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Airtable Field Types: The Complete 2026 List (All 30+ Types Explained)

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Filla Editorial•beginner•Apr 28, 2026

Airtable Field Types: The Complete 2026 List (All 30+ Types Explained)

Airtable supports over 30 distinct field types. That number has grown steadily as Airtable added AI fields, button fields, and sync-related types -- and the official documentation has not always kept pace. If you want a single reference that covers every type, what it does, and when to reach for it, that page doesn't really exist in the Airtable docs. So we built it.

This guide covers every Airtable field type organized by category. For each one you'll find a plain-English description, the most common use cases, and the gotchas that trip people up. Whether you're designing a new base from scratch or auditing an existing one, this is the reference you can bookmark.

One important note before diving in: field types matter most when you're collecting data through a form. Not every field type works as a form input. We'll call out which types are form-friendly and which ones need special handling -- with links to tools that close the gaps.

Building a form connected to Airtable Filla's form builder supports every major field type including linked records, file attachments, and conditional logic

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How many field types does Airtable have?

As of 2026, Airtable has 30+ field types depending on how you count the variants. The number you see in the UI changes based on your plan -- some types like AI fields are restricted to Business and Enterprise plans. The list below covers all types available across plans, with plan restrictions noted where relevant.

Basic text and number fields

These are the workhorse fields. Most bases use several of them.

Single line text

Stores a single line of plain text. No formatting, no line breaks. Use it for names, titles, IDs, short labels, and any value where brevity matters. It's the most permissive text field -- Airtable accepts almost any string -- which means you don't get automatic validation. If you want to restrict input to a specific format like email addresses, you'll need a formula or a third-party form tool to enforce it.

Long text

Stores multi-line text with optional rich text formatting (bold, italic, bullet lists, headers). Use it for notes, descriptions, comments, and any field where length is unpredictable. Rich text is rendered in expanded record views and interfaces but displays as raw markdown in some contexts like grid view cells. When used on a form, long text renders as a textarea.

Number

Stores a numeric value. You configure the number of decimal places (0 through 8) and whether to show a thousands separator. No currency symbol or unit is attached at the field level -- that's what the Currency and Percent types handle. Good for quantities, counts, scores, and any raw number where you want flexible formatting later.

Currency

A Number field variant with a currency symbol prefix. You choose the symbol and decimal places. The field still stores a plain number internally -- the symbol is display-only. Use it for prices, budgets, revenue, and costs. If you need to do math across records (sum a column), Currency fields work in Rollup and Summary bar calculations.

Percent

A Number field variant that multiplies the stored value by 100 for display. Store 0.75, see 75%. Use it for conversion rates, completion percentages, and ratios. The gotcha: values are stored as decimals (0 to 1), not as the displayed percentage (0 to 100). If you're importing data, check which format your source uses.

Rating

Stores an integer from 1 to the maximum you configure (up to 10). Displays as stars, flags, hearts, thumbs, or other icons. Use it for priority levels, satisfaction scores, and any subjective 1-to-N scale. Ratings sort and aggregate predictably, which makes them useful for ranking and filtering views. They can't be left blank -- a record with no rating value shows no stars, which is distinct from a zero rating.

Duration

Stores a time duration in hours, minutes, and seconds. Useful for tracking time spent, video lengths, and session durations. Input format is h:mm:ss or h:mm. You can aggregate durations in a Summary bar (sum, average). Less commonly used but genuinely useful when you're tracking elapsed time rather than a point in time.

Checkbox

Stores a boolean true/false. Displays as a checkbox in grid view. Use it for completion flags, opt-in markers, and any binary state. In forms, it renders as a checkbox the user toggles. Unchecked records have a false value, not an empty value -- this matters in formulas that check for blank fields.

Date and time fields

Airtable distinguishes between user-entered dates and system-generated timestamps.

Date

Stores a calendar date, optionally with a time component. You configure whether to include time, which timezone to use, and the display format. Use it for due dates, event dates, deadlines, and any date the user sets intentionally. The time zone configuration is important: if you choose "local" timezone, the displayed time shifts based on each viewer's location.

Created time

A system field that automatically records when each record was created. Read-only -- you cannot edit it. Airtable sets this value the moment the record is created and it never changes. Use it for auditing, sorting by newest first, and time-based automations. It's available on all plans and doesn't count against your field limit in the traditional sense, but it does appear as a field in the schema.

Last modified time

Records the timestamp of the most recent edit to the record, or to a specific set of fields you configure. If you configure it to watch specific fields, it only updates when those fields change -- useful if you want to track when the "status" field changed without restarting the clock when someone edits a note. Use it for SLA tracking, freshness indicators, and update-triggered automations.

Selection fields

Fields where values come from a defined list.

Single select

Stores one value from a list of options you define. Each option has a name and a color. Use it for status, category, priority, and any field where exactly one value applies at a time. Options can be reordered but renaming an option updates it globally -- everywhere that option appears, which is usually what you want. In forms, single select renders as a dropdown or radio buttons depending on the form tool.

