What is a last edited time property in Notion?

The Last Edited Time property in Notion is a system-managed database field that automatically captures when any change occurs to a page or database entry. This built-in feature eliminates manual tracking by recording precise timestamps whenever you or your team members modify content, properties, or metadata. Unlike the Created Time property which only logs initial creation, Last Edited Time continuously updates to reflect the most recent activity. You can't manually adjust these timestamps, ensuring reliable audit trails for collaborative workflows.

Adding this property to your databases creates powerful organizational possibilities. You can sort entries to surface recently updated content, filter out stale information, or identify which projects need attention. The setup process is straightforward—simply click "Add a property," select "Last Edited Time," and customize the display format for your preferred time and date styles. This visibility helps teams maintain accountability and ensures important content stays current.

The property excels at tracking general activity patterns across your workspace. Whether you're managing task lists, content calendars, or knowledge bases, you can quickly identify what's been actively maintained versus what might need refreshing. For collaborative editing environments, it provides transparency about recent contributions without requiring manual status updates from team members.

However, the feature comes with notable limitations you should understand. Notion rounds timestamps down to the nearest minute rather than providing second-level precision, which affects real-time automation scenarios. The property also tracks any change to the entire page, not specific fields—so adding a single space triggers the same timestamp update as major content revisions. This broad tracking approach means you won't get granular insight into which specific elements changed.

These constraints make Last Edited Time most valuable for high-level activity monitoring rather than detailed audit trails. It's perfect for surfacing recently touched items or identifying neglected content, but less suitable when you need precise change tracking at the property level. Understanding these capabilities helps you leverage the feature effectively while setting appropriate expectations for your workflow automation needs.