How to Export and Back Up a Notion Workspace Before Canceling

Before canceling Notion, export the entire workspace from Settings → General → Export all workspace content, download the ZIP file from the email Notion sends, open it locally, and verify your pages, databases, attachments, and private content. Then cancel the paid plan from Settings → Billing → Change plan. Deleting a workspace does not cancel its subscription.

Do not delete the workspace until the backup has been downloaded and checked. Notion says workspace deletion is permanent and removes access for everyone in it.

Notion backup changes to know in 2026

Notion currently lets you export a complete workspace as HTML or as Markdown and CSV, including uploaded files that the exporter can access.

There is also an important time-sensitive change: Notion says the option to export an entire workspace as PDF is being removed gradually by August 31, 2026. Individual pages can still be exported as PDF, while full-workspace backups should use HTML or Markdown and CSV.

The current details are documented in Notion’s official Back up your data and Export your content guides.

What a Notion workspace export includes

A full export can contain:

• Regular and nested pages
• Database data
• Uploaded images and files
• An index for navigating the archive
• HTML pages or Markdown files
• CSV files for databases

Notion says the export includes an index.html sitemap with local links to exported pages in HTML and Markdown formats.

However, a workspace export is not a perfect clone that you can restore with one click. Notion explicitly says you cannot instantly recreate a workspace by reuploading the exported content. Treat the export as a portable archive and migration source, not a complete system image.

What may be missing from the export

Private pages belonging to other members

Pages the person running the export cannot access are not included. That can affect private pages owned by other team members.

Before exporting a company workspace, ask members to move required material into an accessible teamspace, share relevant pages with the workspace owner, or export their private pages separately.

Content blocked by security settings

In some Enterprise workspaces, owners can disable exporting. If the export option is missing, a workspace owner should review Settings → Security and the teamspace security controls.

Do not bypass an organization’s data policy. Ask the administrator to authorize the export.

Form views

Notion says a Form view of a database cannot currently be exported directly. Export the questions and responses from a Table view instead.

Dynamic behavior and integrations

An export preserves content more reliably than behavior. Automations, permissions, comments, relationships, integrations, formulas, synced databases, embeds, and third-party connections may not operate the same way outside Notion.

Create a separate inventory of anything that depends on another SaaS product.

Choose HTML or Markdown and CSV

Choose HTML for easy offline reading

HTML is usually the most convenient choice if you want to browse the archive in a web browser.

It keeps pages readable, organizes nested content into folders, saves assets alongside pages, and uses the included index for navigation. It is a strong choice for a human-readable snapshot.

Choose Markdown and CSV for migration

Markdown and CSV are more portable if you plan to move data to another notes, wiki, or database tool.

Notion exports:

• Non-database pages as Markdown
• Full-page databases as CSV
• Database subpages as Markdown
• Some blocks without a Markdown equivalent as HTML

CSV files open in Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets, and many database tools. Markdown works with plain-text editors and numerous knowledge-management apps.

If storage permits, create both an HTML export and a Markdown/CSV export.

Export critical pages as PDF separately

Although complete-workspace PDF export is being retired, individual pages can still be exported as PDF.

Use PDF for signed-off policies, final reports, invoices, approved procedures, and pages whose visual layout matters. PDF is less useful for rebuilding databases, so it should not be your only backup.

How to export an entire Notion workspace

Notion says full-workspace export is available on desktop or the web.

Step 1: Review access and storage

Before starting:

1. Identify the workspace owner.
2. Ask members about private pages that must be retained.
3. Review restricted teamspaces.
4. List important databases, files, and integrations.
5. Confirm there is enough disk space for the download and extraction.

Large workspaces can produce a sizable ZIP. If your computer is short on space, follow our guide to freeing storage on Windows 11 without deleting personal files.

Step 2: Start the export

1. Open the correct Notion workspace.
2. Select Settings in the sidebar.
3. Under workspace settings, choose General.
4. Select Export all workspace content.
5. Choose HTML or Markdown and CSV if prompted.
6. Include files and images when available.
7. Start the export.

Verify the workspace name first if you belong to several workspaces.

