How to Show the Missing Description Column in SharePoint Properties Pane
Question details
Users need to display and edit the Description column within the Properties pane when adding or managing document links in a SharePoint library.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Adding or editing link properties in a modern SharePoint document library.
- Observed behavior
- The default Description column appears in the main library view but is missing from the Properties pane when users try to add or edit it.
Ensure you have at least 'Edit' or 'Design' permissions for the SharePoint document library to customize forms or create new columns.
Customize the Library Form with Power Apps
Use Microsoft Power Apps to modify the default SharePoint document library form and manually add the missing Description field.
By default, SharePoint may hide certain system columns from the modern Properties pane. Customizing the form with Power Apps overrides this default behavior, allowing you to force the Description field to appear when users edit item properties.
Navigate to your SharePoint document library. In the top command bar, click on 'Integrate', select 'Power Apps', and then choose 'Customize forms'.
Once Power Apps studio loads, select the SharePoint form on the canvas. In the right-hand Properties pane, click 'Edit fields', then click 'Add field'. Check the box for the default 'Description' column and click 'Add'.
Click 'File' in the top-left corner, select 'Save', and then click 'Publish to SharePoint'. Close Power Apps to return to your library.
Select a link or document in the library, open the details pane, and select 'Edit all'. The Description field will now be visible and editable.
Create a Custom Description Column
Rename the default hidden Description column and create a new custom column to replace it in both the view and the Properties pane.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the default Description column hidden in the SharePoint properties pane?
SharePoint's modern interface hides certain default system and metadata columns from the standard properties edit pane by design to keep the UI clean. Workarounds like Power Apps or custom columns are required to display them.
Can I edit the properties of multiple SharePoint documents at once?
Yes. You can use the 'Edit in grid view' (formerly Quick Edit) feature in your SharePoint document library to display your columns like a spreadsheet, allowing you to bulk edit descriptions and other properties quickly.
Do I need an additional license to customize SharePoint forms with Power Apps?
Generally, no. Most standard Microsoft 365 business and enterprise licenses that include SharePoint also include basic Power Apps capabilities specifically for customizing standard list and library forms.
Will creating a custom Description column affect SharePoint search?
SharePoint search crawls both default and custom columns. However, if you rely on specific built-in managed properties for search queries tied to the default Description field, you may need to map your new custom column to a managed property in the SharePoint admin center.
