Frequently Asked Questions

Use an image that is 1500x600 pixels. This is the ideal size for a crisp desktop display. While you can use larger images, maintain this wide banner format and keep important text and logos centered to avoid being cut off on smaller screens.

Roughly 3:1 is the most reliable. Notion crops dynamically, so design for a wide banner and protect the center.

Within a 1500x600 px canvas, the 'safe zone' is a centered area of approximately 1170px wide by 230px high. Content placed inside this central band is most likely to remain visible on both desktop and mobile views, as Notion crops the top and bottom edges on narrower screens.

Notion dynamically crops covers to fit different screen sizes. Mobile apps have a much narrower, portrait-oriented viewport, so Notion crops the sides of the cover image significantly. For the best results on mobile, ensure your main subject fits within a centered 1170px by 445px area.

Yes. Card covers display as thumbnails with tighter crops. Use simpler visuals for cards and avoid small text.

Full-bleed looks polished, but add vertical padding so the center reads clean across screen sizes.

Usually the image is too small or overly compressed. Export at 1500×600 px or larger and avoid heavy JPEG compression.

Use a stable CDN or your own storage you control. Avoid hosts that block hotlinking.

While it's best to keep covers under 2 MB for fast page loading, Notion's official file upload limit for the Free Plan is 5 MB. Exceeding this will cause the upload to fail.

No. DPI is for print. On screens, pixel dimensions and compression matter.

Yes. Upload a GIF or link one. Keep loops subtle and file sizes lean so pages stay snappy.

Large files or certain hosts can pause playback. Try uploading directly, shorten the loop, or compress frames.

Short loops under 5 seconds and files under ~2–3 MB feel smooth and avoid stutter.

Usually yes, but playback can vary by host. Uploading avoids most quirks.

No, you cannot use a video file (like an MP4) as a Notion cover. The cover area only accepts image files or GIFs.

Phone viewports are narrower. Notion crops more aggressively, so the top and bottom often trim.

Not required, but high-contrast designs read better. Avoid mid-grey text on muted backgrounds.

Use desktop to fine-tune. Upload a version with more vertical padding if elements are too close to the edges.

Browse our free packs, Unsplash inside Notion, or create your own in Canva or Figma.

Upload for reliability. Linked images depend on the host and can break if URLs change.

Open the item as a full page, then add or change the cover like any page.

Hover the cover, choose Change cover, then remove or upload a new file.

Clean graphics, soft gradients, simple patterns, or minimal photos with clear subject. Avoid busy textures behind text unless that's the look you're going for.

Use bold silhouettes, avoid mid-grey on muted tones, and test on dark backgrounds.

You can use almost any MidJourney prompt you like to create a Notion cover — it really comes down to your style and what inspires you. The only important thing is to generate your image in a wide banner format so it fits correctly inside Notion. To do this, add the aspect ratio flag at the end of your prompt: --ar 1500:600

Create a small system: 2–3 brand colors, one texture, repeatable layout. Save a template file.

The crop is wide. If the source image is too tall, Notion will crop heavily. Export a wider banner version.

Convert to sRGB before export. Avoid filtering that only looks good on your phone’s display profile.

The URL changed, the file moved, or hotlinking was disabled. Re-upload or switch to a stable host.

The host changed or blocked hotlinking. Upload files to Notion or a stable host you control.

Heavy compression or small source. Re-export bigger, use higher JPEG quality or PNG for flat art.

Notion's servers temporarily store (or 'cache') images to make pages load faster. When you update a linked image, it can take some time for Notion to fetch the new version. To force an update, either change the filename of your new image (e.g., cover-v2.jpg) or remove and re-add the link in Notion.

Bake in extra vertical padding in your source image so the center aligns after Notion’s crop.

Not unless the license allows it. Use your own images, licensed stock or our covers.

Follow the license terms for the specific images you're using. If you use our downloads, you don't need to give credit (although we appreciate it).

Avoid using third-party trademarks unless you have permission. Stick to generic or original graphics.

Our downloads can be used for personal and commercial projects, hover resale or distribution is prohibited. Attribution is not required, but appreciated.