Salesforce Dictionary - Free Salesforce GlossarySalesforce Dictionary
Full Settings entry
How-to guide

How to find and change a setting in Setup

Settings are configured, not created as records. The flow below shows the general path to find any settings page in Setup, change it safely, and confirm the change, using Session Settings as a concrete example.

By Dipojjal Chakrabarti · Founder & Editor, Salesforce DictionaryLast updated Jun 16, 2026

Settings are configured, not created as records. The flow below shows the general path to find any settings page in Setup, change it safely, and confirm the change, using Session Settings as a concrete example.

  1. Open Setup

    In Lightning Experience, click the gear icon in the top right and choose Setup. If your org uses Quick Settings, choose Open Advanced Setup to reach the full Setup tree.

  2. Find the page with Quick Find

    In the Quick Find box at the top of the left sidebar, type the first few letters of the page name, such as "session". Select the matching page, for example Session Settings, when it appears.

  3. Review before you change

    Read the on-page help and confirm the setting is org-wide. Note who and what it affects, since most settings change behavior for every user and record at once.

  4. Edit and save

    Adjust the option, then save. For high-impact pages, make the change in a sandbox first and validate it before repeating the edit in production.

  5. Confirm in the Setup Audit Trail

    Search Quick Find for View Setup Audit Trail to confirm your change was logged with your name, the date, and what changed.

Key options
Quick Find boxremember

The search field at the top of the Setup sidebar that matches page names as you type; the fastest way to reach a specific settings page.

Object Managerremember

The separate Setup area for object-level configuration like fields, page layouts, and validation rules, reached from the top of Setup.

Sandboxremember

A non-production copy of your org where high-impact settings should be changed and tested before they reach live users.

Setup Audit Trailremember

The built-in log of administrative changes made in Setup, used to confirm and review who changed which setting and when.

Gotchas
  • Org settings and Personal Settings are different scopes; editing an org page to fix one user's preference can affect everyone.
  • Many settings apply immediately and org-wide, so a session or password change can force all users to log in again.
  • The Setup tree gets reorganized across releases; rely on Quick Find by page name rather than a memorized menu path.
  • The Setup Audit Trail does not capture every change and is not a replacement for a real change-management process.

See the full Settings entry

Settings includes the definition, worked example, deep dive, related terms, and a quiz.