How to Use Sidebar Sections in Notion for Better Organization

How to Use Sidebar Sections in Notion

Notion’s sidebar is the central hub for navigating your workspace efficiently. Understanding how to use sidebar sections in Notion helps you organize your pages, access shared content, and improve workflow navigation.

The sidebar dynamically adjusts based on your workspace structure, making it a crucial tool for keeping track of both personal and team-based content.

Table of Contents

• How to Use Sidebar Sections in Notion: Overview

• How to Use Private Sidebar Sections in Notion

• How to Use Shared Sidebar Sections in Notion

• How to Use Teamspaces in Notion’s Sidebar

• How to Use Favorites in Notion’s Sidebar

• Additional Sidebar Features in Notion

• Conclusion

How to Use Sidebar Sections in Notion: Overview

The Notion sidebar contains different sections that help categorize and manage your workspace. These sections include:

• Private – Personal pages only you can see.

• Shared – Pages shared with others in your workspace.

• Teamspaces – Collaborative spaces for teams (available in team plans).

• Favorites – Quick access to important pages.

The sidebar updates in real time as you create, move, or share pages, ensuring that your navigation remains structured and efficient. If you belong to multiple workspaces, you can also switch between them at the top of the sidebar.

How to Use Private Sidebar Sections in Notion

The Private section contains pages that only you can see unless you manually share them. It is the ideal space for personal organization, private projects, and notes that don’t need collaboration.

Key Features:

• All new pages you create in the Private section remain visible only to you.

• You can move private pages into shared spaces when collaboration is needed.

• This section is useful for journaling, research notes, to-do lists, and drafts before sharing them with a team.

To keep your private section tidy, you can archive or delete older pages, or reorganize them into sub-pages within a master document.

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How to Use Shared Sidebar Sections in Notion

The Shared section includes pages that you have shared with specific people. These pages are visible to anyone with access, and updates are synced in real time.

How to Share a Page:

1. Open a private page.

2. Click Share in the top-right corner.

3. Invite users by email or copy the shareable link.

4. Assign permission levels (Can view, Can comment, Can edit, Full access).

Shared pages remain in this section until they are moved to a Teamspace or unshared. If you want to track all shared pages, consider creating a dedicated workspace dashboard for easy reference.

Learn exactly how to add someone to a Notion page in this article.

How to Use Teamspaces in Notion’s Sidebar

Teamspaces are available in Notion’s Business and Enterprise plans and provide dedicated spaces for teams to collaborate. Each teamspace has its own sidebar section, allowing members to quickly access relevant pages.

Teamspace Features:

• Organized sections for different teams, departments, or projects.

• Pages within a Teamspace are automatically shared with all members, reducing manual sharing efforts.

• Admins can manage access control settings, restricting editing permissions where necessary.

If you're part of multiple Teamspaces, they will appear under a separate section in the sidebar, making navigation easier. For teams working on large-scale projects, structuring Teamspaces with sub-pages and clear categories enhances productivity.

Learn more about Notion here.

How to Use Favorites in Notion’s Sidebar

The Favorites section is a customizable area where you can pin frequently used pages for quick access. This section is particularly useful for accessing key project pages, notes, or documents without searching through the sidebar manually.

How to Add a Page to Favorites:

Open the page you want to favorite, then click Add to Favorites in the top-right corner.

Favorited pages will appear at the top of your sidebar, making them easy to access anytime. If you no longer need a page in your favorites, you can remove it by clicking the star icon next to the page title.

Additional Sidebar Features in Notion

Aside from the main sections, Notion’s sidebar has additional features that enhance navigation:

• Workspace Switching – If you're a member of multiple Notion workspaces, you can switch between them at the top of the sidebar.

• Search Bar – Quickly locate any page in your workspace without manually browsing.

• Home – View recently opened pages and more.

• Trash – View and restore deleted pages within a set timeframe.

These features make the sidebar a more powerful tool for keeping your workflow smooth and organized.

Conclusion: How to Use Sidebar Sections in Notion

Learning how to use sidebar sections in Notion helps you navigate more efficiently and stay organized.

Whether managing private notes, shared projects, team collaborations, or frequently used pages, Notion’s sidebar provides a structured way to access your content seamlessly.

By using features like Favorites, Teamspaces, and the search function, you can tailor Notion’s sidebar to fit your specific workflow and maximize productivity.

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