How to create kanban board in notion on Mac: three ways, step by step

What a Kanban board in Notion is

A Kanban board in Notion is a view of a database. Each card is a row in that database, and you can open it as a page. Each column is a group, based on one property, usually a Status.

That is the main difference from a plain list. You do not keep a board and a task list as two separate files. They are the same data shown two ways. Move a card to another column and you change its property. Every other view of that database shows the change.

If you have not built a database yet, read how to create a database in Notion on Mac first. The steps below assume you have one, or that you are ready to add a page.

Before you start: macOS, the app, and your plan

The Notion desktop app needs macOS 13 or later. To check your version, click the Apple menu, choose About This Mac, and read the macOS name and version. If your Mac is older, use Notion in a browser instead.

Notion's desktop download page offers three Mac builds: macOS Universal, macOS Apple Silicon, and macOS Intel x64. Pick the build that matches your Mac's chip. Universal is the safe choice when you are not sure which chip you have.

Check your plan before you build. Notion lists Free at $0, Plus at $10 per member per month, and Business at $20 per member per month. The pricing page does not say which plans include Board view. If Board is missing from your menu, check your plan with Notion before you go further.

Method 1: Add a Board view to an existing database

This is the method most people need. You already track tasks, leads, or projects in a database, and you want to see them as columns.

Click the + next to the database name. On a smaller window, that + may not show. Click the current view name instead, then choose New view. Select Board and name the view. Pick a name that says what it tracks, such as Sprint board.

Look at the columns before you change anything. If the database has a Status property, Notion groups by it. If the columns match your status options, the basic setup is already right.

Worked example: a launch board for a small team

Say you run a small product launch. You have a Tasks database with a Status property, and the options are Idea, In progress, Review, and Done. Your team wants to see the work as columns.

Click + next to Tasks, select Board, and name the view Launch board. Notion groups the cards by Status, so the columns match your options. Nothing else needs to change for the first version.

Then tidy the cards. Open settings menu > Layout and set the card preview. Open Property visibility and keep only the fields people check, such as Owner and Due date. A card with fewer fields is easier to scan on a laptop screen.

Method 2: Type /Board view on any page

Use this route when you want a board inside a page you are already writing, such as a project plan or a weekly review. The board lives on the page with your notes.

Click where you want the board. Type /Board view and press Return. Notion adds the board at that spot. There is no separate keyboard shortcut for it, so the slash command is the quickest route.

Method 3: Choose Board from a new page's ••• menu

On a new page, find the ••• menu under the heading Get started with. Choose Board. Notion's help page lists this as its first option. It is the easiest route when you start from a blank page.

All three routes give you the same kind of board. Pick the one that matches where your work already lives. You can add more Board views to the same database later, so the first choice is not final.

How Notion picks the columns

A board groups its cards by one property. Notion checks for a Status property first. If there is none, it uses Select, Person, or Multi-select. If none of those exist, Notion creates a new Status property for you.

Notion's help page also lists relation as a fallback. The same page says grouping by relation or formula is not supported in boards. Treat relation as a weak choice, and use Status or Select when you can.

To change the grouping, open the settings menu at the top right of the database. Choose Group, then select the property. If the property does not exist yet, go to settings menu > Edit properties > New property.

A common mistake is grouping by a Date or Text property. Notion's help page names status, select, person, multi-select, and relation as the grouping options. A date is not one of them, so it cannot drive your columns.

Edit columns, cards, and visible fields

Columns are the options of your grouping property. Open settings menu > Edit properties to rename a column, change its color, delete an option, or add one with +. The property is shared, so the change reaches every view of that database.

Card preview is the image area at the top of each card. Choose the page cover, the page content, or a Files & media property. If your cards hold screenshots or attachments, try the Files & media option first.

The help page calls the hide action Hide group in its steps, and it says Hide in its FAQ. Look for whichever word your menu uses. The column comes back from the Group setting in the settings menu.

Filter the board without losing cards

Filters live in the settings menu, under View settings. Choose Filter, then pick a property and the value to match. A filter can hide a card you just made, so check it first when a card seems to vanish.

The option that matters is Save for everyone. A filter saved for everyone applies to every user of that view. A filter without it applies only to you, so a teammate may see a different board.

Common mistakes on a first board

• Adding the board to the wrong view. Read the view name at the top before you change columns or filters.
• Grouping by a Date or Text property. The grouping options are status, select, person, multi-select, and relation.
• Forgetting a filter. A missing card is often a filter, not a deleted page.
• Saving a filter for everyone by accident, or leaving a private one on, so teammates see different cards.
• Expecting a board shortcut. Notion's keyboard shortcut page lists no board-specific key.
• Skipping Edit properties. Column names and colors live there, not on the individual cards.

Mac keyboard shortcuts that help while you build

Notion's shortcut page lists general Mac shortcuts, not board shortcuts. Use ⌘P or ⌘K to jump to a recent page, and ⌘F to find text on the page you are in. Use ⌘[ and ⌘] to move back and forward after you open a card.

⌘⇧U takes you up one level, which helps when you are deep inside a page. ⌘T opens a new tab, so you can keep the board open while you read a source page.

Notion's release log lists Notion 3.7 on September 15, 2026, and Notion 3.8 on October 13, 2026. Neither entry mentions board view or board menu changes, so the steps in this guide should still apply.

Desktop app or browser: what Notion says

Notion's download page says the desktop app gives a faster experience. It names no version number and lists no feature differences between the Mac app and the web app. The official pages do not describe offline work.

Some third-party reviews claim offline use and speed differences. The pages we checked did not confirm those claims. Treat them as unverified until you test them in your own workspace.

Check the board before you share it

Move one card to another column, then open the table view of the same database. The property should match. Next, check the filter in View settings, since a filter can hide the card you just moved. Only then share the board with your team.

Where to go next

Once the board works, share the page with your team. The guide on how to share a page in Notion on Mac covers permission levels and links.

Before you install or update the app, check your Mac against the system requirements for Notion on Mac. It takes a minute and can save a failed install.