You see the message “Image Cannot Be Loaded” in Notion when trying to view or upload an image file. This error typically occurs because the image file is too large, the file format is unsupported, or there is a temporary server or cache issue. This article explains the root causes of the error and provides a set of step-by-step fixes to restore image display in your Notion workspace.
Key Takeaways: Fixing the Notion Image Load Error
- File size limit (5 MB): Images larger than 5 MB may fail to upload or display.
- Supported formats only: Notion supports JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, and SVG. Other formats will not load.
- Clear cache or refresh page: A stale browser cache or server sync issue often causes the error.
Why Notion Cannot Load an Image
Notion stores images on its own servers after you upload them. When you view a page, Notion requests the image file from its servers. If the file is missing, corrupted, too large, or in an unsupported format, the server returns an error and Notion displays “Image Cannot Be Loaded.”
The most common technical root causes are:
- File size exceeds 5 MB: Notion enforces a 5 MB upload limit for images. Files above this limit are rejected during upload or fail to render later.
- Unsupported file format: Notion only accepts JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, and SVG. Files with extensions like BMP, TIFF, or HEIC will not load.
- Server-side sync delay: After uploading, the image may not be fully processed by Notion’s servers. A quick refresh usually resolves this.
- Corrupted image data: If the original file was damaged during transfer or editing, Notion cannot decode it.
- Browser cache conflict: An old cached version of the page may reference a deleted or moved image file.
Steps to Fix the Notion Image Load Error
- Refresh the page
Press F5 or Ctrl+R (Windows) or Cmd+R (Mac) to reload the Notion page. This forces Notion to re-request the image from its servers. If the error was caused by a temporary sync delay, the image will load immediately. - Check the image file size
Right-click the image file on your computer and select Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac). If the file size is greater than 5 MB, resize it using an image editor like Paint, Preview, or a free online tool. Reduce the dimensions or compression level until the file is under 5 MB, then re-upload the image to Notion. - Convert the image to a supported format
If the image is a BMP, TIFF, HEIC, or other unsupported format, convert it to JPEG or PNG. On Windows, open the file in Paint and save as JPEG. On Mac, open in Preview and export as JPEG. Upload the converted file to Notion. - Clear your browser cache
In Chrome, click the three-dot menu > More Tools > Clear Browsing Data. Select Cached images and files and click Clear data. Reload Notion. This removes any stale cached page that may be referencing a broken image URL. - Try a different browser or incognito mode
Open Notion in an incognito or private window. If the image loads there, your regular browser cache or extensions are interfering. Disable extensions one by one to find the culprit. - Re-upload the image
Delete the broken image block from your Notion page. Drag the original image file into the page again. If the file is under 5 MB and in a supported format, it should load correctly. - Check Notion server status
Visit status.notion.so to see if there is an ongoing incident. If Notion reports a server outage, wait for the service to recover and then refresh your page.
If Notion Still Shows the Image Load Error
Image was embedded from a URL instead of uploaded
If you used an image URL (embed block), the external server may be down or the link may be broken. Right-click the image block and select Unlink. Then upload the image file directly to Notion instead.
Image appears in a database cover property
Database cover images have the same 5 MB and format restrictions. Remove the cover image from the database entry and re-upload a properly sized image. To do this, click the database item to open it, hover over the cover area, click Change Cover, and select Remove.
Error occurs only on mobile app
The Notion mobile app may have additional compression limits. Try opening the same page on a desktop browser. If the image loads there, clear the mobile app cache by going to Settings > App Settings > Clear Cache (Android) or reinstalling the app (iOS).
Image file is corrupted
Open the image in a local viewer like Windows Photos or Mac Preview. If the image fails to display there, the file is corrupted. Obtain a fresh copy of the image from the original source and upload it to Notion.
Supported Image Formats vs Unsupported Formats
| Item | Supported by Notion | Not Supported by Notion |
|---|---|---|
| File types | JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, SVG | BMP, TIFF, HEIC, RAW, PSD, EPS |
| Maximum file size | 5 MB | Any file over 5 MB |
| Embed from URL | Yes, but depends on external server | External server down or link broken |
After applying the steps above, you should be able to view and upload images in Notion without seeing the “Image Cannot Be Loaded” error. If the problem continues on a specific page, try duplicating the page and re-uploading the images there. As an advanced tip, you can use Notion’s database file property to attach images instead of embedding them directly, which avoids the image block loading issue entirely.