Console Layout defines what appears in the footer panel of a Classic Salesforce Console — chat widgets, softphone, history, knowledge sidebar. In Lightning, the equivalent is the Utility Bar in App Manager; Console Layout is a Classic-era concept that still matters for orgs running the Salesforce Classic Service Console.
- Open Setup → Console Layouts (Classic-era setting)
Setup gear → Quick Find: Console Layouts → Console Layouts. May not appear in newer orgs that have moved entirely to Lightning.
- Click New Console Layout (or Edit existing)
One layout per Lightning App / Console scope.
- Set Layout Name
Convention: per-team or per-app ("Service Tier 1 Console").
- Add Footer Components
Drag from the Available list — Live Agent / Chat, Softphone, History, Macros, Knowledge sidebar. Each appears as a mini-tab in the console footer.
- Set Visibility per component
Visible by default / Pop out by default / Custom width and height.
- Save → assign to Profiles
Console Layouts are profile-assigned. Profiles without an assignment use the Master layout.
- For Lightning Console: use App Manager → Utility Items instead
Lightning Console doesn't use Console Layouts — use App Manager → Edit App → Utility Items to configure footer-bar tools.
Live Agent / Chat / Softphone / History / Macros / Knowledge / custom Visualforce.
Always visible / Pop out / hidden by default.
Per-profile layout.
- Console Layout is Classic-only. Lightning Service Console uses Utility Items in App Manager — different config path. Most modern orgs have migrated to Lightning, making Console Layout legacy.
- Switching between Classic and Lightning consoles requires different config in different places. Don't expect Console Layout settings to translate to Lightning Utility Bar — they're separate metadata.
- Profile assignment is the gate. Forgetting to assign leaves users on the Master layout — usually not what you want for specialized teams.