Text and long-text field types
Key Takeaway
Choose a text field type by how much text it needs to hold and how the text should display, because changing the type later can cut off or delete data.
Salesforce offers several text field types for storing letters, numbers, and symbols. They differ mainly in how much text they hold and how it displays. Some fields can't have their type changed at all, and some conversions can lose data.
Text field types
| How much text it holds | What it does | |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Up to 255 characters. You set the maximum length. | Lets users enter any combination of letters, numbers, or symbols. |
| Text Area | Up to 255 characters | Unlike Text, displays its content on separate lines, similar to a Description field. |
| Text Area (Long) | Up to 131,072 characters | Displays its content on separate lines. |
| Text Area (Rich) | Up to 131,072 characters | Adds a toolbar so users can format text (bold, lists, alignment and more) and add images and hyperlinks. |