Multiple select

Stores any number of values from a defined list. The same options setup as single select, but records can have multiple values checked. Use it for tags, skills, product categories, and any field where more than one value can apply. Filtering on multiple select is AND/OR logic -- be deliberate about which you want when building views. In Airtable's native form, multiple select renders as a checkbox list.

Collaborator

Stores a reference to one Airtable workspace collaborator. The value is a person -- their name and email as they exist in your workspace. Use it for assignment, ownership, and reviewer tracking. Important limitation: the dropdown only shows people who are collaborators in your workspace. External users or people not yet invited cannot be selected. Collaborator fields work well in automations for "notify the assigned person."

Multiple collaborators

Same as Collaborator but allows selecting more than one person. Use it for shared ownership, review panels, and any assignment that involves more than one person. The same workspace-collaborator restriction applies.

Linked record and lookup fields

These fields connect records across tables and pull data through those connections.

Linked record

Links a record in one table to one or more records in another table (or the same table). This is Airtable's relational layer. The relationship is always bidirectional -- if Table A links to Table B, Table B automatically gets a corresponding linked field pointing back to Table A. Use it for contacts-to-companies, orders-to-products, tasks-to-projects. Linked record fields are some of the most powerful in Airtable and also the most misunderstood. You're not storing a text value -- you're storing a pointer to another record.

Linked record fields on forms need special handling. Airtable's native form does not support linked record input well. Filla's form builder and our guide on linked records in Airtable forms cover the options in detail.

Lookup

Pulls a value from a linked record into the current table. For example, if a Tasks table links to a Projects table, a lookup field on Tasks can display the project's "Status" or "Owner" without you having to copy data manually. Lookup fields are read-only -- they update automatically when the linked record changes. You can display one field from the linked record per lookup field. Use multiple lookup fields if you need multiple values.

Rollup

Aggregates values from a linked field using a function: SUM, COUNT, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, CONCATENATE, and more. For example, a Projects table could have a rollup that sums all task hours from linked Tasks records. Rollups update reactively when linked records change. They're powerful for dashboards and summary rows but add complexity -- if a rollup shows an unexpected value, check the linked records and the aggregation function first.

Count

Counts how many records are linked in a linked record field. Simpler than a rollup -- no aggregation function needed. Use it when you just need to know "how many" without summing a value. A Contacts table might use Count to show how many orders each contact has, without needing a rollup of order totals.

Computed and formula fields

Fields whose values Airtable calculates automatically.

Formula

Evaluates an expression you write using Airtable's formula language and returns the result. Formulas can reference other fields, use IF/AND/OR logic, perform math, manipulate text, and calculate dates. The output type (text, number, date, boolean) depends on the formula. Formula fields are read-only -- you cannot type into them on a form or in a record. If you try to include a formula field on an Airtable form, it appears as a read-only display, not an input.

Autonumber

Assigns a unique incrementing integer to each record in the order records were created. The first record gets 1, the second gets 2, and so on. It never resets even if you delete records -- deleted record numbers are not reused. Use it for invoice numbers, ticket IDs, and any sequential identifier you need to be permanently unique. If you need more control over ID format (adding a prefix, padding with zeros), Filla's Airtable Unique ID Generator handles that.

Last modified by

Records which collaborator most recently edited the record (or a specific set of fields you configure). Read-only, set automatically. Use it for audit trails, accountability tracking, and "who changed this?" questions. Same configurability as Last modified time -- you can scope it to specific fields.

Created by

Records which collaborator created the record. Read-only, permanent. Useful for attribution -- knowing who entered a record into the system. Like Created time, this value is set once and never changes.

Rich content fields

Fields that store files, URLs, contact details, and other structured content.

Attachment

Stores one or more files attached to a record. Airtable hosts the files and provides previews for common formats (images, PDFs, documents). Use it for photos, signed documents, receipts, and any file that belongs with the record. Storage limits apply per workspace based on your plan. Attachment fields work in forms -- users can upload files when submitting. For bulk operations on attachments (downloading all files from a table, compressing images), Filla offers the Airtable Attachment Downloader and Image Compressor.

URL

Stores a text string validated (loosely) as a URL. Displays as a clickable link in record views. Use it for website links, documentation URLs, and any hyperlink you want rendered as a link rather than plain text. The validation is permissive -- Airtable accepts values without a full protocol prefix in some contexts. If you need strict URL validation on form input, handle that at the form layer.

Email

Stores a text string formatted as an email address. Displays as a mailto link in record views. No strict validation is enforced by default -- Airtable will accept values that don't look like real email addresses. If you need to validate email format or check for duplicates before submission, use a form tool that supports email validation at the point of entry.

Phone number

Stores a phone number as text. Displays as a clickable tel link on mobile. Airtable accepts any format -- no normalization or validation applied. Useful for contact records and any workflow where you want one-tap dialing from a mobile device. For international numbers, storing the country code in the same field is a good habit.

Barcode

Stores a barcode value (as text) with an associated barcode type. In Airtable's mobile app, users can scan a physical barcode with their camera to populate this field. On desktop, it's a manual text entry. Use it for inventory tracking, asset management, and any workflow where physical items are linked to Airtable records. For generating QR codes or barcodes from Airtable data, Filla's QR Code Generator writes the image back to an attachment field automatically.

