Reaching for a toolbar to bold a word or start a bullet list is the slow way to write in Notion. A small set of Markdown-style shortcuts formats things the moment you type them.
Here's the trick:
Type a specific short pattern at the start of a line, and Notion converts it into that formatting instantly — no menu, no click.
A few to start with
| Type this | Get this |
|---|---|
| # then space | Heading 1 |
| ## then space | Heading 2 |
| - then space | Bulleted list |
| 1. then space | Numbered list |
| [] then space | To-do checkbox |
| > then space | Toggle list |
| ** text ** | Bold |
| --- | Divider line |
Where it helps most
Anyone typing quickly and not wanting to break flow to reach for a formatting menu, especially while taking notes in real time.
One thing to watch for
These only trigger at the very start of a new line — typing the same characters mid-sentence just types the characters themselves.
Found a faster way to do this, or noticed it works differently on mobile? That’s what the comments are for — this section connects to your comment system of choice (Disqus, giscus, etc.) once the site is live.