How to add a callout in Notion on Mac: two methods, step by step

This guide is for anyone who uses Notion every day on a Mac. A callout is a shaded box with an icon on its left. People use callouts for warnings, reminders, summaries, and links that readers should not miss. Notion's callout help page does not split its steps by platform, so the steps below match the desktop app and the web.

Get the Notion desktop app for Mac

Go to notion.com/desktop and click Download for macOS. Open the file you downloaded and follow the install prompts. If you want the full setup, read our install guide. The desktop app also differs from the browser in a few ways. Tabs open a search window by default, and you can turn that off in Preferences. Command Search and Notion AI work outside the app.

Updates change what you see, so check your version before you assume a menu is missing. Click Notion in the menu bar, then click Check for Updates. Press ⌘R to refresh Notion and pick up new features. The steps in this guide do not change between platforms, but the app itself does.

Method 1: add a callout with the + menu

Start by hovering over the line where the callout should go. A small + appears on the left edge of that line. Click it, and Notion opens the block menu. Find Callout in the list and click it. Notion inserts an empty callout at that spot, and you can start typing in the box.

This method suits people who like to see their choices. You can scroll the list, read the names, and click what you want. It takes a little longer than typing, but you do not need to remember a command. If the + does not appear, move your mouse to the far left of the line and wait a moment.

Method 2: type /callout and press Return

Click into an empty line on the page. Type a forward slash, then the word callout. Notion shows the matching block as you type. Press Return to insert it. The slash command works the same way on the web and in the Mac desktop app, so the steps carry over.

Notion staff said in a reply on X that no keyboard shortcut creates a callout block. They also said /callout is the fastest workflow. Notion's keyboard shortcut help lists no callout shortcut either. If you want speed, /callout is the route Notion points to.

Change the callout icon

The icon sits at the left edge of the box. Click it, and Notion opens an icon picker. Choose a new emoji or icon from the list. To remove the icon completely, click it again and select Remove. The callout stays in place with no icon.

The picker also has a 🔀 button. It generates a random icon, which helps when you cannot choose. If you upload your own image, Notion suggests 280 x 280 px. Start with a square file of that size so it matches Notion's suggestion.

Change the background color

Hover over the callout and click the ⋮⋮ icon on its left. Select Color, then choose a shade. Default turns the box white with a light gray outline. Any other shade gives the box a colored background. Pick the shade that matches the meaning. Red suits a warning. Gray suits a quiet note.

Use the keyboard when you recolor several callouts. Select a callout, press ⌘/, and type a color name. On the next callout, press ⌘⇧H to reapply the last color you used. You skip the menu entirely.

Compare the ways to place a callout

Choose the method that suits how you work. If your hands stay on the keyboard, type /callout. If you prefer visual menus, use the + button. Both give you the same block, so the choice only changes your speed and comfort.

Keyboard shortcuts for callouts on Mac

Notion has no shortcut that creates a callout from scratch. A few shortcuts still help once a callout exists. Notion's keyboard shortcut help lists them, and they use the ⌘ key on a Mac. Windows uses Ctrl in the same spots.

• / opens the block menu. Press esc to clear the / menu.
• ⌘/ opens a menu for a selected block's type and color. Type a color name such as red.
• ⌘⇧H reapplies the last text or highlight color you used.
• ⌘R refreshes Notion to pick up new features.

Here is a quick routine. Select the callout you just made. Press ⌘/, type red, and apply it. Then add the next callout with /callout. Press ⌘⇧H on it to repeat the same color without opening a menu.

Worked example: a warning callout on a project page

Say you keep a project page for a launch. You want a warning near the top that the design is not final. Click an empty line under the title and type /callout, then press Return. Type the warning in the box. Keep it to one or two sentences so readers see it at a glance.

Next, change the icon. Click it and pick a warning sign emoji. Then hover over the box, click the ⋮⋮ icon, choose Color, and select red. Finally, paste the link to the design file inside the box, so readers can open it from the warning.

The top of the page now has one clear signal. A second callout with the default white look can hold notes, such as where to find the files. Two different looks keep the warning from blending into the notes.

Mistakes people make with callouts on Mac

Most problems come from three habits. First, people type callout without the slash. The word then stays as plain text on the line. Second, people look in the Mac menu bar for a callout option. Callouts live on the page, through the + menu or /callout.

Third, people select the wrong block before pressing ⌘/. That shortcut changes whatever is selected, so check the selection first. Another habit is skipping the update step. An older build can show different menus, so check Notion > Check for Updates before you decide a feature is missing.

When the steps do not match your screen

Notion's callout help does not give separate Mac and web steps, so the steps above should match what you see. If they do not, check three things. Confirm the app version. Confirm the build matches your chip. Then refresh with ⌘R. Notion's desktop help warns that a version built for the wrong processor can cause an error.

To check your chip, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. If the app still acts up, use the application not supported fix for the error message. Keep the fix steps close by while you test your setup.

Where to go next

Once callouts feel natural, try the other blocks on the same page. A toggle hides detail until someone opens it. A table of contents helps long pages. If you reuse a layout, create a template so new pages start with your callouts already in place.

If you share the page, check what viewers can see before you send the link. The sharing guide explains permissions and link settings. It is the best place to start when a viewer says a block is missing.