The most direct way to make a field read-only for a group of users is field-level security. Here is how to set a field to Read without Edit on a permission set, which is the modern, recommended path over editing profiles.
- Open the field in Object Manager
In Setup, go to Object Manager, pick the object, open Fields & Relationships, and select the field you want to restrict. Click Set Field-Level Security to see every profile and permission set at once, or configure it per permission set.
- Grant Read and clear Edit
For each profile or permission set that should have view-only access, check Read and leave Edit unchecked. Checking Read without Edit is exactly what produces read-only. Clearing both Read and Edit hides the field instead.
- Decide on layout read-only separately
If you also want the field greyed out on a specific page, edit that page layout, open the field properties, and mark it Read-Only. Remember this only affects that one screen, so it complements field-level security rather than replacing it.
- Save and verify as a test user
Save your changes, then log in as a user from the restricted group (or use the View As feature) and confirm the field shows its value but offers no way to edit it on records, reports, and list views.
Lets the user see the field's value everywhere. Granting this without Edit is what makes the field read-only.
Lets the user change the field. Leave it unchecked for read-only access; check it only for users who must update the value.
Marks the field as non-editable on the detail and edit pages of that layout only. Does not restrict reports, list views, or the API.
A profile or permission-set permission that lets a user edit layout-level read-only fields. Does not override field-level security or system-managed fields.
- Field-level security overrides page layouts. A field set to Read without Edit stays read-only even if the layout would let you edit it.
- The Edit Read Only Fields permission only unlocks layout read-only, not field-level security. If Edit is unchecked in field permissions, this permission will not help.
- System and formula fields such as Last Modified Date stay non-editable even with Edit Read Only Fields, because the platform manages their values.
- Public Read Only is a record-sharing level, not a field setting. It controls who can edit whole records, and a user can still be read-only on individual fields on top of it.