Restore Previous Page Versions

Notion automatically tracks changes to your pages and maintains a version history that allows you to view and restore previous versions. This feature is essential for recovering accidentally deleted content, reverting unwanted changes, or comparing different iterations of your work.

When to Use Version History

Version history is particularly valuable in several scenarios:

• Recovering accidentally deleted content or pages
• Reverting changes made during collaborative editing
• Comparing different versions to track progress over time
• Undoing bulk changes or formatting mistakes

How Version History Works

Notion automatically creates snapshots of your pages at regular intervals and whenever significant changes occur. The system preserves both content and structure, including database schemas and properties. Version history is available for all page types, including regular pages, databases, and template pages.

Accessing and Using Version History

1

Navigate to the page you want to restore and click the three dots (···) menu button in the top-right corner of the page to access page options.

2

From the dropdown menu, select Version history to open the version history panel. This will display a timeline of all available versions on the right side of your screen.

3

The version history panel shows a chronological list of versions with timestamps (like "July 18 · 5

PM"). Click on any timestamp to preview that version. The main content area will update to show how the page appeared at that time.

4

Continue clicking on different version timestamps to compare versions and find the content you want to restore. Each selection updates the preview, allowing you to see exactly what content existed at each point in time.

5

Once you've found the version you want to restore, click the Restore button that appears in the version history panel. This will open a restoration confirmation dialog.

6

If your page contains databases, you'll see a checkbox option for "Also restore databases on this page". Check this box if you want to restore database structures, properties, and content to match the selected version.

Restoring databases will overwrite current database properties and content. This action cannot be easily undone, so ensure you've selected the correct version.

7

After configuring your restoration options, click the Restore button in the confirmation dialog to execute the restoration. Notion will apply the selected version to your page.

8

Once the restoration is complete, the version history panel will close and your page will display the restored content. Review the page to ensure the restoration was successful and contains the content you expected.

Database Restoration Considerations

When restoring pages that contain databases, you have additional options and considerations:

• Database properties and schema changes will be reverted to match the selected version
• All database entries (rows) will be restored to their previous state
• View configurations and filters will be reset to the historical version
• Relations between databases may be affected if related databases aren't also restored

Best Practices and Limitations

Best Practices

• Always preview the version carefully before restoring to ensure it contains the content you need
• Consider duplicating the current page before restoration if you want to preserve recent changes
• Use descriptive page titles to make versions easier to identify in the timeline
• Communicate with team members before restoring shared pages to avoid confusion

Important Limitations

• Version retention periods vary by subscription plan (typically 30 days for free plans)
• Restoration overwrites current content and cannot be easily undone
• Comments and discussion threads may not be preserved in restored versions
• Real-time collaboration features may be temporarily disrupted during restoration

Conclusion

Version history is a powerful safety net that protects your work and enables confident content management in Notion. By understanding how to access, browse, and restore previous versions, you can recover from mistakes, track changes over time, and maintain data integrity across your workspace. The ability to selectively restore database content adds an extra layer of precision for complex page structures.

Remember to use this feature thoughtfully, especially when working with shared pages or complex database structures, and always verify your restorations to ensure they meet your needs.