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LaTeX to Notion: a Chrome extension that converts equations on paste

Paste LaTeX from ChatGPT, Overleaf or a paper and the extension converts it into native Notion math blocks through Notion's own /math command — no API, no lo…

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On this page

  1. TL;DR
  2. What it is and who it is for
  3. What it does
  4. How it works, and why that choice matters
  5. Install and use
  6. Limitations
  7. When to use it, when not to
  8. Sources
  9. FAQ

LaTeX to Notion: a Chrome extension that converts equations on paste

TL;DR

  • The extension converts LaTeX into Notion's native math blocks automatically when you paste — from ChatGPT, Overleaf or a paper.
  • It covers the delimiters people actually paste: $$...$$, $...$, \[...\], \(...\) and the equation, align, gather, cases and aligned environments.
  • It works through Notion's own UI automation, not its API: it detects the pattern in the DOM, selects the text, uses the /math slash command, inserts the LaTeX and closes the dialog — so no API access and no authentication are needed.
  • Three shortcuts: Ctrl+Shift+M converts all equations on the page, Ctrl+Shift+A toggles auto-convert, Ctrl+Shift+Z undoes the last conversion.

What it is and who it is for

LaTeX to Notion is a Chrome extension for one specific annoyance: the equation you copied from a chat or a paper arrives in a Notion page as literal dollar signs.

It is for the student, the researcher and the engineer who write math inside Notion and have given up formatting it by hand, and for the person who already tried pasting and then retyping every line into the equation block.

What it does

  • Auto-convert on paste — paste LaTeX from anywhere and it converts automatically.
  • Multiple format support — $$...$$, $...$, \[...\], \(...\), and the equation, align, gather, cases and aligned environments.
  • Undo — revert the last conversion with Ctrl+Shift+Z.
  • Hover-to-convert — hover over LaTeX to get a quick convert button.
  • Error detection — alerts for KaTeX parse errors, instead of inserting a broken block.
  • Keyboard shortcuts — Ctrl+Shift+M for convert all, Ctrl+Shift+A to toggle auto-convert, Ctrl+Shift+Z to undo.
FormatTypeExample
$$...$$Block$$\frac{a}{b}$$
\[...\]Block\[\int_0^1 x dx\]
\begin{equation}Block\begin{equation} E = mc^2 \end{equation}
\begin{align}Block\begin{align} a &= b \\ c &= d \end{align}
$...$Inline$E = mc^2$
\(...\)Inline\(E = mc^2\)

The error detection is the detail that makes it usable for a page rather than a line: a KaTeX parse error is the difference between knowing which equation is broken and discovering it three paragraphs later.

How it works, and why that choice matters

The extension uses Notion's own UI automation in five steps: detect the LaTeX pattern in the DOM, select the equation text, use Notion's /math slash command, insert the LaTeX content, and close the math block dialog.

The README names the benefit plainly: this approach ensures compatibility without requiring API access or authentication. That is why it works on any Notion workspace, including one you do not administer, and it is also why the timing depends on Notion's responsiveness — the extension is driving a UI, and a UI is slower than an endpoint.

Install and use

1. Download or clone the repository
2. Open chrome://extensions/
3. Enable Developer mode (top right)
4. Click Load unpacked
5. Select the extension folder

For the recommended flow, enable Auto-Convert on Paste in the popup, copy LaTeX from any source, and paste into Notion. Manual options are Convert All for every equation on the page, From Clipboard to paste and convert the clipboard content, and Undo for the last conversion. Hover-to-Convert is enabled in Settings: hover over $...$ or another LaTeX and click the "∑ Convert" button.

Settings cover auto-convert on paste, hover-to-convert and notifications. Permissions are activeTab, scripting, clipboardRead/Write and storage — the clipboard one is what makes paste-time conversion possible at all.

Limitations

The README lists three, and they are worth knowing before relying on it: complex equations may need manual adjustment, timing depends on Notion's responsiveness, and undo restores the text but may not perfectly recreate math blocks. That last one is the honest caveat: an undo after a conversion is a text restoration, not a time machine.

When to use it, when not to

Use it when you write math inside Notion and paste from a chat, a paper or a notebook, when a page has a dozen equations and you want them all converted at once, and when you do not administer the workspace — no API means no permission to arrange.

Do not use it expecting a perfect conversion of a complex equation: the README says complex equations may need manual adjustment. And do not use it in a browser without extension support — it is a Chrome extension loaded unpacked, not a userscript.

Sources

  1. LaTeX to Notion — repository — features, supported formats, UI-automation flow, settings, permissions, limitations quoted above.
  2. README.md — install and usage steps, keyboard shortcuts, license (MIT).

Project page: LaTeX to Notion

The README credits noeqtion for the original approach and auto-math.com for the auto-conversion concept.

FAQ

Does the extension need Notion API access? No. It drives Notion's own UI: it detects the LaTeX pattern, selects the text, uses the /math slash command, inserts the content and closes the dialog.

Which LaTeX formats are supported? $$...$$, $...$, \[...\], \(...\), and the equation, align, gather, cases and aligned environments.

Can it convert every equation on a page? Yes, through Convert All or Ctrl+Shift+M, which converts all equations on the page at once.

Is undo perfect? Not guaranteed. The README states undo restores the text but may not perfectly recreate the math blocks.