SharePoint Document Issues

How to Add SharePoint Content Type Columns to a Document Library View

WPS Editor Sep 30, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to know how to make custom content type columns visible in a SharePoint document library.

How to Add SharePoint Content Type Columns to a Document Library View

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A custom content type has been added to a document library, but the associated columns are not visible to users in the active view.
Observed behavior: Adding a custom content type to a document library does not automatically add its columns to the current library view.

Before you start

Ensure you have at least 'Edit' or 'Design' permissions for the SharePoint document library in order to modify its views and settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Manually Select Content Type Columns in the View Settings

Because SharePoint does not automatically display columns for newly added content types, you must edit the document library view to manually select and reveal the required fields.

This behavior is expected in SharePoint. To prevent views from becoming unnecessarily cluttered, columns from newly attached content types are kept hidden by default. You will need to explicitly enable them for each view where they should appear.

Navigate to the Document Library

Open your SharePoint site and navigate to the specific Document Library where you have added the custom content type.

Open the View Editor

Click on the view dropdown menu in the command bar (usually displaying the current view name, such as 'All Documents') and select 'Edit current view'.

Select the Columns to Display

In the Edit View page, locate the 'Columns' section. Find the specific columns associated with your newly added content type and check the 'Display' boxes next to them.

Save the View Settings

Scroll to the top or the bottom of the Edit View settings page and click 'OK' to save your changes.

Verify Column Visibility

Return to the Document Library and confirm that the selected custom content type columns are now visible in the list.

Manually Select Content Type Columns in the View Settings

Changes Applied: Once the view is saved, the updated column layout will be visible to all users who have access to that specific document library view.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn't the columns appear automatically when I added the content type?

SharePoint is designed to hide new columns by default to prevent document library views from becoming visually cluttered, especially when adding content types with many metadata fields.

Will updating the current view affect other views in the document library?

No. When you edit the 'current view', the changes are applied only to that specific view. If you have multiple views (e.g., 'By Author', 'Recently Modified'), you will need to edit each one individually to show the new columns.

Who has the permission to edit document library views?

Only users assigned the 'Edit', 'Design', or 'Full Control' permission levels can modify public document library views. Users with standard 'Read' access cannot make these changes.

Can I reorder how the new columns are displayed in the view?

Yes. On the 'Edit View' page, you can adjust the numerical values in the 'Position from Left' dropdowns next to each selected column to change their left-to-right display order.

Document & File Issues