The Notion MCP is a huge step forward when it comes to actually useful AI workflows.
After less than five minutes of setup time, I watched AI plan my entire week in Notion. It found my priorities, checked my tasks and created time blocks – all from a simple prompt.
No more screenshot-and-ask workflows. No more manual task scheduling. Just pure AI automation working directly inside my Notion workspace.
All of this is possible without writing a single line of code thanks to the Notion Model Context Protocol (MCP), and it’s going to fundamentally change how you work with Notion.
What is the Notion MCP and Why Should You Care?
The Notion Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a new AI standard that allows AI assistants like Claude to directly take actions in your Notion workspace.
You can think of it as a handbook with specific instructions where Notion explains to the AI how it can operate and navigate through Notion, find information, update database items, or create whole new systems.
Instead of copying and pasting information or taking screenshots, you can now have AI take real actions in Notion
Before MCP: “Claude, here’s a screenshot of my tasks. Can you help me prioritise my week?” With that result, you can go back to Notion and make these changes yourself
After MCP: “Claude, please look at my Notion workspace, find my priorities, and schedule my week?” Just watch as Claude actually takes the actions for you
In other words, MCP eliminates the AI workflow bottleneck that’s been frustrating for a while now – this feeling that you still have to take so much manual actions to put recommendations into practice.
The Old Way vs. The New Way
Previously, using AI with Notion meant:
- Taking screenshots of your workspace
- Manually copying text between apps
- Getting recommendations you had to implement yourself
- Losing context between AI conversations
With Notion MCP, AI can:
- Read your databases directly
- Create and update pages automatically
- Schedule tasks based on your priorities
- Connect information across your entire workspace
- Remember context from your Notion system
Bottom line: You’re no longer limited to AI advice. Now you get AI execution.
What You Need to Get Started
Setting up the Notion MCP requires four components.
Don’t worry if you’re not technical.
This guide assumes zero coding knowledge.
1. Claude Desktop App
You’ll need Claude, the AI assistant developed by Anthropic. While ChatGPT can’t do this yet, Claude’s desktop app has native MCP support.
- Free account works for basic setup but you might run into chat message restrictions quickly
- Paid account recommended for better performance and larger context windows
- Download from https://claude.ai/download
2. Node.js (Free)
Node.js runs the MCP server locally on your computer.
- Download from https://nodejs.org/en/download
- Choose your operating system installer
- Follow the standard installation process
Important: You don’t need to understand Node.js. Just install it and Claude handles the rest.
3. Notion API Token (Free)
This gives Claude permission to access your Notion workspace.
- Go to notion.so/profile/integrations
- Click “New Integration”
- Give it a name (like “Claude MCP”)
- Select your workspace
- Save your secret token (you’ll need this later)
4. Notion MCP Package (Free)
The bridge between Claude and Notion, available from the official GitHub repository.
You can always check for the latest version here: https://github.com/makenotion/notion-mcp-server
Otherwise, here’s the snippet that I was using to set everything up:
{
“mcpServers”: {
“notionApi”: {
“command”: “npx”,
“args”: [“-y”, “@notionhq/notion-mcp-server”],
“env”: {
“OPENAPI_MCP_HEADERS”: “{\”Authorization\”: \”Bearer ntn_****\”, \”Notion-Version\”: \”2022-06-28\” }”
}
}
}
}
Step-by-Step Setup Guide
Step 1: Create Your Notion Integration
- Log into Notion and navigate to notion.so/profile/integrations
- Click “New Integration”
- Name your integration: “Claude MCP” or similar
- Select capabilities:
- ✅ Read content (for AI to access your data)
- ✅ Update content (for AI to make changes)
- ✅ Insert content (for AI to create new items)
- Copy your secret token and save it somewhere secure
Pro tip: Start with all capabilities enabled. You can always restrict them later once you’re comfortable with how the Notion MCP works.
Step 2: Download and Configure the MCP Package
- Go to the official Notion MCP GitHub repository (link in description)
- Scroll to the “Installation” section
- Copy the MCP configuration snippet that looks like this:
{
"mcpServers": {
"notion": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@modelcontextprotocol/server-notion"],
"env": {
"NOTION_API_KEY": "your_notion_api_key_here"
}
}
}
}
Step 3: Add MCP to Claude Desktop
- Open Claude Desktop
- Click Claude in the menu bar → Settings
- Go to Developer → Edit Config
- This opens your Claude configuration file in your default text editor
- Replace the empty brackets with the Notion MCP configuration you copied
- Replace “your_notion_api_key_here” with your actual Notion API token
- Save the file (Cmd+S on Mac, Ctrl+S on Windows)
- Restart Claude Desktop for changes to take effect
Step 4: Grant Access to Specific Notion Pages
Creating the API token isn’t enough—you need to explicitly give Claude access to the pages and databases you want it to work with.
