What prefilling does
Prefilling loads a field with a value before the respondent interacts with it. Respondents can change the pre-filled value unless the field is also set to read-only. There are two ways to prefill a field:- Default value: set a static or dynamic value in the field settings
- URL parameters: pass values in the form URL when you share or embed it
Default values
Most editable field types have a Default value setting in their field settings panel. This value loads when the form opens.Static defaults
Enter a fixed value, for example a default country (United States) or a default status (Pending). Every respondent sees the same pre-filled value.
Dynamic defaults with variable references
Type@ in the default value field to open the variable picker. Select any field that has already appeared in the form. The default value resolves dynamically based on what the respondent entered in that earlier field.
Example: A “Shipping address” field could default to the value from a “Billing address” field. If the respondent changes the billing address first, the shipping address pre-fills to match. The respondent can still override it.
Prefilling via URL parameters
You can pass values as URL query parameters when sharing or embedding your form. This is useful for:- Pre-filling a respondent’s name and email when sending a link from your CRM
- Pre-filling a project or account ID when embedding a form in your app
- Tracking source by pre-filling a campaign field
Read-only prefilled fields
Combine default values with Read-only to display pre-filled data that respondents cannot change. This is common in edit-mode forms where you want to show the current record values but lock certain fields.Common questions
Can I use a formula as a default value?
Can I use a formula as a default value?
Default values support
@ variable references to other form fields, not Airtable formulas. If you need a calculated default, set up a formula field in Airtable and use that as a prefill source in edit mode, or use the URL parameter approach to pass a computed value from your application.Do respondents see that a field was pre-filled?
Do respondents see that a field was pre-filled?
The field appears with the value already in it. There is no visual indicator that it was pre-filled vs manually entered.
What if a URL parameter and a default value both target the same field?
What if a URL parameter and a default value both target the same field?
The URL parameter takes precedence over the default value setting.
Can I pre-fill a select field via URL?
Can I pre-fill a select field via URL?
Yes. Pass the exact option value (case-sensitive) as the URL parameter. If the value doesn’t match an existing option, the field stays empty.