---
schema_version: "1"
id: 9c6825c8e3b42a33e00b8eec4d773f3a6ecd180e2fb40af8fc113097ab34da10
title: Deactivate, Reactivate, or Remove a Single Picklist Value
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/fields_deactivate_reactivate_values.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.fields_deactivate_reactivate_values.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: a888ca1aa59bd622ead5b17f7704ea0ac0fa4911faba92945c24bba612d7f2c3
description: Deactivate, reactivate, or remove a value from a restricted or unrestricted custom picklist. If it’s a global picklist value set, these actions simultaneously update all custom picklists that inherit its value set.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# Deactivate, Reactivate, or Remove a Single Picklist Value

Deactivate, reactivate, or remove a value from a restricted or unrestricted custom picklist. If it’s a global picklist value set, these actions simultaneously update all custom picklists that inherit its value set.

### 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: 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="d190215e63">User Permissions
              Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d190215e63 ">To create or change custom fields:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d190215e63 ">Customize Application</td>

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

Only a Salesforce admin can modify the values of a restricted picklist. Users can’t add unapproved values, even through the API.

1. Go to the picklist you want to modify.
    - For a picklist on an object, go to the fields section of the object.
    - For a global picklist, from **Setup**, in the Quick Find box, enter picklist, then select **Picklist Value Sets**.
2. Go to the picklist’s detail page by clicking the picklist’s name.
3. In the Values section, modify the picklist value. These actions simultaneously update all custom picklists that inherit its value set.
    - To deactivate a value, which removes it from the picklist but keeps it on existing records, click **Deactivate** next to the value’s name. The value moves to the Inactive Values section. If you need the value again later, click **Activate** next to its name.
    - To remove a value from the picklist and all records that use it, click **Del** next to the value’s name, and select **Replace value on records with blank value**. Then save the changes.
    - To remove a value from a global picklist and any custom picklists that share its value set, click **Del** next to the value’s name, and then click **OK**. If any custom picklists use this global picklist value set, you’re prompted to replace the value with a blank value or an existing, active value. If no custom picklists use the value set, the value is deleted from the global picklist.

Keep these considerations in mind when you deactivate, reactivate, or delete a picklist value.

- The unrestricted picklist values for the `Task.Subject` and `Event.Subject` fields can’t be deactivated. The picklist values are deleted instead of deactivated.
- If a global picklist value is used in historical trending, it’s deactivated but not deleted.
- Deleting a value in a global picklist value set or on non-global, restricted picklists goes to the background jobs queue. When the job completes, your picklist is updated and you’re notified by email.
- Changes to picklist values are logged in Setup Audit Trail. To view the audit history, from Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter View Setup Audit Trail, then select **View Setup Audit Trail**.
- Using the option to replace a picklist value while deleting the current value doesn’t trigger workflow rules.