How to Make a Mobile-Friendly Notion Dashboard

Table of contents

• Why use a mobile-friendly Notion dashboard
• What you need before you start
• Step 1 – Set up your Notion workspace
• Step 2 – Create a simple to-do list
• Step 3 – Build a daily habit tracker that works anywhere
• Create desktop-friendly views for long-term tracking
• Automate your daily habit entries
• Step 4 – Set up a quick notes database
• Create desktop-friendly views to manage your notes
• Step 5 – Design a clean navigation and dashboard
• Start by creating a column layout
• Add linked views of your databases
• Step 6 – Add Notion widgets to your phone
• Make your Notion dashboard work anywhere

If you rely on Notion to stay organized, using it on your phone can sometimes feel clunky, especially if your pages aren’t optimized for smaller screens. Building a mobile-friendly Notion dashboard can make a huge difference because it brings your most-used tools into one space that’s easy to access, simple to manage, and actually enjoyable to use on your phone.

A well-structured Notion mobile setup allows you to check off tasks, track habits, and jot down notes, all with just a few taps. You don’t need to fumble through multiple pages or zoom endlessly to find what matters. Instead, you build a dashboard designed specifically for mobile use—fast, functional, and minimal.

Why use a mobile-friendly Notion dashboard

People are using Notion more than ever on the go, and having a mobile-optimized dashboard brings real advantages:

• Quick access to your Notion mobile to-do list, habit tracker, or notes with minimal scrolling
• Clean, distraction-free views tailored for smaller screens
• Instant syncing between mobile and desktop—so nothing gets lost
• Easier daily check-ins, even when you’re away from your workspace

Also, adding Notion widgets to your phone’s home screen also takes this experience up a notch. You can open your to-do list, mark off habits, or drop in a quick idea—without even opening the Notion app fully.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to make a mobile-friendly Notion dashboard step-by-step, covering everything from layout tips to widget setup. You’ll also pick up tricks for keeping your mobile dashboard clean, efficient, and synced with your desktop system.

What you need before you start

Before jumping into building your mobile-friendly setup, there are just a few things you’ll want to have ready. The good news? You won’t need any advanced skills or paid tools to follow along.

• A Notion account – The free version gives you everything you need to create pages, databases, and widgets for mobile use.
• The Notion app installed on your phone – You’ll be setting up and testing layouts directly on your device to make sure it feels right.
• A laptop or desktop – Setting up your dashboard on a bigger screen makes it faster and easier. Not all features are available when building directly on mobile, so it’s best to structure your setup on desktop first.
• Basic understanding of pages and databases – Knowing how to create a page, add properties, and switch views will help you move quickly through the steps.

That’s it. Once you’ve got these basics in place, you’re ready to build a mobile-friendly Notion dashboard that’s functional, fast, and tailored to how you work.

Step 1 – Set up your Notion workspace

Start by creating a clean foundation for your setup. Open Notion on your desktop or laptop and create a new page and title it with something like “Mobile Dashboard”. This will serve as the central hub for your on-the-go workflow.

Next, give your page some personality. Add an icon—something simple like a smartphone emoji or app icon. This tiny detail makes it easier to recognize the dashboard quickly, especially if you’re using Notion widgets to access it from your home screen.

To make the layout feel lighter and more readable on smaller screens—and more aesthetic on desktop too:

• Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner
• Enable “Small text” and “Full width”

These quick adjustments help you fit more on your screen without making things feel cramped. It gives the dashboard a clean, minimal look that works well both on mobile and desktop.

At the top of your page, insert a callout block. Use this to create a basic navigation bar with links to the core sections you’ll be building shortly: your to-do list, habit tracker, and notes.

Keeping this callout at the top helps you jump between sections with a single tap, making your mobile-friendly Notion dashboard feel fast and fluid.

Step 2 – Create a simple to-do list

Let’s start building one of the most essential parts of your dashboard: the to-do list. This is where you can quickly jot down tasks on your phone throughout the day—and manage them more deeply when you’re back at your desk.

Inside the Navigation, create a new sub-page and name it something like “To-Do List”. Then, turn that page into a List view database by clicking the three dots below and selecting “List”. This layout works great on mobile thanks to its clean, scrollable format.

Create a new page in the list view and name it as your task. Open the task and add the key properties:

• A checkbox property labeled as “Done”
• A created time property to track when each task was added
• (Optional): You can remove the default “Tags” property if you don’t need it, or save it for future categorization.

Next, click the three-dot menu in your list view and select “Properties.” Make the “Done” property visible and drag it to the top of the list. This places the checkbox at the front, so you can tick tasks off easily on your phone.

