Object Manager is the starting point for every per-object customization in Lightning. Open it from the Setup gear menu, search for the target object, and use the left nav to reach the specific area you need.
- Open Object Manager
Setup gear > Setup > Object Manager. The full list of objects appears. Use the Quick Find box to filter by name; alphabetical scrolling works too.
- Open the target object
Click the object label or API name. The object's detail page loads with the left-nav menu of customization areas.
- Navigate to the customization area
Pick the area: Fields & Relationships to add a field, Page Layouts to edit a layout, Validation Rules to add validation, Triggers to manage Apex. Each area loads its own list.
- Make the change
Click New, Edit, or Delete depending on the action. Object Manager keeps the changes inside the same object context, so you never lose track of which object you are editing.
- Validate in a sandbox or with field-level permissions
After saving, log in as a test user and verify the change is visible and behaves correctly. Field-Level Security and Profile permissions can hide changes from end users even after Object Manager shows them.
Default Lightning UI for managing objects. Always use this for new customizations.
Legacy alternative. Still functional but deprecated for new features. Avoid unless reverse-compatibility forces it.
Visual ER-diagram view of every object and field. Useful for understanding relationships before editing.
Command-line alternative for bulk or repeated metadata changes. Pairs with version control for DevOps workflows.
- Not every object setting lives in Object Manager. Person Account, Lead conversion mappings, and picklist translations live under their own Setup nodes; this catches new admins constantly.
- Changes made through Object Manager are immediate in the org. There is no draft mode. Use a sandbox for non-trivial changes and deploy via change set or DX once tested.
- Object Manager shows up to 20 records per page by default. Big custom orgs with hundreds of custom objects need to filter or paginate; the URL supports parameters for advanced search.
- Standard fields cannot be deleted, only hidden via Field-Level Security. Custom field deletion is a soft delete with a 15-day recycle bin window; restore is possible during that window.