How to filter a database in Notion on Mac: steps for the desktop app, 2026

Filtering is the fastest way to turn a long database into a short list. A filter hides rows that do not match your rule. When a row seems gone, a filter is usually the reason, so check the filter menu before you do anything else.

What you need before you start

You need the Notion desktop app for Mac. Notion's system requirements page says the desktop app requires macOS 13 or above. To check your version, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac.

Notion's official filter help is written the same way for every platform. It does not list Mac-only filter steps, and it does not describe how the Mac app and the web app differ. If a step looks different on your screen, your version of Notion may have changed.

Where the Filter option lives in the Mac app

Open the database. Find the settings menu at the top of it and open it. Under View settings you will find Filter and Sort. Filter sets the rules, and Sort sets the order of the rows that remain.

Filters and sorts are attached to the view you are looking at. If you switch views, the rules you see change with the view. This is the most common reason a filter seems to vanish.

Some guides describe a Filter button in the toolbar, with And and Or toggles. That layout does not match Notion's official wording. If your screen shows a toolbar button instead, follow what you see, and check Notion's help again after you update.

Worked example: show only your open tasks

Say your database tracks tasks with a Status property and an Assignee property. You want to see only the tasks assigned to you that are still open. Start with a simple filter, then add a second rule.

Open View settings, choose Filter, and pick Assignee. Set the value to your own name. Then add a second filter on Status and set it to the value that means still open.

If you pick Me from the person list instead of your name, the filter means whoever is logged in. A teammate who opens the same view gets a different result. Pick your name when you want the list fixed to you.

Save a filter for everyone, or keep it to yourself

When you add a filter, Notion offers Save for everyone. That option is optional. If you skip it, the filter applies only to you, and your teammates see the view without it.

Filters are saved per view. Changes to one view do not carry over to other views. Set the filter on the view your team actually reads, not on a scratch view you use for testing.

Add advanced filters with AND and OR

A simple filter checks one rule. An advanced filter joins rules with AND and OR. Open View settings, choose Filter, then select Add advanced filter.

Filter groups can nest up to three layers deep, according to Notion's help. Fewer layers are easier to read. When a row goes missing, a shallow structure makes the reason much easier to find.

To turn a simple filter into an advanced one, open the edit menu at the top of the database, select Filter, click the filter, then choose ••• > Add to advanced filter.

Sort the rows you filtered

Sorts live under View settings > Sort. Add a sort, then drag the ⋮⋮ handle to reorder several sorts. Click the X next to a sort to remove it.

Sorting and filtering sit in the same menu but do different jobs. When rows look wrong, check both. A grouping setting can also change how rows appear, so check that as well.

Remove or change a filter safely

To delete a filter, open it and choose ••• > Delete filter. To change one, open it and edit the property or the value. Remove filters one at a time to see which rule hides the rows you need.

A third-party guide suggests duplicating a view before you change its filters. Arclet lists View menu > Duplicate view. Notion's help does not document that step, but a copy gives you a safe place to test rules.

Why your database looks empty after you filter

An active filter can hide every row you expect. Connex Digital names three common causes: person filters like Assignee is Me, a filter set to one teammate, and a filter on a property that has changed.

That article cites no Notion documentation, so treat its checklist as a starting point. Its suggested fix is simple. Open the view's Filter menu and remove filters one at a time until the rows return.

• Using a person filter like Assignee is Me, then sharing the view. Each person sees their own version of that rule.
• Saving a filter only for yourself, then wondering why a teammate sees other rows.
• Nesting groups deeper than you need. Notion allows up to three layers, but fewer layers are easier to check.
• Editing a view you do not use, then looking for the change in the view you do use.
• Leaving an old filter on and assuming the database lost data.

Mac app versions and what changed recently

The Mac app is in the 7.x line. Releasebot lists v7.42.1 and v7.42.3, both dated Nov 4, 2026, with a macOS fix for Command Search and Notion AI shortcuts. Releasebot is a third-party aggregator, so confirm the version on your own Mac.

To update, open the Notion menu in the menu bar and choose Check for Updates. If new features do not appear, press ⌘R to refresh the window.

Notion's recent workspace releases do not mention filters. Notion 3.8, dated Oct 13, 2026, covers column-level permissions and synced databases. That release uses a different number from the desktop 7.x builds, so do not mix them up.

Keyboard shortcuts for databases on Mac

Notion's keyboard shortcuts page lists no filter or sort shortcut. You can still move faster. ⌘P or ⌘K opens workspace search, so you can jump to a database by its name.

⌘F searches inside the page you have open. Notion's page does not say how that search treats filtered rows, so do not rely on it to find rows a filter hides.

What to do after your filter works

Save the view you use most, then check that your teammates see the rows you expect. If the database is new to you, read how to create a database in Notion on Mac first.

If teammates need to open the database, read how to share a page in Notion on Mac. Sharing and filtering are separate jobs, so test both before you call the view finished.