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Raajshekhar Rajan

·8 min read

How to export data from Notion (pages, databases & full workspace)

Learn the exact steps to export your Notion pages, databases, and entire workspace. Discover the best formats for migration, how to handle CSV relation IDs, and troubleshooting tips for common export failures.

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TL;DR

From any Notion page click the ••• (three-dot) menu → Export → choose PDF, HTML, or Markdown & CSV. To export your whole workspace go to Settings & members → Settings → Export all workspace content and download the ZIP file emailed to you.

Quick steps:

  1. Open the Notion page or database you want to export (desktop or browser).
  2. Click the three-dot menu (•••) in the top-right corner.
  3. Select Export.
  4. Choose a Format: PDF, HTML, or Markdown & CSV.
  5. Choose whether to include subpages and files/images.
  6. Click Export → Notion prepares a ZIP file; download it from your browser or the link Notion emails you.
  7. For a full workspace export: open Settings & members → Settings → Export all workspace content, select the format/options, then click Export (you’ll receive a ZIP link by email).

Quick reference card

Need a fast breakdown of which format to pick? Here is a quick reference guide to help you decide the best export method for your needs.

Format

Best for

Quick tip

CSV

Database migrations

Export current view; relations export as IDs.

HTML

Offline viewing

Creates an index.html sitemap.

PDF

Printing & sharing

Use horizontal dividers (---) for page breaks.

Which export format should I choose?

Markdown & CSV

This format preserves your plain text in Markdown and converts your databases into CSV files. It is the absolute best choice for data migrations and backups. However, note that relation properties will export as internal Notion IDs rather than plain text, and any attachments will be saved as separate files within the ZIP folder. Use this when moving data to another tool.

HTML

HTML export is ideal for local viewing and archiving your workspace. It preserves the visual structure of your pages better than Markdown. When you export an entire workspace as HTML, Notion generates a handy index.html sitemap, allowing you to click and navigate through your offline pages just like a real website. Use this for offline read-only backups.

PDF

The PDF option is best suited for printing documents or sharing static pages with external clients. While great for visual sharing, it has limitations regarding layout control. You might encounter awkward page breaks, which can sometimes be mitigated by adding extra empty lines or using specialized third-party formatting tools. Use this for final reports or invoices.

Export a single page (desktop & mobile) — step-by-step

Exporting a single page varies slightly depending on whether you are using a computer or a smartphone. Here is how to navigate the UI differences.

Desktop steps:

  1. Open the page.
  2. Click ••• (top right).
  3. Select Export.
  4. Choose format (Markdown & CSV, HTML, or PDF).
  5. Select include subpages? (Toggle on if needed).
  6. Click Export.
Export menu on a Notion page (click ••• → Export)
Figure 1 — Export menu on a Notion page (click ••• → Export).

When the export finishes, your ZIP file will typically contain the main text file, an assets folder, and nested subpages.

Mobile steps:

  1. Tap ••• in the top right.
  2. Scroll down and tap Export.
  3. Choose format.

Note that some granular options, like specific subpage inclusions or enterprise-level full workspace exports, are only accessible via the desktop app or web browser.

Example ZIP contents for a page export:

  • Index.md (Your main page text)
  • Subpage_Name.md (Nested page content)
  • Database_Name.csv (Any inline tables)
  • assets/ (Folder containing uploaded images and PDFs)

Export a database to CSV

When exporting a Notion database, the resulting CSV file will directly reflect your current view, meaning active filters and sorting are applied to the downloaded data.

Exact steps:

  1. Open database.
  2. Click the three-dot menu.
  3. Select Export.
  4. Choose Markdown & CSV.
  5. Click Export.
Database export dialog: select Markdown & CSV to export tables.
Figure 2 — Database export dialog: select Markdown & CSV to export tables.

Common Gotchas:

  • Relation IDs: Relation properties export as complex alphanumeric IDs, not the actual names of the linked pages.
  • Formula Output: Formulas export as their final evaluated text, not the underlying equation.

Warning: Relations export as internal IDs. Add a formula column with the related item's name before exporting, or prepare an ID→name mapping.

Sample CSV Snippet:

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Export the entire workspace

Backing up your entire Notion environment is straightforward but requires workspace owner permissions. Navigate to Settings & members → Settings → Export all workspace content. From there, choose your format (Markdown/CSV or HTML) and decide whether to include files and subpages.