- Go to the Notion page or database you want Claude to access
- Click the three dots in the top-right corner
- Scroll down to “Connections”
- Search for your integration name (e.g., “Claude MCP”)
- Add the connection
Security note: Only give access to the specific pages you want Claude to work with. Start small and expand as you get comfortable.
Testing Your Setup
Once everything is configured, test your connection:
- Open Claude Desktop
- Ask: “Can you access my Notion workspace via MCP?”
- Claude should respond confirming it has access
- Try a simple task: “What tasks do I have in my Notion database?”
If Claude can see your tasks, congratulations—you’re ready to start automating!
Practical Use Cases: What You Can Do With Notion MCP
Weekly Planning Automation
The Prompt: “Please review my task database and priority journal, then schedule my most important tasks for this week based on my current priorities.”
What happens:
- Claude reads your task database
- Reviews your priority documentation
- Creates time blocks in your calendar
- Updates due dates automatically
- Balances workload across the week
Intelligent Task Management
The Prompt: “Add three new tasks for Monday: research competitor pricing, update project timeline, and follow up with the Berlin client.”
What happens:
- Claude creates new database entries
- Sets appropriate due dates
- Assigns relevant tags or categories
- Links to related projects automatically
Dynamic Content Creation
The Prompt: “Create a new database to track movies I want to watch, add typical movie properties, then research and add the 10 best movies from last year.”
What happens:
- Claude builds the database structure
- Adds properties like genre, rating, director
- Researches current movie recommendations
- Populates the database with complete information
Knowledge Base Maintenance
The Prompt: “Review my client onboarding checklist and update it based on the feedback from our last three client projects.”
What happens:
- Claude accesses your project notes
- Identifies improvement opportunities
- Updates your standardized processes
- Maintains consistency across documentation
Advanced Tips for Power Users
Voice Integration with Whisper Flow
Combine Notion MCP with voice dictation tools like Whisper Flow to control Notion entirely through speech:
“Hey Claude, check all tasks on my to-do list as complete and set their status to done.”
This creates a truly hands-free Notion experience where you can manage your workspace while walking, driving, or multitasking.
Connect Multiple Workspaces
Set up different integrations for different Notion workspaces (personal, work, client projects) and specify which one Claude should access for each task.
Priority Journaling System
Create a “Priority Journal” page where you regularly update what matters most to you. Claude can reference this to make better scheduling decisions and ensure your automation aligns with your current goals.
Cross-Database Automation
Use the Notion MCP to connect related databases. When you complete a project task, Claude can automatically update client status, send follow-up reminders, and archive completed items.
Common Issues and Solutions
“Claude can’t access my Notion workspace”
Check these items:
- Did you restart Claude Desktop after editing the config?
- Is your API token correctly pasted (no extra spaces)?
- Did you grant access to the specific pages via Connections?
- Is Node.js properly installed?
“Claude sees old information”
MCP reads live data, but Notion may need a moment to sync changes. Try asking Claude to “refresh” or wait a few seconds between major updates.
“Changes aren’t appearing in my calendar”
Make sure your task database has a calendar view set up and your date properties are configured correctly.
You’ll also need Notion Calendar properly set up for your account and then add the specific task view to your calendar.
Claude works within your existing Notion structure.
The Future of AI-Powered Notion
This is just the beginning. As MCP as a technology standard evolves, we’ll likely see:
- Deeper integrations with other productivity tools
- More sophisticated automation capabilities
- Advanced AI analysis of your productivity patterns
- Predictive task scheduling based on your work habits
The companies and individuals who adapt to AI-powered workflows early will have a significant advantage as this technology matures.
Final Thoughts
The Notion MCP is a huge step into a new direction where our productivity tools actually work alongside us. Instead of managing our systems, our systems can now help manage us.
Whether you’re a solopreneur managing multiple projects or part of a team looking to streamline collaboration, AI-powered Notion automation will change the way you work.
Want to dive deeper into advanced Notion automation and AI workflows? Check out my Notion consulting services or explore my free Notion resources library for more productivity insights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Notion MCP safe to use with sensitive data? A: MCP runs locally on your machine and only accesses the specific Notion pages you grant permission to. When you give Claude access to that data, the usual data processing rules for AI apply.
Q: Will this work with Notion’s free plan? A: Yes! The Notion MCP works with any Notion plan. The integration uses Notion’s standard API, which is available to all users.
Q: Can I use this with other AI assistants besides Claude? A: Currently, MCP is primarily supported by Claude. Other AI assistants may add support in the future, but Claude’s desktop app offers the most seamless experience today.
Q: What happens if I accidentally give Claude the wrong instructions? A: You can always undo changes in Notion manually, and you can be specific about what Claude should and shouldn’t modify. Start with read-only access to get comfortable before enabling full editing capabilities.
Q: Do I need Notion AI for this? A: No, this works independent from Notion AI. You are using the AI functionality of Claude to directly access Notion. Think of it as training a personal assistant to click for you in Notion.
