# Actions on Field

> Part of the NocoDB documentation (Product docs > Tables > Fields). Index of all pages: https://nocodb.com/llms.txt. Any docs page is available as Markdown by adding `.md` to its URL.

URL: https://nocodb.com/docs/product/tables/fields/actions-on-field
Last updated: 2026-10-03

Actions on a NocoDB field: rename it, change its type, default value and width, hide it, sort by it, duplicate, insert, delete and describe it.

<AskNocoAI>
  <Prompt>
    Rename [old field name] to [new field name]
  </Prompt>

  <Prompt>
    Change [field name] to a [date] field
  </Prompt>

  <Prompt>
    Delete the [field name] field
  </Prompt>

  <Prompt>
    Change [Amount] to a currency field in [euros]
  </Prompt>
</AskNocoAI>

## Fields context menu

To open the fields context menu, click the dropdown icon (🔽) next to the field name.
<img alt="Fields context menu" src={__img0} placeholder="blur" />

### Edit

#### Rename field

1. Open the field context menu.
2. Click `Edit`.
3. In the `Field Name` field, enter the new field name.
4. Click `Save Field`.

<img alt="Rename field" src={__img1} placeholder="blur" />

#### Change field type

1. Open the field context menu.
2. Click `Edit`.
3. In the `Field Type` dropdown, select the new field type.
4. Click `Save Field`.

<img alt="Change field type" src={__img2} placeholder="blur" />

#### Change default value

1. Open the field context menu.
2. Click `Edit`.
3. In the `Default Value` field, enter the new default value. To remove the default value, click the `x` icon.
4. Click `Save Field`.

<img alt="Change default value" src={__img3} placeholder="blur" />

### Change field width

To change the width of the field, hover over the edge of the field. Then drag the edge.

<img alt="Change field width" src={__img4} placeholder="blur" />

### Hide field

1. Open the field context menu.
2. Click `Hide Field`.

<Callout type="note">
  * Hidden fields are not visible in the table view, but will still be accessible for Formulas, Sort, Filter, etc.
  * To un hide a field, use `Toolbar > Fields` menu
  * Fields can also be marked as hidden from `Toolbar > Fields` menu
</Callout>

### Set as Display value

1. Open the field context menu.
2. Click `Set as Display Value`.

Refer to [Display Value](/docs/product/tables/fields/display-value) for more details.

### Sort Ascending

1. Open the field context menu.
2. Click `Sort Ascending`.

### Sort Descending

1. Open the field context menu.
2. Click `Sort Descending`.

### Duplicate field

1. Open the field context menu.
2. Click `Duplicate`.

NocoDB creates a copy of the field without the data. The name of the copy has the suffix `_copy`. The copy shows to the right of the original field.

### Insert after a field

1. Open the field context menu.
2. Click `Insert after`.

NocoDB creates the new field to the right of the original field.

### Insert before a field

1. Open the field context menu.
2. Click `Insert before`.

NocoDB creates the new field to the left of the original field.

### Delete field

<Callout type="info">
  **This action cannot be undone**
</Callout>

To delete a field:

1. Click the dropdown icon (🔽). The field context menu opens.
2. Click **Delete**.
3. In the confirmation modal, click **Delete Field**.

### Add / edit field description

To add a field description, use one of these buttons:

* `Add Description` in the field creation modal
* `Edit Description` in the field context menu

<img alt="add field description" src={__img5} placeholder="blur" />
<img alt="edit field description" src={__img6} placeholder="blur" />

To see the description of a field, hover over the `info` icon next to the field name. The description shows as a tooltip.

<img alt="Field description" src={__img7} placeholder="blur" />

The same `info` icon also shows next to the field name in the **expanded record** and in the **New record** form. Hover over it to read the field description. Viewers can also see the description, and it shows on public and shared views. Use it to give more context about a field to people who fill in a record.

### Set field as unique

To set a field as unique:

1. Click the dropdown icon (🔽). The field context menu opens.
2. Click **Edit field**.
3. Turn on **Unique values only**.
4. Click **Save Field**.

<img alt="Set field as unique" src={__img8} placeholder="blur" />

This feature is available only for some field types, for example Single line text, Email and Number. For more details, refer to [Unique Fields](/docs/product/tables/fields#unique-fields-).

---

## Related pages

- [Primary Key](https://nocodb.com/docs/product/tables/fields/primary-key.md): Learn what a primary key is and how NocoDB sets and uses the primary key of a table.
- [Display Value](https://nocodb.com/docs/product/tables/fields/display-value.md): The display value is the field that identifies each record in a NocoDB table; learn what it does and how to set it.
- [Multi-Field Editor](https://nocodb.com/docs/product/tables/fields/multi-fields-editor.md): Use the multi-field editor in NocoDB to add, edit, delete, reorder, and hide many fields of a table at one time.
- [Field Summary](https://nocodb.com/docs/product/tables/fields/field-summary-footer.md): The NocoDB field summary shows calculations such as sum, average, minimum and maximum for a field in the footer of a grid view.