You may have exported your Notion workspace as a backup and now need to restore that data after a migration, accidental deletion, or workspace reset. Notion does not offer a one-click import for its own full backup files because the export format is designed for portability, not direct restoration. This article explains how to manually restore a Notion backup export file by reimporting its contents into a new or existing workspace.
The backup export from Notion is a ZIP file containing Markdown or HTML files, plus attached images and documents. To restore, you must import those files page by page or use a bulk import method. The process is not automatic, but it is straightforward when you follow the correct steps.
Key Takeaways: Restoring a Notion Backup
- Settings & Members > Settings > Export: Generates the ZIP backup file you need to restore later.
- Import via Settings & Members > Settings > Import: Use HTML or Markdown import to bring pages back into your workspace.
- Manual page-by-page drag: For smaller backups, drag individual exported files into Notion to recreate pages with content and attachments.
Why Notion Backup Export Files Cannot Be Restored Directly
Notion exports your workspace as a ZIP file containing individual page files in Markdown (.md) or HTML format, along with subfolders for attached images, PDFs, and other files. The export does not preserve database relations, formula results, or linked database views. It is a flat snapshot of your content, not a database dump.
Notion intentionally avoids a full restore feature because the export format is meant for portability to other tools like Markdown editors or static site generators. To bring exported content back into Notion, you must reimport each page using the built-in import tool or by dragging files into the workspace. This limitation means you cannot restore an entire workspace with all properties, relations, and database structures intact.
What the Export Preserves
The export preserves page titles, body text (including headings, lists, and code blocks), inline images that are stored in Notion, and attached files. It does not preserve database rollups, relations, formula columns, or linked database views. If your workspace uses complex databases, you will need to rebuild those structures manually after restoring the content.
Steps to Restore a Notion Backup Export File
Follow these steps to import your exported Notion backup into a new or existing workspace. The process works for both Markdown and HTML export formats.
- Extract the ZIP file on your computer
Right-click the exported ZIP file and select Extract All (Windows) or double-click to unzip (macOS). You will see a folder containing .md or .html files and subfolders named after each page with attached assets. - Open the workspace where you want to restore
Go to the workspace you want to restore into. If you are restoring after a workspace reset, create a new workspace first: click your workspace name in the top-left corner, then select Join or create workspace. - Use the Import tool for bulk restoration
Click Settings & Members in the left sidebar, then Settings, then Import. Choose HTML or Markdown depending on your export format. Select the extracted folder or individual files. Notion will import each file as a separate page in your workspace. - Drag individual files for smaller backups
If you have only a few pages, drag the .md or .html file directly from your file explorer into the Notion sidebar. Notion creates a new page with the file name as the title and all content preserved. Attached images and files in subfolders must be dragged separately. - Reattach missing images and files
After import, check each page for broken image placeholders. Open the subfolder that came with the export, find the image or file, and drag it into the page where the placeholder appears. Notion re-uploads the file and displays it correctly. - Rebuild database structures if needed
If your backup contained databases with relations or formulas, you must recreate those properties manually. Create a new database, copy the imported content into it, and re-add relation columns, rollups, and formulas. Use the original database names and property types to match your workflow.
Alternative Method: Import via the Web Clipper or API
For advanced users, the Notion API can programmatically recreate pages and databases from exported data. This requires coding knowledge and is not recommended for most users. The web clipper does not support importing local files.
If the Import Fails or Content Looks Wrong
Imported pages show no text or formatting
If a page imports with only a title and no body content, the export file may be in a format Notion cannot parse. Open the .md or .html file in a text editor to confirm it contains content. If the file is empty, re-export the backup from the original workspace with the Include content checkbox enabled.
Images appear as broken links after import
Notion export saves images in a subfolder named attachments or with the page name. When you import the .md or .html file, the image links point to the local folder path, which Notion cannot resolve. Drag the image file from the extracted folder directly into the page to re-upload it. For many images, use the import tool on the entire folder instead of individual files.
Database pages import as plain pages, not databases
Notion export converts database rows into individual Markdown or HTML pages. They lose their database structure. To restore a database, create a new database in Notion with the same column names and types, then copy the content from each imported page into a new row. Use the Duplicate or Move to option to transfer content quickly.
Notion Export Formats: Markdown vs HTML
| Item | Markdown (.md) | HTML (.html) |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Smaller, text-only with basic formatting | Larger, includes full HTML structure |
| Image handling | Inline images as Markdown links | Inline images as img tags with local paths |
| Import compatibility | Imports well into Notion, but loses some inline styles | Imports with better formatting preservation |
| Recommended use | Portability to other tools like Obsidian or GitHub | Best for restoring back into Notion |
Choose HTML format when you plan to restore the backup into Notion. Choose Markdown if you need the data for another application.
Conclusion
You can now restore a Notion backup export by extracting the ZIP file and using the Import tool or dragging files into your workspace. Remember that database structures, relations, and formulas are not preserved and must be rebuilt manually. For future backups, consider using the Export all content option in HTML format for better import results. If you manage multiple workspaces, test the restore process with a single page before committing to a full workspace recovery.