Notion Calendar starts with a limited set of colors, but you can expand them by creating custom color tags in your database

Notion Calendar pulls its colors from the properties you set up in your underlying database. By default, you get a handful of preset colors — usually around five to eight options. To add more colors, you need to go into your database settings and create new tag options or modify your existing properties. The colors you see in your calendar view are the same colors assigned to those database properties, so changing one changes the other.

The process takes about five minutes and doesn't require any special permissions or technical knowledge. You're working within Notion's built-in property system, not installing anything external.

Key Takeaways

  • Notion Calendar colors come from your database properties, so you add more colors by creating new property options in your database settings.
  • You can assign a different color to each tag, status, or select option in your database, and those colors will show up immediately in your calendar view.
  • The fastest way to add colors is to open your database, click the property dropdown, and select "Edit property" to add new colored options.
  • Once you create a new colored option in your database, you can assign it to any event in your calendar and the color will display right away.

Adding colors through your database properties

Open the database that feeds your Notion Calendar. This is usually a table view of your events. Look for the property column you want to add colors to — this is often called "Status," "Category," "Tags," or something similar. Click the dropdown arrow next to that property name at the top of the column.

Select "Edit property" from the menu. A panel will open showing all the current options for that property. At the bottom of the list, you'll see a button to add a new option. Click it, type the name of your new option (for example, "High Priority" or "Personal"), and then click the colored circle next to it to choose a color from Notion's palette.

Notion gives you about 15 color choices per option. Pick the one you want and click outside the panel to save. Your new colored option now appears in your calendar view immediately — you don't need to refresh or restart anything.

Assigning colors to existing calendar events

Once you've created new colored options in your database, you can assign them to your events. In your calendar view, click on any event. A detail panel opens on the right side. Find the property you just added colors to (your Status, Category, or Tags field) and click it to see all available options.

Select the colored option you want. The event in your calendar will change to that color immediately. You can do this for as many events as you want — there's no limit to how many events can share the same color.

Using multiple properties for different color schemes

If you want even more color flexibility, you can create multiple properties and assign each one its own set of colors. For example, you might have a "Priority" property with red, orange, and yellow options, and a separate "Category" property with blue, green, and purple options. Your calendar can display colors based on whichever property you choose to show.

To switch which property controls your calendar colors, open your calendar view settings (the three dots menu in the top right of your calendar), and look for "Color by" or "Group by" options. Select the property you want to use for coloring. Your calendar will immediately reorganize to show colors based on that property instead.

Changing colors on existing options

If you already have options in your database but want to change their colors, the process is the same. Open your database, click the property dropdown, and select "Edit property." Find the option you want to change, click its colored circle, and pick a new color from the palette. All events assigned to that option will update to the new color right away.

This works even if you have dozens of events using that option — Notion updates them all at once. You don't have to change each event individually.

Working around Notion's color limits

Notion gives you about 15 colors per property option, which covers most common needs. If you need more than 15 distinct colors, you have two workarounds. The first is to create multiple properties — for example, a "Priority" property and a "Type" property — and use different colors in each one. The second is to use your calendar's filtering or grouping features to show only certain events at a time, which reduces the number of colors you need to see at once.

Most people find that 15 colors per property is more than enough. The real limit is usually how many different categories or statuses make sense for your workflow, not Notion's color palette.

Syncing colors across shared calendars

If you share your Notion Calendar with teammates, they see the same colors you set up — the colors are part of your database structure, not personal to your account. If a teammate adds a new colored option to the shared database, everyone sees it in their calendar view. This makes it easy to keep a team on the same color system without having to coordinate manually.

The only exception is if someone has view-only access to your calendar. They can see the colors but cannot create new options or change existing ones. Only people with edit access to the underlying database can modify the color options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use custom hex codes or RGB colors instead of Notion's preset palette?

No, Notion Calendar only lets you choose from its built-in color palette. You cannot enter custom hex codes or RGB values. The palette includes about 15 colors and covers most common use cases, but you're limited to what Notion provides.

Do I have to use the same property for colors that I use for filtering or sorting?

No. You can color your calendar by one property (like Status) while filtering or sorting by a different property (like Date or Category). Open your calendar settings and choose which property controls the colors independently from your other view settings.

What happens to the colors if I delete a property option?

Any events assigned to that option lose their color and appear gray in your calendar until you reassign them to a different colored option. The events themselves don't disappear — only their color assignment does. You can still see them if you have filters turned off.

Can I set different colors for the same event in different calendar views?

No. The color is tied to the database property value, not to the view. If an event is marked "High Priority" in red, it shows as red in every calendar view that displays that property. You would need to create separate databases or properties to show different colors in different views.

How many colored options can I create in a single property?

Notion doesn't set a hard limit, but most people find that 10 to 20 options per property is practical. Beyond that, your calendar becomes hard to read and you lose the benefit of color coding. If you need more categories, consider splitting them across multiple properties instead.