Now, rename your current list view to “Mobile View”. Apply a filter to only show tasks where the checkbox is unchecked. This way, your mobile view stays focused on what still needs to get done.

For better control when working on a laptop or desktop, create a few additional views:

1. Incomplete – Tasks that are still pending

Click the “+” icon and choose “Table” view. Drag the “Done” property to the left column, then filter the table to show only unchecked tasks. Rename this view to “Incomplete.”

2. Completed – Tasks that are already done

Right-click on the “Incomplete” view and duplicate it. Rename the new view to “Completed”. Update the filter to show only checked tasks.

3. View All – Displays everything, with no filters applied

Duplicate the “Completed” view and rename it to “View All.” Remove all filters so you can view both completed and incomplete tasks together.

Finally, head to the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of the database. Under “Layout”, toggle off the page icon to clean up the look. This gives your to-do list a more focused and minimalist appearance on mobile. Add a relevant icon to the page—something like a checklist—to help you quickly identify it in your dashboard.

This setup gives you a flexible Notion mobile to-do list you can check, update, and organize from anywhere. It’s quick enough for capturing tasks on the go, but structured enough to review and manage properly once you're back at your desk.

Step 3 – Build a daily habit tracker that works anywhere

Your habit tracker is where consistency begins. By designing one that’s mobile-first, you can track daily habits on the go—without waiting to sit down at your desk. Whether it’s reading, exercising, or taking vitamins, your Notion habit tracker mobile setup should be quick to update and easy to review.

Inside your Navigation, create a new sub-page titled something like “Daily Habit Tracker”. Then, turn the page into a Gallery view database by clicking the three dots and selecting “Gallery”. This view works well on phones because it displays each habit entry as a clean, tappable card.

Create a new entry and title it as “Day 1.” Then open the card and add the following properties:

• Three checkbox properties for your habits (e.g., "Exercise", "Read", "Meditate")
• A created time property to track the date of each habit entry
• Remove any default properties like "Tags"

Once your habits are added, click the three-dot menu and go to “Properties.” Make sure all your habit checkboxes and the created time are visible on the card.

Then, go to “Layout” and change the card preview to “None” for a cleaner, minimalist look.

Now, filter the view to show only the card created today:

• Click Filter > Created Time > Today

Rename this view to “Mobile View.” It’ll act as your quick-tap habit checklist.

Create desktop-friendly views for long-term tracking

To track patterns over time, you’ll want to add two more views for desktop:

1. Calendar View

Click the “+” icon and choose “Calendar” as the layout. Then click the three-dot menu and select “Properties”. Make sure your habit checkboxes are visible so you can track them from the calendar view.

This shows your daily habit entries across the month, giving you a quick visual of how consistent you’ve been.

2. Monthly Summary Table

Create another view by clicking the “+” icon and selecting “Table”. Hide the page icon and rearrange your columns for better readability.

Click the three-dot menu. Select “Group”, then select “Created”. Under “Date by”, select “Month”. Then sort the list by newest first.

Now, click “Calculate” below each of your habit columns and select “Percent checked” to see how consistently you’ve completed each habit across the month.

Rename this view to “Monthly Tracker.” It gives you insight into your overall progress without digging into each card. Once you’re done, go ahead and add a fitting icon to the page—something habit-related or motivational.

Automate your daily habit entries

To make your habit tracking even easier, you can automate your habit entries using a recurring template.

Click the down arrow next to the “New” button in your habit tracker and select “New Template”. Name the template something like “New Daily Habit Tracker”.

Then click on “Repeat every…”, select “Day”, and hit “Save”. This will automatically generate a new daily habit card every morning—so you don’t have to create one manually each day.

Your mobile-friendly Notion habit tracker is now ready to go. Just open your phone, tick off your daily goals, and get a bird’s-eye view of your progress whenever you're back on desktop.

Step 4 – Set up a quick notes database

Your mobile dashboard isn’t complete without a place to capture thoughts, ideas, or reminders—especially when inspiration hits unexpectedly. A simple Notion notes on mobile setup helps you collect and organize notes without disrupting your flow.

Inside your Navigation, create a new sub-page and name it something like “Notes”. Then, turn the page into a Gallery view database by clicking the three-dot menu and selecting “Gallery”. This layout makes each note entry look like a digital sticky note, easy to tap into on your phone.

Create a new note, give it a sample title (like “Math Notes”), and open the card. Add the following properties to support your capture and review workflow:

• A Tags property to group notes by topic (e.g., work, personal, ideas, school)
• A checkbox property labeled “Reviewed”
• A created time property to track when the note was added

Next, click the three-dot menu, go to “Properties”, and make sure the Reviewed, Tags, and Created time fields are all visible.

