---
key: edit-or-archive-a-custom-field
title: Edit, archive or restore a custom field
audience: staff
section: settings
routes: ["/settings/org/custom-fields"]
permissions: ["metadata.custom_fields.update"]
features: ["settings.org.custom-fields"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Rename a custom field, change its default or behaviour, take it out of use by archiving it, or bring an archived field back, after checking what the change affects.
keywords: [rename field, remove field, hide field, archive field, restore field, field impact, retire field]
related: [create-a-custom-field, add-a-lead-source-or-pick-list-value]
---

In the sidebar, open **Settings**, then choose **Custom Fields** under **Records & Fields**. The page address is `/settings/org/custom-fields`.

## Before you start

- Your role needs permission to update custom fields. Without it, rows open with **View** instead of **Edit** and nothing can be changed. Archiving and restoring each need their own permission; without it the **Archive** or **Restore** button is greyed out.
- A field's subject, type and key are fixed for life (the drawer marks them **Immutable after create**). To change those, archive the field and create a new one.

## Steps

1. Find the field in the list and press **Edit** on its row, or click the row. The drawer opens with the field's name as its title.
2. Under **Basics**, change **Display Name**, **Sort Order** or **Description**.
3. Under **Default value**, change what new records start with.
4. For a **Select** field, add or rename choices under **Select options**. Existing choices keep their key, so records already using them are unaffected. Switch a choice's **Active** off to hide it from new picks while records that use it keep it.
5. Under **Behavior**, switch **Visible**, **Editable**, **Applicable**, **Searchable**, **Exportable** or **Reportable** on or off. **Advanced settings** holds the list, **Portal visible** and **Template merge** choices.
6. Press **Save mutable changes**.

To take a field out of use, press **Archive** on its row or at the bottom of the drawer. Nova shows an impact summary with **Records with values**, **Historical touches**, **Capability impact** (the behaviours that are on), and for a **Select** field the **Used option keys**. Read it, then confirm with **Archive**. To bring a field back, set the **Lifecycle** filter to **Archived only** or **All definitions**, press **Restore** on its row or in its drawer, and confirm.

## What you see

- Markers at the top of the drawer show the subject, type and lifecycle status, and **Required** if the field is required.
- **Immutable after create** lists the parts you cannot change. The option-changes line reads **Managed after create** when a **Select** field's choices can still be added to or renamed.
- An archived field disappears from records and pickers but keeps every value already saved, so restoring it brings the data back.

## If something looks different

- The row says **View**: your role cannot update custom fields.
- Every field in the drawer is greyed out and **Save mutable changes** is off: the field is archived. Press **Restore**, then edit.
- The impact summary fails to load: refresh the page and try again. Archiving still works without it.

[[route:/settings/org/custom-fields|Open Custom Fields]]