How to customize page layouts on Salesforce

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Customize Salesforce page layouts by accessing Setup, navigating to Object Manager, selecting your object, and modifying the Page Layouts section. You can add, remove, and rearrange fields, sections, and related lists to optimize user experience.

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Prerequisites

Salesforce administrator or system customizer permissions
Basic understanding of Salesforce objects and fields
Access to Setup menu in Salesforce
Knowledge of record types (if applicable)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Access Setup and Object Manager

Click the Setup gear icon in the top-right corner of your Salesforce org. In the Setup menu, navigate to Object Manager under the Platform Tools section. This will display all standard and custom objects in your organization.

Use the search bar in Object Manager to quickly find specific objects if you have many custom objects.

Select the Object to Customize

Click on the object whose page layout you want to customize (e.g., Account, Contact, Opportunity). This will open the object's detail page showing all customization options including fields, page layouts, and triggers.

Navigate to Page Layouts

In the object detail page, click on Page Layouts from the left sidebar menu. You'll see a list of existing page layouts for this object. Click Edit next to the layout you want to modify, or click New to create a new layout.

Different record types can have different page layouts, so ensure you're editing the correct one.

Customize Fields and Sections

In the Page Layout Editor, drag fields from the Fields palette on the left to add them to your layout. Remove fields by dragging them back to the palette. Create new sections by dragging a Section element from the palette. Rearrange fields by dragging them within sections.

Use the field properties panel to make fields required, read-only, or hidden by double-clicking on any field.

Configure Section Properties

Double-click on any section header to modify its properties. You can change the Section Name, set the layout to 1-Column or 2-Column, and configure the Tab-key Order. Check Edit Page and Detail Page to control section visibility.

Use descriptive section names to help users navigate the page more efficiently.

Add Related Lists and Quick Actions

Scroll down to the Related Lists section in the layout editor. Drag related lists from the palette to add them, or remove existing ones by dragging them back. Add Quick Actions by dragging them to the appropriate section. You can reorder related lists by dragging them up or down.

Limit the number of related lists to avoid cluttering the page and improve load times.

Preview and Save Your Layout

Click Preview As to see how the layout will appear to different user profiles. Review the layout for usability and field placement. When satisfied, click Save to apply your changes. The customized layout will immediately be available to users with the appropriate profile and record type assignments.

Test the layout with actual users to ensure it meets their workflow needs before finalizing.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Fields are not appearing on the page layout

Check that the field is not hidden in the Field-Level Security settings for the user's profile. Also verify that the field exists and is not deleted from the object.

Users cannot see the new page layout

Ensure the page layout is assigned to the correct Profile and Record Type combination in the Page Layout Assignment section of the object.

Required fields are causing save errors

Review all fields marked as Required in the layout and ensure they are accessible to users. Consider making fields required only for specific profiles or record types.

Page layout changes are not reflecting immediately

Clear your browser cache and refresh the page. In some cases, it may take a few minutes for changes to propagate across the Salesforce instance.

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