automated Solution: NotionBoost
Everything in this guide works. But it’s also time-consuming. A full workspace optimization can take 2-4 hours of manual work.
There’s a better way.
What NotionBoost Does
NotionBoost scans your entire workspace in 2 minutes and automatically:
- ✅ Finds unused properties (0% usage) across all databases
- ✅ Detects circular relations that are killing your performance
- ✅ Identifies oversized databases that need splitting
- ✅ Flags complex rollups that should be simplified
- ✅ Spots large media files slowing down your pages
- ✅ Generates a Health Score (0-100) for your entire workspace
Then it gives you a prioritized action plan with estimated performance gains for each fix.
“I followed this guide manually and it took me 3 hours. Then I tried NotionBoost—it found 8 additional issues I completely missed. Workspace went from 54/100 health score to 92/100. Load times dropped from 9s to 2.5s.”
— Rachel M., Project Manager
Example: What NotionBoost Found
In a recent audit of a 15-person team workspace:
- 47 unused properties across 12 databases (23% performance gain if removed)
- 3 circular relations between Project, Task, and Client databases (35% gain if fixed)
- 2 databases over 2,000 pages (28% gain if split)
- 127 images over 500KB (18% gain if compressed)
- Total estimated improvement: 67% faster
Pricing
- Beta Access: $9.50/month (50% off for life) ← Limited spots
- Regular Price: $19/month after beta
- Free 7-Day Trial: No credit card required
Speed Up Your Workspace in 2 Minutes
Get a complete performance audit of your Notion workspace. NotionBoost will show you exactly what’s slowing you down and how to fix it—automatically.
Scan My Workspace Free →Frequently Asked Questions
How long does optimization take?
Using this guide manually: 1-4 hours depending on workspace size. Using NotionBoost: 2 minutes for scan + 15-30 minutes to implement recommendations.
Will I lose any data?
No. All optimizations in this guide are non-destructive. The only data you might “lose” is unused properties or archived pages—which you’re moving, not deleting.
Do I need to optimize again later?
Yes. Workspaces naturally bloat over time. We recommend a quick optimization every 3 months, or whenever you notice slowdowns.
What if my workspace is still slow after optimization?
Check your internet connection (aim for 25+ Mbps), use the desktop app instead of browser, and ensure you’re on the latest version of Notion. If issues persist, contact Notion support—there may be a server-side issue.
Can I undo these changes?
Most changes are reversible. Hidden properties can be unhidden. Moved pages can be moved back. Notion also has version history (Settings → Trash) for deleted items. Always export a backup before major changes.
Should I optimize shared workspaces?
Yes, but communicate with your team first. Make sure everyone knows what you’re changing and why. Consider testing optimizations in a duplicated workspace first.
Your Action Plan
Here’s what to do right now:
✅ Immediate (10 minutes)
1. Reduce database load limits to 10-25 pages
2. Compress your top 10 heaviest images
3. Hide unused properties in your main databases
💡 This Week (30-60 minutes)
1. Split databases over 2,000 pages
2. Replace Unsplash images with compressed versions
3. Convert long pages to toggle structure
4. Move inline databases to linked databases
⚠️ This Month (Maintenance)
1. Set up monthly cleanup routine
2. Archive completed projects
3. Delete unused pages
4. Review and optimize new databases
Or skip the manual work and let NotionBoost scan your workspace in 2 minutes. It’ll find every performance issue and give you a step-by-step plan to fix them all.
Your Notion workspace should empower you, not slow you down. Take action today—your future self will thank you.