How do I create a callout in Notion?

Creating callouts in Notion transforms ordinary text into visually striking blocks that naturally draw attention to your most important information. These specialized content blocks combine customizable icons with colored backgrounds, making critical notes, tips, and reminders stand out within your workspace. Whether you're documenting processes, sharing team updates, or organizing project details, callouts provide the visual emphasis needed to ensure key information doesn't get lost in lengthy pages. The process is remarkably straightforward and offers enough customization options to match your specific organizational needs.

The fastest way to create a callout is through Notion's slash command system. Simply place your cursor where you want the callout to appear and type "/callout" – Notion will display the option in a dropdown menu that you can select with your mouse or by pressing Enter. Alternatively, you can click the plus sign that appears when you hover over empty space or at the end of existing content, then select "Callout" from the block menu. Both methods work identically and create the same customizable block.

Once you've inserted your callout, customization becomes the key to maximizing its impact. Click on the default icon to open an icon picker where you can choose from emojis, upload custom images, or remove the icon entirely for a cleaner look. The colored background can be changed by clicking on the current color – Notion offers several options including gray, brown, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, and red. Strategic color choices enhance communication effectiveness: red works well for warnings, green for confirmations, and yellow for important notes or tips.

What makes Notion callouts particularly powerful is their ability to contain other content blocks. You can nest images, databases, toggles, and even additional text formatting within a single callout. This capability allows you to create comprehensive information sections that maintain visual cohesion while organizing complex details. Mobile users can access the same functionality by tapping the plus button and selecting "Callout," though some advanced customization features like custom icon uploads may be more limited on mobile devices.

While callouts excel at highlighting information, they work best when used strategically rather than excessively. Overusing callouts can diminish their impact and create visual clutter. Focus on truly important information that benefits from emphasis, and maintain consistent color schemes across your workspace to build intuitive visual patterns. Remember that callouts can be converted back to regular text if needed by selecting the block, clicking the six-dot menu, and choosing "Turn into" followed by "Text."