Once you click Export, Notion will process the request. You will receive an email containing a secure download link that expires in 7 days. Depending on the size of your workspace, this process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

Pre-export checklist:

  • Check admin permissions (only workspace owners can do this).
  • Ensure "Disable exports" is toggled off in security settings.
  • Check workspace size to anticipate processing time.
  • Remove very large, unnecessary video files to speed up the export.
  • Notify users to pause editing, as the export captures a snapshot in time.

What’s NOT preserved & common gotchas

Native Notion exports are great for backups, but they aren't perfect. Here is what is lost or altered during the process:

  • Relational links (IDs): Linked databases lose their human-readable connections and export as raw IDs. Workaround: Create a formula column prop("Name") to extract the text before exporting.
  • Live embeds: Embedded Google Drive files, Figma boards, or tweets will not be interactive. Workaround: Export these assets natively from their source platforms.
  • Board/timeline layout fidelity: Visual Kanban boards and timelines revert to standard flat tables in CSV format. Workaround: Use HTML export if visual structure is more important than data manipulation.
  • Complex formulas: The underlying formula logic is lost, leaving only the static calculated value. Workaround: Document your complex formulas in a separate text block if you need to rebuild them later.
  • Permissions and sharing settings: Page-level access rights and guest permissions are completely stripped. Workaround: Keep a separate manual log of your access control matrix.
  • Comment nuances: Resolved comments or specific thread histories can be difficult to parse or missing. Workaround: Use a dedicated tool like Notion CRM Export if preserving comment history is critical.

Post-export actions & how to prepare the files

Once your ZIP file downloads, extract it to a local folder. You will find your markdown files, CSVs, and an assets folder. If your data contains special characters or different languages, always ensure your spreadsheet software opens the CSV using UTF-8 encoding to prevent garbled text.

To open the data in Google Sheets or Excel, use the software's "Import" function rather than just double-clicking the file. This gives you control over how the columns are formatted.

If you are dealing with relational databases, you will need to map the exported IDs back to their corresponding names using a mapping CSV. To save massive headaches, we highly recommend adding a human_readable_title formula column in Notion before you export to avoid ID mapping complexity altogether.

Post-export prep checklist:

  • Unzip the main file securely.
  • Force UTF-8 encoding in your spreadsheet tool.
  • Verify attachment folders aren't empty.

If managing messy relation IDs, missing permissions, and broken layouts sounds like a nightmare for your company's scale, you don't have to rely on manual ZIP downloads. Our team at ClonePartner is there for you!

Downloads & examples

To make your data transition smoother, we have provided a few resources you can reference below in the Appendix.

  • Sample exported CSV: A look at exactly how Notion structures its rows and columns upon export.
  • Mapping template CSV: A framework to help you match relational IDs back to their human-readable titles.
  • Sample HTML excerpt: A quick preview of how the index.html file organizes your workspace navigation.

Video tutorial + timestamps

Prefer a visual walkthrough? Check out this excellent tutorial breaking down the export process step-by-step.

YouTube video thumbnail

 

  • [00:15] — Navigating to the top right three-dot menu for page exports.
  • [01:10] — Selecting the correct format (Markdown vs. CSV vs. PDF).
  • [02:45] — Initiating a full workspace export from the Settings menu.

Transcript excerpt: "To get your data out, you're going to click the three dots in the top right corner. Scroll down to Export. From here, you can choose your export format. If you want to move this data to another app, Markdown and CSV is usually your best bet. Make sure to choose whether you want to include subpages..."

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Frequently Asked Questions

Appendix: sample CSV & mapping template

Table A — Format comparison

| Format | Best for | Preserves | Limitations | Output example |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Markdown & CSV | Database migrations | Text content, database rows, attachments as files | Relations exported as internal IDs; formulas as values | database.csv |

Table B — Property → CSV export mapping

| Property type | CSV exported value | Notes |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Title | Text | Primary column |

| Relation | ID(s) | Map IDs to names using mapping CSV |

| Formula | Evaluated string | Exported value is evaluated output |

Table C — ZIP contents example

| File/Folder | Description |

| :--- | :--- |

| index.html | Workspace sitemap / entry page |

| page.md | Markdown for exported page |

| assets/ | Images and uploaded files |

| database.csv | CSV of database rows (per view) |

Sample exported database CSV

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Mapping template CSV

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Sources & references