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What transfers—and what does not
Notion’s full-workspace export includes pages as HTML or Markdown, databases as CSV, uploaded files, and a sitemap. Notion warns that pages the exporting account cannot access—including other users’ private pages—and some content affected by teamspace settings may be omitted. Its Help Center puts the limitation plainly: “You can’t instantly recreate your workspace by reuploading your exported workspace content.” Notion Help Center: Back up your data
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Think of the export as portable content, not a transfer of your entire workspace configuration. Database contents require separate checking because they arrive as CSV, and app-specific behavior such as permissions, integrations, automations, and templates should be treated as separate migration work unless the destination explicitly documents support.
Before you export: inventory the workspace
Make a list of the content you rely on so you can check coverage rather than assume the export is complete.
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- Databases and the views or workflows that depend on them
- Uploaded files, images, and attachments
- Teamspaces, private pages, and content owned by other users
- Permissions, integrations, automations, and templates that will need a destination equivalent or manual recreation
Confirm that the account performing the export can access the material you expect to move. Restricted or inaccessible content may not be included.
Export your Notion workspace
- In Notion desktop or web, open Settings → General → Export all workspace content.
- Choose HTML or Markdown for pages and include uploaded files if you need them. Notion exports databases as CSV.
- Start the export and wait for Notion’s download link. Save the ZIP somewhere separate from the destination server.
- Download it promptly: Notion says the link expires after seven days. Large exports may sometimes fail; Notion suggests exporting important top-level pages in smaller batches as a temporary workaround. Notion’s export guidance
Check the export before importing
Open the ZIP and inspect its index.html sitemap. Spot-check representative top-level pages and subpages, attachments, and database CSV files. Confirm that expected content is present and that file links point to included files. This is where you can identify omissions while the Notion workspace is still available for comparison.
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Do not treat the presence of a page in the sitemap as proof that every detail survived. Record missing pages, broken links, formatting changes, or database fields that will need attention.
Choose and verify the destination importer
Check the destination’s import instructions against the exact deployment you intend to run. A guide that describes an upload flow does not necessarily establish that the same flow works directly with every self-hosted installation. Also check what the importer accepts, how it handles attachments and databases, and what administration or permissions you will need to configure afterward.
| Destination | Documented import route | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| AppFlowy | Its guide says to export a Notion ZIP and submit it through Import from Notion; the import creates a new workspace named from the ZIP. AppFlowy: Import From Notion | The guide describes the upload flow but does not establish that it imports directly into the specific self-hosted deployment you plan to use. Confirm that path before relying on it. |
| Outline | Its documentation accepts Notion export files and also lists HTML, Markdown, and text imports. It cautions that import fidelity cannot be guaranteed. Outline: Import data | For transfers between Outline instances, including cloud and self-hosted, the guide recommends JSON. It documents an approximately 1.5 GB limit for that Outline-to-Outline transfer; it covers documents and attachments, not workspace settings such as permissions or users and groups. |
These documented routes are not a complete head-to-head feature evaluation. Choose based on the content you need to preserve, the importer available in your intended self-hosted setup, and how easily you can inspect and repair the result.
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Run a representative test import
Before moving the whole workspace, test a small set that exercises different content types:
- A plain text page
- A page with images or other attachments
- A nested page, to check hierarchy
- A representative database, to check CSV handling and fields
Compare each imported item with the export and the original Notion page. Check formatting, file links, hierarchy, tables and database rows, and any special blocks you depend on. Note what is missing or altered and whether the destination lets you repair it. A successful upload alone does not prove that the migration is complete.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Migrate in batches, then rebuild workspace behavior
- Once the sample is acceptable, import the remaining content in coherent top-level sections where the destination allows it.
- After each batch, check page hierarchy, attachments and file links, tables and database contents, and access roles or permissions.
- Recreate permissions, integrations, automations, templates, and other Notion-specific behavior as separate tasks unless the destination documentation explicitly confirms that it supports them.
- Keep the original ZIP until you have reviewed the destination and repaired the issues you found.
For Outline-to-Outline transfers, use its documented JSON route when appropriate and account for the documented approximately 1.5 GB transfer limit; this route moves documents and attachments, not workspace settings such as permissions or users and groups. Outline’s import documentation
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