Why is Your Notion so Slow - And How to Make it Faster

Table of contents

• 1. Notion server issues
• 2. Heavy content and complex setups
• Large or linked databases
• Heavy images and embeds
• High reliance on cross-page data
• 3. Browser and device limitations
• Browser differences
• Desktop app vs. mobile app
• 4. Slow or unstable internet connection
• H2: How to make Notion run faster
• 1. Publish with Super
• 2. Compress images before uploading
• 3. Use toggles to hide non-essential content
• 4. Simplify large databases
• 5. Remove or limit widgets and embeds
• 6. Archive or delete unused content
• 7. Avoid using Unsplash photos directly
• 8. Minimize third-party tool integrations
• 9. Clear cache periodically
• FAQs
• Why is my Notion website slow?
• Why is my Notion export slow?
• Why is Notion slow on my mobile?
• Does Notion slow down my computer?
• Why is Notion AI so slow?
• Why is Notion mail slow?
• Why is Notion API so slow?
• Should I keep using Notion despite slow speeds?

Make sure your content loads fast — even when Notion is slow or down.

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…while keeping your content in Notion.

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TL;DR

Notion can feel slow due to a mix of factors: large or complex pages, heavy databases, slow-loading images, unstable internet, or browser performance issues. In some cases, it’s simply a temporary server-side slowdown on Notion’s end.

Regardless of the cause, slow load speeds can derail your workflow and undermine the very reason you use Notion - boosting productivity and centralizing tools without headaches.

The good news is that most performance issues can be fixed with a few minor adjustments, which we will cover in the following sections. But before diving into solutions, let’s break down the main causes.

Here are the most common reasons Notion feels slow:

1. Notion server issues

It’s super frustrating when Notion takes forever to load. It’s the kind of pause that tempts you to “just check one thing” on social media — and before you know it, 20 minutes are gone.

If Notion is actually down or experiencing server issues, editing your pages isn’t an option anyway. That’s your cue to step away, grab a coffee, tackle a less screen-heavy task, or switch to a wingman tool and move your work back into Notion once it’s up and running again.

Before you assume it’s just you, check Notion’s status page to see if the slowdown is platform-wide.

2. Heavy content and complex setups

The more your workspace has to load, the more it slows down - and Notion is no exception.

Large or linked databases

Every time you open a page with a large or linked database, Notion has to run multiple background queries. If you’ve noticed your Notion database loading slowly, especially when using complex filters or relations, this is often the reason. Automations connected to these databases can make things even slower, as each trigger adds extra processing time.

Heavy images and embeds

Full-resolution images, GIFs, videos, and multiple embeds on a single page increase the amount of data Notion needs to load. The impact is even more noticeable if you’re using Notion for design boards, image galleries, or pages full of large visual content. Slow-loading images can stall the entire page until all assets are fetched.

High reliance on cross-page data

If your setup depends heavily on pulling information from other pages or databases - for example, a dashboard that links to dozens of other tables - Notion has to fetch and render that content every time the page is opened. Over time, as your workspace grows, this can make your Notion load speeds noticeably worse.

3. Browser and device limitations

Notion’s performance can vary significantly depending on where you’re using it.

Browser differences

Some browsers handle heavy Notion pages better than others. Chrome is generally fast, but it’s also resource-hungry, which can slow down your device if you already have many tabs open.

Safari and Firefox may behave differently depending on your system setup and installed extensions, so it’s worth testing a few browsers to see which feels fastest for your workflow.

Desktop app vs. mobile app

For larger workspaces, the desktop app often provides smoother performance than the web version because it runs in a dedicated environment.

On the other hand, mobile devices, with less RAM and processing power, can struggle to load large databases, complex dashboards, or image-heavy pages without delays, even while using the app.

4. Slow or unstable internet connection

Because Notion is entirely cloud-based (while sort of available offline), a slow or inconsistent internet connection can cause delays when opening pages, syncing changes, or loading media. This is especially noticeable if you’re accessing large databases or automations that rely on live data, which can make Notion appear to lag or freeze.

To check if your connection is the culprit, run a quick test on speedtest.net. If your download and upload speeds are significantly below what your plan offers, or if your ping is unusually high, your internet connection may be the main cause of Notion’s slow performance.

Alright, now that we have diagnosed the issue, let’s get to fixing them and speeding up Notion.

H2: How to make Notion run faster

If your Notion is slow even when the internet connectivity is robust and the Notion server is up and running, you are dealing with one of the two issues - overloaded pages or a packed Notion workspace.

Let’s now troubleshoot all potential reasons for Notion running slow.

Here are a few ways you can make Notion run faster:

1. Publish with Super

If your Notion pages double as a public website, slow load times can frustrate visitors and cause them to leave before engaging with your content. Super solves this by turning your Notion pages into high-performance, static websites that load almost instantly.

Built-in optimizations, server-side rendering, and a global CDN mean your site feels fast no matter where visitors are based. This results in lower bounce rates, higher engagement, and an online presence that scales effortlessly without technical headaches.

Instead of wrestling with performance tweaks, you can focus on creating content while Super delivers it quickly, securely, and reliably to audiences worldwide.

2. Compress images before uploading

Notion images are one of the biggest performance bottlenecks. A single full-resolution photo can be several megabytes, forcing every viewer to download that much data before the page appears fully. Compressing them beforehand with tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh reduces file sizes dramatically while keeping them visually clear.

The benefit is faster loading for both you and anyone you share the page with, especially on slower connections. The tradeoff is a small loss in image quality, which is rarely noticeable for most use cases - but it’s worth keeping originals backed up elsewhere if you need them later.