Step 3: Download the ZIP

Notion processes the workspace and emails a download link.

According to Notion, the link expires after seven days. Download the archive promptly. Save the original ZIP unchanged and extract a second copy for inspection.

Step 4: Store two copies

Keep at least two independent copies, such as one on your computer and another on an external drive or separate encrypted cloud-storage account.

Never store the only backup inside the workspace you intend to delete. Protect archives containing client, employee, financial, or confidential business data.

How to verify the Notion backup

A completed download does not prove the archive is usable.

Open the index

Extract the ZIP and open index.html if included. Click through several sections and confirm that local links work.

Sample every content type

Open examples of top-level pages, nested pages, databases, database subpages, images, attachments, code blocks, tables, and pages with unusual characters.

Compare database records

Open important CSV files and compare their approximate row counts with the live databases.

Check column names, dates, URLs, selections, and text fields. Relations and formulas may not behave like live properties in a flat CSV.

Search for critical items

Search the extracted folder for several important client names, project IDs, invoice numbers, or document titles. Test material from different teamspaces and time periods.

Check attachments

Open a sample of uploaded documents and images. A filename is not enough if the file is incomplete or corrupted.

Create a backup manifest

Add a text file recording the export date, workspace name, chosen format, who ran the export, known omissions, integrations requiring migration, and the locations of supplemental PDFs.

What to do if the full export fails

Notion acknowledges that particularly large workspaces can have trouble completing a full export.

Its documented workaround is to export in smaller batches:

1. Open an important top-level page.
2. Select the three-dot menu.
3. Choose Export.
4. Select HTML or Markdown & CSV.
5. Turn on Include subpages.
6. Repeat for every major top-level section.

Keep a checklist so you do not miss a department or teamspace. Contact Notion support before canceling or deleting if errors continue.

How to cancel a Notion paid plan

Canceling a subscription and deleting a workspace are different actions.

On desktop or web:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Billing.
3. Choose Change plan.
4. Select the downgrade or cancellation option.
5. Complete the confirmation.
6. Record when the current paid period ends.

Notion says monthly and annual subscriptions renew automatically until canceled. Paid features remain available until the end of the current billing cycle, and the downgrade takes effect afterward.

Plan changes cannot be completed fully from the mobile app. Save the confirmation email or screenshot, then revisit Billing and verify that another renewal is not scheduled.

Do not delete the workspace just to stop billing

Notion’s official Delete a workspace page states that deleting a workspace does not cancel the subscription. Downgrade the plan before deleting.

Deleting a workspace permanently removes its content for every member, including accessible private pages.

If your only goal is to stop paying, cancel or downgrade and keep the workspace on the Free plan if it fits the limits. Delete it only when you have a separate reason to remove the content.

How to delete the workspace safely

Continue only after the export is verified and the billing change is confirmed.

1. Open Settings.
2. Under Workspace, select General.
3. Scroll to Danger zone.
4. Choose Delete entire workspace.
5. Type the workspace name.
6. Confirm permanent deletion.

Notify every member first. If the workspace contains business data, follow legal-hold, retention, privacy, and client-contract requirements.

What about deleting your Notion account?

A single account can belong to multiple workspaces. Review the workspace switcher and billing settings for each before deleting the account.

Export every workspace you own, transfer ownership where necessary, and confirm shared business content will remain accessible.

Also review account security before changing devices or transferring ownership. Our guide explains how to transfer Google Authenticator to a new phone without losing codes.

Final Notion cancellation checklist

Before canceling:

• Review every workspace tied to the account
• Check private pages and restricted teamspaces
• Export the workspace as HTML
• Export a second copy as Markdown and CSV
• Save critical pages separately as PDF
• Download the ZIP before the seven-day link expires
• Test the index, files, attachments, and databases
• Inventory integrations and automations
• Store at least two protected copies

Before deleting:

• Confirm the paid plan was canceled or downgraded
• Record the end of the billing period
• Notify workspace members
• Transfer content that should remain live
• Follow retention and privacy requirements
• Verify the backup one final time

The safest order is: export, verify, duplicate the backup, cancel the plan, and only then consider deletion.