Are Notion Pages Private by Default?

Updated: November 13, 2024

One common question among Notion users, especially those who are just getting started, is about the privacy settings of Notion pages. Let's break it down.

When you create a new Notion page, its visibility is set to private by default. This means that only you can view and edit the page. However, if you create a page in a shared area like a workspace or teamspace, other members might see it too.

Can anyone outside of my workspace read Notion pages?

No, not unless you explicitly share or make the page public. By default, pages are private to you or the people within your workspace. However, Notion provides sharing options that allow you to:

• Share the page with specific or all members of your workspace
• Create a public link that anyone with the link can view
• Make the page discoverable by search engines

When in doubt, double-check the Share settings of a particular page.

Can Notion integrations read my pages?

Yes, but only pages you specifically allow. When you grant read access, an integration can view both the top-level page and all its nested pages.

However, new top-level pages remain private by default – you'll need to manually grant access to each one you want the integration to read.

Is Notion encrypted?

No, Notion is not end-to-end encrypted. Avoid storing sensitive information like passwords, personal IDs, or confidential business data in your workspace.

What's the difference between Workspace, Teamspaces, Shared and Private sections?

Workspace

A Workspace is your main container in Notion where all your pages and databases live. You can create multiple workspaces or keep everything in one. By default, your workspace is private – others can only access content when you specifically invite them or make pages public.

Teamspaces

This is a shared space where multiple members can collaborate. Any page created within a teamspace can be viewed and edited by members of that teamspace, depending on the permissions set by the admin.

Teamspaces let multiple members collaborate on projects and notes, with the option to set specific pages as private for selected team members or individual use.

Custom groups help manage page permissions and member access. By combining groups with Teamspaces, you can control who sees what based on roles and team hierarchies.

Shared

Shared sections are pages or databases that you share with specific people or groups.

Unlike Teamspaces which are open to all members, shared sections give you precise control over who can view or edit individual pages. This helps maintain privacy while still enabling collaboration.

Private

Private pages stay hidden from other Teamspace members. These are perfect for personal notes, drafts, or any content you want to keep to yourself – like having your own private workspace within the team environment.

To sum up, Workspace is the main container for all content, Teamspaces are shared spaces for collaboration, Shared sections are specific pages shared with selected individuals or groups, and Private pages are only accessible to the individual who created them.

How to make a Notion page publicly accessible?

If you wish to share your Notion page with anyone, you can create a shareable link for public access.

Plus plan subscribers can make pages visible to search engines – useful for public documentation, portfolios, or any content you want people to find online.

You can control who has access to your pages by setting different permission levels such as full access, can edit, can comment, or can view. This way, you can easily grant the right level of access to different individuals or groups.