We analyzed 12 examples of how Notion handles empty states across their product, spanning 4 different approaches: icon with headline and CTA, text-only message, empty grid, modal overlay.
Notion — New page (editor canvas)
A brand-new blank page with placeholder title and helper text. Bottom bar shows 'Get started with' quick-action chips for Ask AI, AI Meeting Notes, Database, Form, and Templates.
Notion — Home dashboard (database list view widget)
Home dashboard showing a List database view widget with a tooltip explaining no permission to create new items. The view shows 'No results' text. A tooltip reads about not having permission to create new items.
Notion — New database (table view)
A brand-new empty database shown as a table view with column headers but no data rows. A '+ New page' placeholder row is visible and a blue 'New' button sits in the top-right.
Notion — Database table view (filtered, no results)
Empty database table view with an active filter applied. No rows match the filter, resulting in a blank table with two inline action buttons: 'Clear search' and '+ New page'.
Notion — Home dashboard / Inbox sidebar
Home dashboard showing a caught-up inbox state in the left panel and the home feed on the right. The home feed includes sections for Upcoming events and Home views, each with their own icon-based empty states prompting the user to connect Calendar or select a database.
Notion — Meetings page
Meetings page showing two sections: Upcoming meetings with a calendar icon and CTA to connect calendar, and AI meeting notes section with an icon and CTA to create a new AI meeting note. The AI meeting notes section is empty.
Notion — Trash sidebar panel
Trash panel opened from the sidebar, showing an empty trash state with a trash icon and 'No results' text. Filter options for 'Last edited by', 'In', and 'Teamspaces' are visible. A notice about automatic deletion after 30 days appears at the bottom.
Notion — Settings > People > Guests tab
Settings modal open to the People section, Guests tab. Shows an empty guest list with a person icon, 'No guests yet' headline, and an 'Import contacts' button. The Add members dropdown is visible in the top-right.
Notion — Page publish popover (Share > Publish tab)
Publish to web modal/popover overlaying a new page. Shows a preview of the empty page with a 'Publish' button. The modal includes Share and Publish tabs.
Notion — Database share/invite popover
Invite popover/dropdown overlaying a filtered empty database. Shows an email input field with 'Full access' permission dropdown and an 'Invite' button. Below is an 'Import contacts' option for Google, Slack, or Microsoft.
Notion — Page icon / emoji picker popover
Emoji picker popover on a page with a search query 'none' returning no results. The picker shows Emoji, Icons, and Upload tabs, with a 'No results' message and an '+ Add emoji' action.
Notion — Global search modal
Global search modal with a query returning no results. Shows 'No results' headline with a suggestion that results may be in deleted pages, plus a 'Search deleted pages' link. An AI search option is also visible at the top.