Ultimate Guide to Personalizing Notion Templates: From Basics to Advanced Customization

Customizing a Notion template is at the core of making it truly yours. Once you’ve duplicated a template into your workspace, every part of it is editable. Here are the basic steps:

Adjust Colors and Text: Highlight any text to change its color or apply a background color. This is perfect for creating visual hierarchies and call-out sections.

Change Icons and Covers: The quickest way to personalize a template is to change the page icon and cover image. Hover over the top of the page and click “Change Cover” or “Add Icon” to select from Notion’s gallery, upload your own image, or link to one online.

Edit Database Properties: Click on any database, then click the three dots (...) in the top-right corner and select “Properties.” Here you can add, delete, or change property types (e.g., changing a “Select” property to a “Multi-select” or adding a “Date” property).

Modify Page Layout: Drag and drop blocks of text, images, or databases to rearrange the layout. Create columns by dragging a block to the far right side of another block until a blue vertical line appears.

Making Notion templates “aesthetic” or “pretty” is one of the most popular goals for users. It’s about combining style with function. Here are some key techniques:

Master Typography: While you can’t upload custom fonts directly to Notion, you can use online font generators to copy and paste stylized text for headings. Use this sparingly to avoid impacting searchability and performance.

Curate a Color Palette: Stick to a consistent set of 2-3 colors for your text highlights and backgrounds to create a cohesive look.

Use Custom Icons and Covers: Go beyond the default options. Find icon packs and high-quality images from sites like Flaticon, Pexels, or Unsplash that match your desired theme (e.g., minimalist, anime, dark academia).

Incorporate GIFs: A subtle, looping GIF in a cover or as a page divider can add a dynamic and visually pleasing element.

Leverage Callout Blocks & Dividers: Use the /callout command to create stylish, bordered boxes for important notes or quotes. Use the /divider command to create clean visual separations between sections.

If you’re unable to edit a Notion template, it’s almost always for one of two reasons:

Database Locking: The original creator may have locked the database views to prevent accidental changes. If you have duplicated the template and still can’t edit a database, look for a “Locked” message at the top. Click it and choose “Unlock view” to make changes to filters, sorts, and properties.

You Haven’t Duplicated It: You are likely viewing the original, read-only version shared by the creator. To edit it, you must click the “Duplicate” button, usually found in the top-right corner of the page. This saves a personal, editable copy to your private Notion workspace.

Yes, you are absolutely allowed to create and sell your own Notion templates. Notion as a company encourages this and views it as part of their thriving creator ecosystem. However, you must adhere to these key principles:

You Don’t Own Notion’s Copyright: You are selling the unique structure, design, and workflow you’ve created within Notion. You do not own any of Notion’s underlying code or intellectual property. Customers are paying for your design and expertise, not the platform itself.

It Must Be Your Own Creation: You can only sell templates that you have built yourself from scratch. You cannot take a template made by someone else (even a free one), make minor modifications, and sell it as your own.

Yes, selling Notion templates remains a profitable venture, but the market has become more competitive. Success now depends on finding a specific niche and providing genuine value. The most profitable templates are not just “pretty”—they are powerful, all-in-one systems that solve a specific problem for a specific audience. Examples of high-demand niches include:

• Business & Freelance: Client portals, project management dashboards, and finance trackers.
• Student Life: All-in-one dashboards that combine class notes, assignment tracking, and revision schedules.
• Content Creators: Full systems for managing video production, editorial calendars, and brand partnerships.
• Personal Productivity: Advanced goal-setting dashboards (based on methods like PARA or Atomic Habits) and detailed life planners.

To be profitable, focus on creating a high-value, well-designed system for a targeted audience rather than a generic, simple template.