Notion Icons Tips & Tricks (+ Free Custom Icons)
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Notion icons can be placed not only on page headers but also on database titles, individual database entries, database templates, and callout boxes.
Briefing
Notion icons can be more than decoration: they can be embedded across pages, database titles, individual database entries, and callout boxes—then customized with emojis, Notion’s built-in icon set, or fully custom icon links. The payoff is a more navigable, visually consistent workspace where key information stands out at a glance.
The guide starts with the icon options available inside Notion’s icon slot. Emojis offer a quick, colorful way to add personality. Notion’s own icon set is designed to match Notion’s aesthetic and can be tuned with different color options that align with Notion text colors—useful for a minimalist, coordinated look. For maximum control, custom icons can be added either by pasting a link to an icon image or by uploading an icon file.
From there, the focus shifts to “hidden” places icons can live. The most obvious spot is the top of a page, but icons can also be attached to database titles: create a database (using slash commands like “/database”), then add an icon in the database’s main page so the icon appears in the database title area. Icons can go even deeper inside databases by adding them to individual entries—open a database entry page, insert an icon, and it will display within the entry itself. For repeatability, the workflow can be turned into a default: create a template for new database pages (via “+ New template” next to “New”) and set the icon so every newly created entry inherits it.
Callout boxes provide another high-visibility placement. By typing “/callout,” inserting the callout, and then selecting the icon slot inside the callout, icons can visually reinforce notes, warnings, or highlights.
Custom icons get their own toolkit. For sourcing, Flaticon.com is recommended for keyword searches, but the guide stresses checking licenses because not all icons are free to use. The process is straightforward: right-click the icon image, save the address, then paste it into Notion’s custom icon link field (or download and upload the image). Notionicons.so is highlighted for curated icons with customization options that can be copied as links. Notion.pip is suggested for dark-mode-friendly toggling, with icons sourced from sites like Flat icon.
A Chrome extension called Iconic is presented as a practical way to save custom icons, with an important limitation: custom icons are safe only when inserted as links (not uploaded), and the extension works only in the Chrome browser—outside Chrome, it won’t function.
Finally, the guide covers making icons from scratch. Icons should be created at 280 by 280 pixels with an invisible background for clean results. Canva is recommended for beginners: create a 280×280 custom design, build an icon using elements (example given: a light bulb), and download it. Without Canva Pro, the background may remain white, so the guide suggests using remove.bg to remove backgrounds. For convenience, 10 free custom-made icons are offered via Gumroad, downloadable as files and uploaded into Notion.
Cornell Notes
Notion icons can be used for more than decoration: they can be placed on page headers, database titles, individual database entries, database templates, and callout boxes. Icon choices include emojis, Notion’s built-in icon set (with color options that match Notion text), and custom icons added via link or upload. For custom icons, the guide recommends sourcing from Flaticon.com (check licenses), Notionicons.so (copy links), and Notion.pip (dark-mode toggling). A Chrome extension called Iconic can help save custom icons, but custom icons are only safe as links and the extension works only in Chrome. If no suitable icons exist, the guide walks through creating 280×280 icons in Canva (or using remove.bg) and uploading them to Notion.
What are the three main ways to add an icon in Notion, and when would someone choose each?
Where can icons be added beyond the top of a page?
How do custom icons work in Notion, and what sourcing sites are recommended?
What does the Iconic Chrome extension change, and what limitations apply?
How can someone create their own custom icons, and what size matters?
What’s the easiest way to get ready-made custom icons mentioned in the guide?
Review Questions
- Which icon placement options help most with database navigation: title icons, entry icons, template icons, or callout icons—and how does each placement differ?
- What are the key differences between adding a custom icon as a link versus uploading an image, especially regarding the Iconic extension?
- Why does the guide insist on a 280×280 icon size, and what tools are recommended to create and clean the background?
Key Points
- 1
Notion icons can be placed not only on page headers but also on database titles, individual database entries, database templates, and callout boxes.
- 2
Emojis, Notion’s built-in icon set, and custom icons (link or upload) are the three primary icon sources in the icon slot.
- 3
Database icons can be made consistent across new entries by setting an icon in a default database template.
- 4
Custom icon sourcing options include Flaticon.com (license-check required), Notionicons.so (link-based), and Notion.pip (dark-mode toggling).
- 5
The Iconic Chrome extension supports saving custom icons via links, but custom icons are only safe as links and the extension works only in Chrome.
- 6
For custom creation, icons should be built at 280 by 280 pixels; Canva is recommended, with remove.bg as a fallback for background removal.
- 7
A set of 10 free custom-made icons is available via Gumroad for quick upload into Notion.