You can also crop images to reduce their file size, which means they require fewer resources to load.

Another option is to use lazy loading, so images are only loaded when the user scrolls to them. This way, resources are prioritized for content visible higher up on the page, improving overall load speed. However, Notion Sites, unlike Super, does not support lazy loading.

3. Use toggles to hide non-essential content

Just like lazy loading helps with images, there’s a simple way to apply the same idea to text in Notion - using toggle blocks. The more content Notion has to render up front, the slower the page will feel. By placing secondary or “read later” sections inside toggles, you cut down the initial load time and let readers decide what to expand. This not only speeds things up but also makes long pages easier to scan.

However, there’s a tradeoff that you must consider - Hidden sections can be missed if readers don’t click to open them. Reserve toggles for content that’s truly optional, not for critical information.

4. Simplify large databases

Databases are one of Notion’s most powerful features, but they can also be the slowest to load, especially when they contain thousands of rows, multiple views, and heavy relations. Each time you open one, Notion runs queries to fetch and process that data.

Using filters and limits to display only what’s relevant can reduce loading time significantly. Splitting massive tables into smaller, purpose-specific ones also helps, particularly if you’ve noticed Notion’s automation tools reacting sluggishly to changes.

The downside is that breaking them apart can mean more navigation between pages - but the speed gains often outweigh that inconvenience.

5. Remove or limit widgets and embeds

Every widget or embedded page you add comes with its own scripts and data calls. The more you stack, the more your Notion has to wait for outside services to respond. Reducing these - or replacing them with static snapshots - cuts down on external dependencies and keeps your workspace lighter.

The drawback is losing real-time updates for those elements, so it’s a balance between interactivity and speed.

6. Archive or delete unused content

Inactive pages still exist in your workspace’s backend, and large quantities of them can bloat search indexing and slow down navigation. Deleting or archiving outdated material keeps the overall database leaner, which can subtly improve responsiveness.

The main tradeoff is that deleted content is gone for good after 30 days. So if you think you might need something later, archiving is the safer bet.

7. Avoid using Unsplash photos directly

Notion’s Unsplash integration is convenient, but the images it pulls in are high-resolution and uncompressed, which means they load slower. By downloading them first, resizing or compressing them, and then uploading the lighter version, you get the same visual quality for a fraction of the load time.

8. Minimize third-party tool integrations

Live integrations like calendars, analytics dashboards, or task boards constantly fetch and update data in the background. This ongoing sync is a common reason for Notion being slow, especially in shared workspaces. Reducing the number of these tools or switching to manual updates can make pages feel far more responsive.

9. Clear cache periodically

Cached files help Notion open faster day-to-day, but over time, they can become outdated or bloated, contributing to slowdowns. Clearing the cache forces Notion to fetch fresh data, which can solve performance issues - particularly on older machines.

The tradeoff is that your first load after clearing will be slower as everything is re-downloaded, but after that, the benefit is usually noticeable.

FAQs

Why is my Notion website slow?

Your Notion website is slow because native Notion pages are loaded dynamically, meaning each block is fetched and rendered on the fly. This dynamic load, combined with large images or heavy embeds, leads to slower performance compared to a static site.

If you’ve noticed ongoing Notion slow performance, especially for visitors, the culprit is usually a mix of uncompressed assets, linked databases, and multiple live integrations.

For better performance, build your Notion site with Super because it removes the need to query Notion’s servers for every view.

Why is my Notion export slow?

Notion exports are slow because the system has to bundle all your workspace content including pages, subpages, databases, and uploaded files, into a single download. The more data you have, the longer this process takes.

Workspaces with large images, complex or linked databases, and years of archived material will always take longer to export. Compressing images beforehand and archiving old pages can make future exports faster.

Why is Notion slow on my mobile?

Notion can be slower on mobile because phones and tablets often have less RAM and CPU power than desktops, so large pages or heavy databases take longer to render. Offline sync can also consume resources, as Notion stores copies of your pages locally for quick access.

Does Notion slow down my computer?

Yes, it can. Notion’s desktop app and web app are built on ‘Electron’, which uses more memory than lightweight native apps. Large pages or multiple tabs can increase RAM usage, which in turn may slow down your entire system.

Why is Notion AI so slow?

Notion AI can feel slow because requests are processed server-side - meaning your query is sent to Notion’s servers, handled by the AI system, and then sent back. During peak usage times, this round trip can take longer.

The delay isn’t usually tied to your own device performance, but to processing queues and internet connection stability.

Why is Notion mail slow?

Notion’s email notifications are often batched to reduce server load. This means updates and mentions you receive might not trigger an immediate email. Instead, they’re grouped and sent in intervals.

Why is Notion API so slow?

The Notion API can be slow if your requests are complex or hit rate limits. Each API call retrieves data from Notion’s backend, and large or linked databases take more time to query.

Optimizing queries to fetch only needed fields and batching requests where possible can improve speed.

Should I keep using Notion despite slow speeds?

If slowdowns in Notion are occasional and mostly caused by large pages or heavy databases, a few targeted optimizations will usually clear them up. For many, Notion’s flexibility, powerful databases, and integrations outweigh the occasional performance dips.

If you’ve already trimmed and simplified your workspace yet still face persistent lag that interrupts your flow, you could pair Notion with other lightweight, task-specific tools while keeping it as your central hub.

But if you’re happy with Notion and just want it to feel faster, especially for visitors to your pages, integrating it with Super is a smart move. Super turns your Notion content into a fast-loading website, so you get the best of both worlds: Notion’s familiar editing experience and the speed of a professional-grade site.

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