Button

Triggers an action when clicked -- running an automation, opening a URL, or previewing a URL. It's not a data field in the traditional sense; it stores a configuration rather than a value. Use it for quick actions inline in a table view: "Send to Slack," "Open in CRM," "Generate PDF." Buttons do not appear on Airtable forms.

Newer and specialized fields

AI field

Uses Airtable's built-in AI to generate a value based on a prompt you configure, pulling from other fields in the record. For example: summarize the "Notes" field, classify the "Feedback" field as positive/negative/neutral, or extract the company name from a "Description" field. AI fields are available on Business and Enterprise plans. Generated values can be manually overridden. They do not update automatically when source fields change -- you trigger a regeneration manually or via automation.

Sync fields

When you sync data from another Airtable base or an external source (GitHub, Jira, Google Calendar, and others), the synced fields appear in your base as read-only. The field types reflect whatever was synced -- a text field in the source shows up as a text field in the destination. Synced fields cannot be edited directly. They update on the sync schedule you configure. Use sync to pull data into a base without duplicating it manually.

Field types when collecting from a form

Not every Airtable field type makes sense as a form input. Here's a quick breakdown.

Work well as form inputs:

  • Single line text, long text, number, currency, percent, rating
  • Date (with a date picker)
  • Single select, multiple select (dropdown or checkboxes)
  • Attachment (file upload)
  • Checkbox
  • Email, phone, URL

Require special handling:

  • Linked record. Airtable's native form doesn't support linked record input in a useful way. Filla's form builder and our guide to linked records in Airtable forms cover how to expose linked records as searchable dropdowns.
  • Collaborator. The dropdown only shows workspace collaborators -- not suitable for a public form filled out by non-collaborators.

Cannot be filled in via form (read-only or computed):

  • Formula, lookup, rollup, count -- these update automatically based on other data
  • Autonumber, created time, created by, last modified time, last modified by -- set by Airtable automatically
  • Button, sync fields -- not form inputs

If you need to present computed or linked data to a form respondent for review without collecting it as an input, Filla supports read-only display fields alongside form inputs.

Special-purpose field tooling

Some field types pair naturally with tools that automate what would otherwise be manual work.

QR codes and barcodes

The Barcode field stores a value. If you want to generate a scannable QR code image and attach it to the record, Filla's Airtable QR Code Generator does this in bulk -- generating QR codes for every record in a table and writing the image back to an attachment field.

Unique IDs and sequential numbering

Autonumber gives you a plain integer. If you need formatted IDs like INV-00042 or TICKET-2026-0017, Filla's Airtable Unique ID Generator generates custom-formatted IDs and writes them to a text field. Unlike Autonumber, the format is fully configurable.

Address geocoding

If you're storing addresses in a text or single-line text field and need latitude/longitude coordinates for mapping or distance calculations, Filla's Airtable Geocoder processes address fields in bulk and writes coordinates back to your table.

File processing on attachments

Attachment fields can hold images, PDFs, and other files. For bulk operations:

FAQ

How many field types does Airtable have?

Airtable has 30+ field types as of 2026. The exact number depends on your plan -- AI fields are restricted to Business and Enterprise tiers -- and on whether you count sync fields and system fields (like Created time) separately. The categories are: text, number, date, selection, linked record, lookup/rollup, formula, attachment, contact (email, phone), URL, barcode, button, collaborator, and AI.

Can I create custom field types in Airtable?

No. Airtable's field types are a fixed set defined by Airtable. You cannot build a custom field type from scratch. What you can do is approximate custom behavior using formulas, automations, and third-party tools. For example, a "formatted ID" field doesn't exist natively, but Filla's Unique ID Generator can write custom-formatted IDs to a plain text field.

What's the difference between a formula field and a lookup field?

A formula field runs an expression you write against fields in the same record. A lookup field pulls a value from a linked record in a different table (or the same table). Formulas are flexible -- you write the logic. Lookups are simpler but depend on a linked record relationship existing first. Rollups go a step further by aggregating values from multiple linked records using a summary function like SUM or AVERAGE.

Why can't my form fill in certain field types?

Computed fields (formula, rollup, lookup, count) are read-only by design. Airtable calculates their values automatically -- they can't be user-entered. System fields (created time, created by, autonumber) are also set by Airtable and cannot be overridden via form input. If you need a field that looks computed but can also be entered by users, use a plain text or number field alongside a formula field for the calculated version.

Can I change a field type after creating it?

Yes, with caveats. Airtable allows you to convert between some field types, and it will attempt to preserve the existing data. The conversion is not always clean -- switching from a text field to a number field will lose any values that can't be parsed as numbers, and switching from a multiple select to a single select drops all but one value per record. Airtable shows a warning before you confirm. Always check your data after a type conversion.

Do field types affect Airtable plan limits?

Some types are plan-restricted: AI fields require a Business or Enterprise plan. Sync sources have limits on how many you can configure depending on your plan. Most standard field types (text, number, date, select, linked record, formula, etc.) are available on all paid plans including Plus. The Free plan has the same field types but with lower row and record limits across the workspace.

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