You deleted a page, database, or note in Notion and now need it back. Notion moves deleted items to the workspace Trash instead of removing them permanently right away. This article explains how the Trash system works and gives you clear steps to restore your lost content.
Key Takeaways: Restoring Deleted Items in Notion
- Trash in the left sidebar: Shows all items deleted from the workspace in the last 30 days
- Right-click > Restore: Returns a deleted page to its original location in one click
- Permanent deletion warning: Items older than 30 days cannot be recovered through the interface
How Notion Trash Works
When you delete a page, database, or any block in Notion, the item is not erased immediately. Notion moves it to the workspace Trash, which acts as a safety net. The Trash stores deleted content for 30 days from the date of deletion. After 30 days, the system permanently removes the item and it cannot be recovered through normal means.
The Trash is visible in the left sidebar of the Notion app and website. It shows all deleted items from the entire workspace, not just from a specific page. Each item in the Trash displays its name, the date it was deleted, and the user who deleted it. You can restore individual items or permanently delete them before the 30-day window ends.
Subpages and child blocks that belong to a deleted parent page are also moved to the Trash along with the parent. Restoring the parent page brings back all its content automatically. If you delete a page that is linked in a database, the database cell still shows the page name but the link becomes broken until you restore the page.
Steps to Restore a Deleted Page or Database
- Open the Trash
In the left sidebar of your Notion workspace, locate and click the Trash option. If you do not see Trash, scroll down the sidebar or click the three-dot menu at the bottom of the sidebar and select Trash. - Find the item you want to restore
Browse the list of deleted items. You can use the search bar at the top of the Trash view to type the name of the page or database you are looking for. Items are sorted by deletion date, with the most recently deleted at the top. - Restore the item
Hover over the item you want to recover. Click the checkmark on the left side of the item row to select it, or right-click the item and choose Restore. The item returns to its original location in the workspace. If the original parent page still exists, the item appears under that parent. If the parent was also deleted and you have not restored it yet, the item appears at the top level of the workspace. - Confirm the restoration
Navigate to the location where the item was restored. Open the page or database to verify that all content, subpages, and properties are intact. If something is missing, check whether you need to restore the parent page first.
If You Accidentally Permanently Delete an Item
If you click Delete permanently in the Trash, the item is removed immediately and cannot be recovered through the Notion interface. Notion does not provide an undo button for permanent deletion. Your only option is to contact Notion support within a reasonable time frame and ask if they can restore the data from a backup. Notion support does not guarantee recovery, but they may be able to help for enterprise or team plan users.
To avoid permanent deletion, always use the Restore option instead of the Delete permanently button. If you want to remove an item from the Trash without restoring it, wait for the 30-day automatic deletion period to expire.
Common Issues When Restoring from Trash
Item Is Not in the Trash
If you cannot find a deleted page in the Trash, it was likely deleted more than 30 days ago and was permanently removed. Check whether the item was deleted by a different workspace member. If you are on a team plan, only the person who deleted the item or a workspace owner can see it in the Trash. Ask the workspace owner to check their Trash view.
Restored Page Shows Broken Links or Missing Content
When you restore a page, its subpages are also restored. However, if a subpage was deleted separately and is still in the Trash, you must restore that subpage individually. Also, any linked databases or pages that were deleted separately remain broken until you restore them. Restore all related items at the same time to avoid missing content.
Cannot Restore Because the Original Location Was Deleted
If the parent page of the deleted item no longer exists, Notion restores the item to the top level of the workspace. You can then move it to a new location by dragging it in the sidebar. This behavior prevents orphaned items from being lost.
Notion Trash Behavior: Free vs Paid Plans Compared
| Feature | Free Plan | Plus / Business / Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| Trash retention period | 30 days | 30 days |
| Number of items in Trash | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Restore from Trash | Yes | Yes |
| Permanent deletion before 30 days | Yes, by user | Yes, by user or admin |
| Support recovery after permanent deletion | Not available | Enterprise plan may request backup restore |
All Notion plans keep deleted items for 30 days. The only difference is that enterprise plan users may be able to request a backup restore from Notion support after permanent deletion. For all other plans, the 30-day window is the only opportunity to recover deleted content.
You now know how to recover deleted pages and databases from the Notion Trash. The Trash icon in the left sidebar is your first stop when something goes missing. Remember that you have 30 days to restore any item, and after that the data is gone. To protect important content, consider using the Backup all workspace content export option in Settings & Members > Settings > Export to create regular offline copies of your workspace.