What are the different permission levels in Notion?

Notion offers six distinct permission levels that control exactly what team members can do with your pages and databases. These range from full administrative control to read-only access, with each level designed to balance collaboration needs with security requirements. Understanding these permission types helps you create the right access structure for your workspace while protecting sensitive information.

At the highest level, Full Access gives users complete control over a page or database, including the ability to edit content, manage sharing permissions, and delete pages. This level is essential for project leads and workspace administrators who need to control access for their teams. One step down, Can Edit allows users to modify content and potentially delete pages but removes the ability to share with new people or change others' permissions—perfect for active contributors who shouldn't manage access rights.

For database-heavy workflows, Can Edit Content provides a specialized middle ground. Users with this permission can create new database entries and modify existing records, but they can't alter the database structure, properties, or views. This prevents accidental changes to your carefully designed systems while allowing team members to input and update data freely.

The more restrictive levels serve different collaboration needs. Can Comment enables stakeholders to provide feedback and ask questions without editing content, making it ideal for reviewers and clients. Can View offers read-only access for team members who need information but shouldn't modify anything. Finally, No Access completely blocks users from seeing specific pages, useful for sensitive documents or project phases.

Managing permissions effectively requires understanding their limitations. Only users with Full Access can modify others' permission levels, which can create bottlenecks in large organizations. Additionally, some editing permissions are restricted to paid plans, potentially limiting smaller teams. The offline access feature adds complexity too—while members can mark pages for offline viewing, permission revocations only sync when devices reconnect to the internet. Despite these challenges, Notion's granular permission system gives you precise control over who can access and modify your content, making it easier to maintain security while fostering productive collaboration across your team.