Notion databases let you manage hundreds of items, but editing properties for multiple rows one at a time wastes time. The bulk property edit feature in the toolbar menu allows you to change a property value for several selected rows in one action. This article explains how to access the bulk edit option from the database toolbar and apply it to text, select, status, date, and other property types. You will learn the exact steps and understand which property types support bulk editing and which do not.
Key Takeaways: Bulk Property Edit in Notion Databases
- Database toolbar > Edit property: Changes a property value for all selected rows at once after you select multiple rows using Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click.
- Supported property types: Text, Select, Multi-Select, Status, Date, Checkbox, Email, Phone, URL, Number, and Formula properties can be bulk-edited.
- Unsupported property types: Relation, Rollup, Created Time, Last Edited Time, Created By, Last Edited By, and File & Media properties cannot be bulk-edited from the toolbar.
How the Bulk Edit Feature Works in Notion Databases
Notion applies bulk property edits by modifying the selected property for every row you have highlighted. When you select multiple rows and choose Edit property from the database toolbar, a small pop-up appears showing the current property value. You can type a new value, pick from a list, or toggle a checkbox. The change is applied instantly to all selected rows. This feature works in both table and board views, but the toolbar button is only visible when at least two rows are selected. The bulk edit pop-up does not show a confirmation dialog; the change is saved as soon as you make a selection or press Enter.
Before using bulk edit, ensure your database view is not filtered in a way that hides rows you intend to update. Bulk edit only affects rows that are currently visible in the view. If your database has a filter that excludes some rows, those rows will not be updated even if they match the selection. Also, bulk edit does not support undoing individual row changes; you must use the Undo command (Ctrl+Z) immediately to revert the entire bulk action.
Steps to Perform a Bulk Property Edit From the Toolbar
Follow these steps to change a property value for multiple rows in a Notion database.
- Open the database in a view that supports row selection
Navigate to the Notion page containing the database. Switch to Table view or Board view. List view and Calendar view do not support multi-row selection for bulk editing. - Select the rows you want to edit
Click the checkbox at the left edge of each row. Alternatively, click the first row, hold Shift, and click the last row to select a contiguous range. To select non-adjacent rows, hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) and click each row. - Locate the Edit property button in the toolbar
With at least two rows selected, the database toolbar displays a button labeled Edit property. This button appears between the Add a view button and the Filter button. If you do not see it, ensure you have selected more than one row. - Click Edit property and choose the property to update
Click Edit property. A pop-up menu lists all properties in the database. Select the property you want to change. For example, select Status to update the status of all selected rows. - Set the new value for the selected property
After selecting the property, a second pop-up appears. The type of input depends on the property type. For a Text property, type the new value. For a Select property, click an option from the dropdown. For a Checkbox, click to toggle the check. For a Date, pick a date from the calendar. Press Enter or click outside the pop-up to apply the change. - Verify the changes
Scroll through the selected rows to confirm the property value has been updated for all rows. If the change is incorrect, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (Mac) immediately to undo the bulk edit.
Common Mistakes and Limitations When Bulk Editing Properties
Bulk editing from the toolbar is straightforward, but several pitfalls can cause unexpected results.
Bulk edit does not appear in the toolbar
The Edit property button only shows when at least two rows are selected. If you have selected multiple rows but the button is missing, check that your view is in Table or Board mode. Also, confirm that the database is not in full-page mode where the toolbar may be collapsed. Click the small arrow icon at the top right of the database to expand the toolbar.
Bulk edit changes rows that should not be updated
If you accidentally select rows you did not intend to change, use Ctrl+Click to deselect individual rows before applying the edit. Alternatively, clear all selections by clicking outside the table and then reselect only the correct rows.
Bulk edit does not support clearing a property value
To remove a value from a property for multiple rows, you cannot use the bulk edit pop-up directly. For Text properties, you can type a space and then delete it, but this may leave an empty string. For Select and Multi-Select properties, there is no “Clear” option in the bulk edit pop-up. You must edit those rows individually or create a formula property that returns an empty value.
Bulk edit on Relation and Rollup properties is not available
The bulk edit feature intentionally excludes Relation and Rollup properties. To update a Relation for multiple rows, you must open each row individually and modify the relation field. There is no workaround for this limitation in the current version of Notion.
Supported vs Unsupported Property Types for Bulk Edit
| Property Type | Bulk Edit Supported | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Yes | You can type any text value; existing text is replaced |
| Number | Yes | Enter a numeric value; formula results are not affected |
| Select | Yes | Pick one option from the dropdown; cannot clear the selection |
| Multi-Select | Yes | Add tags; bulk edit appends tags rather than replacing all tags |
| Status | Yes | Choose a status group and value; replaces existing status |
| Date | Yes | Pick a date or date range; replaces existing date value |
| Checkbox | Yes | Toggle the checkbox; all selected rows get the same state |
| Yes | Type an email address; replaces existing value | |
| Phone | Yes | Type a phone number; replaces existing value |
| URL | Yes | Type a URL; replaces existing value |
| Formula | Yes | Bulk edit changes the formula definition for all selected rows; formula results recompute automatically |
| Relation | No | Must edit each row individually |
| Rollup | No | Read-only; cannot be edited directly |
| Created Time | No | Read-only; set automatically |
| Last Edited Time | No | Read-only; set automatically |
| Created By | No | Read-only; set automatically |
| Last Edited By | No | Read-only; set automatically |
| File & Media | No | Must upload files to each row individually |
You can now use the toolbar Edit property button to update multiple rows in a Notion database in seconds. Start by selecting the rows you want to change, then choose the property and set the new value. For databases with many rows, consider using a filtered view to isolate the rows you need to update before bulk editing. An advanced tip: combine bulk edit with a formula property that concatenates or transforms text; you can bulk edit the formula definition to apply a new calculation to all selected rows at once.