You may have noticed that the section headers in your Notion workspace sidebar — such as Favorites, Private, or Shared — do not respond to a double-click or right-click rename command. Unlike database pages or individual notes, these built-in section labels appear locked in place. This article explains the product design reason behind this limitation, the specific areas where renaming is and is not possible, and the workarounds available if you want to customize your sidebar organization.
Key Takeaways: Sidebar Section Renaming Limits in Notion
- Built-in section labels cannot be renamed: Favorites, Private, Shared, and Teamspaces are system-defined and not editable inline.
- User-created custom sections do not exist: Notion does not allow adding new section headers to the sidebar; only page-level renaming is supported.
- Workaround: rename the top-level page inside a section: You can rename a page that appears under Private or Shared, which changes its display name but not the section header itself.
Why Notion Locks Sidebar Section Headers
Notion’s sidebar is divided into sections that group content by access level and source. The Favorites section shows pages you have starred. Private displays pages in your personal workspace. Shared lists pages you have access to from other workspaces or guests. Teamspaces appears only in workspace-level plans and shows team-owned pages.
These section headers are not pages or databases. They are UI containers hardcoded into the application. Notion treats them as structural elements, not user-editable items. The engineering reason is that the sidebar relies on a fixed set of identifiers to sort and display pages. If users could rename Favorites to My Bookmarks, the internal logic that determines where a starred page appears would break. The sidebar would need a new mapping system for every renamed section.
Another factor is consistency across accounts. When you share a page with another Notion user, their sidebar still shows Shared, Private, and Favorites. If renaming were allowed, the shared experience would become unpredictable — one user might see My Shared Items while another sees Collaborations. Notion prioritizes a uniform interface for collaboration, which prevents inline renaming of these core sections.
What You Can Rename in the Sidebar
You can rename any individual page or database that appears under a section. For example, a page called Project Alpha under Private can be renamed to Project Omega by clicking the page name at the top of the editor or by right-clicking the page in the sidebar and selecting Rename. This changes the display name in the sidebar but does not alter the section header (Private) above it.
What You Cannot Rename in the Sidebar
The following sidebar elements cannot be renamed inline: Favorites, Private, Shared, Teamspaces (if enabled), and the workspace name shown at the top of the sidebar (though the workspace name can be changed in Settings & Members > Settings > Workspace Name). Additionally, the Trash section header is fixed.
Steps to Confirm the Limitation and Apply Workarounds
- Test inline renaming on a section header
Open your Notion workspace sidebar. Double-click the word Favorites or Private. Nothing happens. Right-click the same header. The context menu shows options like Collapse All or Expand All, but no Rename option. This confirms the header is not editable. - Rename a page inside a section
Right-click any page listed under Private or Shared. Select Rename from the context menu. Type a new name and press Enter. The page updates in the sidebar, but the section header above it remains unchanged. - Move a page to a different section using Favorites
If you want a page to appear under a section with a label that feels more appropriate, add it to Favorites. Click the star icon next to the page name in the top-left corner of the editor or right-click the page in the sidebar and select Add to Favorites. The page now appears under the Favorites section, which is distinct from Private or Shared. - Use nested pages to create a custom grouping
Create a new page under Private with a name that acts as a category label, such as Archived Projects. Drag related pages inside that page as subpages. This creates a hierarchical grouping that appears under Private but with your own label. This is the closest workaround to having a custom section name. - Change the workspace name (affects top of sidebar)
Go to Settings & Members in the left sidebar. Select Settings from the menu. Under the Workspace Name field, enter a new name. Click Save. The workspace name at the top of the sidebar updates, but the section headers below it remain fixed.
If You Still Want Custom Section Headers
Can I create a new section in the sidebar?
No. Notion does not provide a way to add custom sections to the sidebar. The sections are limited to Favorites, Private, Shared, and Teamspaces. This is by design to keep the navigation structure predictable.
Can I hide a section I do not use?
Partially. You can collapse a section by clicking the arrow next to its name. This hides the pages under it but keeps the section header visible. You cannot remove the section entirely. For Teamspaces, you can leave or disable teamspaces in workspace settings, which removes that section.
Does the mobile app allow renaming sections?
No. The mobile app uses the same fixed section headers. The limitation is consistent across all platforms: desktop, web, iOS, and Android.
Notion Sidebar Section Types: Fixed vs Editable
| Item | Fixed (cannot rename) | Editable (can rename) |
|---|---|---|
| Section header (Favorites, Private, Shared, Teamspaces) | Yes | No |
| Individual page or database under a section | No | Yes |
| Workspace name (top of sidebar) | No (editable in settings) | Yes |
| Trash section header | Yes | No |
| Teamspace name (appears under Teamspaces) | No | Yes (via teamspace settings) |
The table shows that only the top-level section headers and Trash are permanently fixed. Everything else in the sidebar that represents a page or workspace can be renamed through the appropriate settings or context menu.
Now you know that Notion’s sidebar section headers cannot be renamed inline because they are system-defined containers designed for consistency across users and devices. The workaround is to rename individual pages, use Favorites to group content under a different section, or create nested pages under Private to simulate custom categories. If you need a section label that reflects your workflow, consider using a top-level page with a descriptive name and dragging related content inside it. This approach gives you control over the labels your team sees without breaking the sidebar structure.