Then go to “Layout” and set card preview to “None” for a clean, no-image format.

Rename this as “Mobile View”, and filter this view to show only notes where “Reviewed” is unchecked.

Create desktop-friendly views to manage your notes

To review and organize your notes more effectively at your desk, set up these three views:

1. Needs Review

Duplicate the “Mobile View” and rename it to “Needs Review”. Filter it the same way: show only notes where Reviewed is unchecked.

2. Reviewed

Duplicate the previous view and rename it to “Reviewed”. Change the filter to show only notes where the Reviewed checkbox is checked.

3. View All

Duplicate the Reviewed view and rename it to “View All”. Remove all filters so you can see every note—reviewed or not.

If you prefer, switch these desktop views to Table layout. It allows you to move and organize entries more easily—especially when integrating into a larger second brain system or long-term knowledge base.

Finally, don’t forget to add a meaningful icon to your Notes page, like a pen, notepad, or lightbulb—something that stands out and signals quick capture.

Step 5 – Design a clean navigation and dashboard

Now that you’ve created the core parts of your system—your to-do list, habit tracker, and notes—it’s time to bring everything together into a streamlined Notion dashboard layout.

This final step focuses on desktop. You’ll organize your main databases using linked views and column layouts for easier management and a cleaner overview.

Start by creating a column layout

Inside your “Mobile Dashboard” page, press “/” and type “Column” to split the page into two columns.

You can drag and drop your Navigation block onto the left column to balance the layout. Adjust the column divider slightly to the left to make your navigation bar look neat and proportional.

Note: In the Notion mobile app, the left column appears at the top part of your screen. That’s why it’s best to place your navigation block on the left side for easier access when using Notion on your phone.

Add linked views of your databases

You’ll now link each of your main databases below their own section headers.

1. To-Do List

• Add a heading block and label it “To-Do List”. Add a divider below the heading by typing /divider. Type /linked view of database and select your To-Do List.
• Add the Incomplete, Completed, and View All views by clicking the “+” icon under your “To-Do List” header.

• Next, click the three-dot menu in each view and hide the database title to keep the interface clean

2. Habit Tracker

• Below your Navigation block, add a new heading labeled “Habit Tracker”, followed by a divider
• Link the database and show the Calendar View and Monthly Tracker
• Again, hide the database titles for a more polished layout

3. Notes

• Below your habit tracker, add another section for “Notes” with a divider
• Link the Notes database and add views for Needs Review, Reviewed, and View All
• Hide the database titles here as well

The final result is a clean, scrollable dashboard that mirrors your mobile workflow but gives you more room to review, organize, and manage everything in one place. By using headings, columns, and linked views, your mobile-friendly Notion dashboard becomes more than just a mobile tool—it becomes your command center.

Step 6 – Add Notion widgets to your phone

Now that your mobile dashboard is fully built, the last step is to make it even easier to access—right from your home screen. Adding Notion widgets to your phone lets you jump into your to-do list, habit tracker, or notes with a single tap. It saves time and keeps your mobile workflow smooth and distraction-free.

Add widgets on iOS or Android

To get started, long-press your home screen until your apps begin to jiggle or show edit options.

Then:

• Tap the “+” icon (on iOS) or select “Widgets” (on Android)
• Scroll and find Notion in the list of available widgets
• Tap and add the Notion widget to your home screen

Once the widget is placed:

• Tap and hold the widget again
• Select “Edit Widget” (iOS) or “Settings” (Android)
• Choose the correct workspace and page you want to connect (e.g., To-Do List, Daily Habit Tracker, Notes)

Repeat the process to set up individual widgets for each mobile view you created.

Make your Notion dashboard work anywhere

Creating a mobile-friendly Notion dashboard is more than just a convenience—it’s a way to stay connected to your priorities no matter where you are. From capturing ideas in the middle of your day to checking off tasks in real time, this kind of setup transforms your phone into a reliable, distraction-free workspace. It’s flexible, efficient, and most importantly, designed around how you actually move through your day.

The key is simplicity. By organizing your Notion mobile to-do list, habit tracker, and notes into clean, mobile-optimized views, you make it easier to stay focused and consistent. Adding widgets to your phone is the finishing touch—it brings those core pieces right to your fingertips. No extra clicks. No wasted time. Just quick access to what matters most.

Now that you’ve seen how to set up everything step-by-step, the next move is yours. Start building your mobile dashboard and customize it to fit your goals. Whether you're tracking habits, managing projects, or collecting thoughts on the go, your Notion workspace can handle it—all from the palm of your hand.

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