---
schema_version: "1"
id: bad5ea594b5be38f852691bf0791714972833284de21a29eade4371fc9f42fd8
title: Delete a Custom Field
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/deleting_fields.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.deleting_fields.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 79e21102f778ef35845b149bc9c0fa79d254a285ab018dc1e3399bfc07a7b7e1
description: Custom fields can be deleted as long as they meet certain requirements.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# Delete a Custom Field

Custom fields can be deleted as long as they meet certain requirements.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: both Salesforce Classic and Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>All</strong> Editions</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d199193e63">User Permissions Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199193e63 ">To delete custom fields:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d199193e63 ">
              <p>Customize Application</p>
              <p>AND</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">View All Data</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

Before you delete a custom field, find out whether it's referenced by any other field, and if so, which fields. You can’t delete a custom field that’s referenced by another field. For example, you can’t delete a custom field that’s referenced by a field update or Apex.

1. From the management settings for the field’s object, go to Fields.
2. Click **Del** next to the name of the field.
3. When prompted, select the Yes, I want to delete the custom field checkbox to confirm, and click **Delete**.

Keep these considerations in mind when you delete a custom field.

- Deleted custom fields and their data are stored until your org permanently deletes them or 15 days has elapsed, whichever happens first. Until that time, you can restore the field and its data. For information on restoring deleted custom fields and relationships, see [Manage Deleted Custom Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.fields_managing_deleted_fields.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Deleted custom fields and their data are stored until your org permanently deletes them or 15 days have elapsed, whichever happens first. Until that time, you can restore the field and its data.").
- When you delete a custom field, all of the field history data is deleted and changes are no longer tracked.
- You can’t delete a field if that field is being updated by a background job, such as an update to a roll-up summary field. Wait until the background job finishes, and then try again.
- A background process periodically runs that cleans up metadata associated with deleted custom fields. This process affects the Last Modified Date and Last Modified By fields on page layouts, record types, and custom objects.

#### See Also

- [Find Object Management Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.extend_click_find_objectmgmt_parent.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Salesforce lets you personalize your object model with features like custom fields, page layouts, and validation rules. Depending on which experience of Salesforce you have enabled, these customizations are located in different areas of Setup.")