How to Set Notion Database Toolbar to Show Specific Action Buttons Only

You want the Notion database toolbar to show only the action buttons you actually use, such as New, Filter, Sort, or Search, and hide the rest. By default, Notion displays all toolbar buttons for every database view, which can clutter the interface and slow down navigation. This article explains how to customize the toolbar by removing unnecessary buttons and locking the configuration so it stays consistent across your workspace. You will learn the exact menu path and settings to apply these changes to any database.

How the Notion Database Toolbar Works

The database toolbar is the row of action buttons that appears below the database title and above the data rows. By default, it includes buttons for New, Filter, Sort, Search, and view-specific actions like Calendar date range or Board status. Notion does not provide a single global setting to hide all buttons at once. Instead, you must customize each database view individually. This feature is useful when you want to limit what collaborators can do, reduce visual noise, or create a focused data-entry interface.

Prerequisites: You need edit permissions on the database. If you are a workspace member with full access, you can customize the toolbar. Guest users cannot modify toolbar settings. The customization applies only to the current view, not to all views of the same database.

Steps to Show Only Specific Action Buttons

1. Open the database view you want to customize
   Navigate to any page that contains the database. Click on the view tab at the top of the database, for example Table View or Board View. Each view has its own toolbar configuration.
2. Click the view menu button
   Locate the view name in the tab bar. Click the small arrow or the three-dot icon next to the view name to open the view menu. The menu lists options like Rename, Duplicate, and Customize view.
3. Select Customize view
   From the view menu, click Customize view. A side panel opens on the right side of the screen. This panel contains sections for Layout, Properties, and Toolbar.
4. Scroll to the Toolbar section
   In the Customize view panel, scroll down until you see the Toolbar heading. Below it, you will find toggle switches for each action button: New, Filter, Sort, Search, and any view-specific buttons such as Calendar view date range or Board view group by.
5. Toggle off the buttons you want to hide
   Click the toggle switch next to each button name to turn it off. The button immediately disappears from the toolbar above the database. Turn off all buttons except the ones you want to keep visible. For example, leave only New and Search toggled on.
6. Close the Customize view panel
   Click anywhere outside the panel or press Escape on your keyboard. The toolbar now shows only the buttons you selected. The change is saved automatically.
7. Lock the view to prevent accidental changes
   Open the view menu again. Click Lock view. This disables the ability for anyone to toggle toolbar buttons or rearrange properties until the view is unlocked. Locking is optional but recommended for shared databases.

Customizing Toolbar for Multiple Views

If your database has several views, such as a Table view, a Board view, and a Calendar view, you must repeat the steps above for each view. There is no bulk-edit feature for toolbar settings. To save time, duplicate a view that already has the ideal toolbar configuration. Right-click the view tab and select Duplicate. The duplicated view inherits the toolbar settings of the original. Then rename the duplicated view and adjust any other properties as needed.

Common Issues and Things to Avoid

Toolbar buttons reappear after someone edits the view

If a collaborator has edit permissions and opens Customize view, they can toggle buttons back on. To prevent this, lock the view after configuring the toolbar. Locking only blocks changes to the view layout and toolbar settings. Users can still add or edit database entries unless you restrict permissions separately.

Hidden buttons are still accessible via keyboard shortcuts

Hiding a button from the toolbar does not disable its functionality. For example, if you hide the Filter button, users can still press Ctrl+Shift+F (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+F (Mac) to open the filter menu. To fully restrict filtering, you must adjust database permissions or use a read-only view.

The Customize view panel does not show a Toolbar section

This occurs when you are using an older version of Notion or a view type that does not support toolbar customization. As of 2025, all standard view types (Table, Board, Gallery, List, Calendar, Timeline) support toolbar toggles. If the section is missing, refresh the page or update your browser. If the issue persists, try switching to a different view type and back.

Locked view prevents toolbar changes but not property edits

Locking a view only locks the view’s layout and toolbar configuration. Users with edit access can still add, edit, or delete database entries, change property values, and rearrange columns within the data area. To restrict data editing, create a read-only view by setting the database permissions to Can view only for specific users or groups.

Item	Button visible	Button hidden
New entry	Click to add a row	Use keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N / Cmd+N
Filter	Click to open filter menu	Use keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+F / Cmd+Shift+F
Sort	Click to open sort menu	Use keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+S / Cmd+Shift+S
Search	Click to open search box	Use keyboard shortcut Ctrl+F / Cmd+F

The table above shows that hiding a button does not remove the underlying functionality. Users can still perform the action using keyboard shortcuts. If you need to completely disable an action, combine toolbar hiding with database permissions or a locked view.

You can now customize the Notion database toolbar to show only the action buttons you need for each view. Start by configuring one view with the ideal set of buttons, then duplicate that view for other tabs to save time. For an advanced tip, use the Lock view feature immediately after setting the toolbar so that collaborators cannot accidentally restore hidden buttons.