In this Salesforce tutorial, we will learn how to rename the picklist value in Salesforce. In addition, we will look at how Salesforce Lightning and Salesforce Classic are used to rename the picklist value in existing records.
While working in an organization that uses the Salesforce CRM tool, I was asked to update the picklist values with the new value according to the new terminology used within the organization world. As a result, I made the decision to rename the picklist value.
So, If you want to learn how I rename the picklist values for improved user experience, correction of label errors, etc in both Salesforce Lightning and Salesforce Classic components, you have come to the right place.
What does rename the picklist value mean?
In Salesforce, renaming the picklist value means changing the old name of the picklist value with the new name of the picklist value without renaming its reference.
Basically, when we rename the picklist value, we are modifying the “Label” which is the name of the picklist value that appears in the UI. And it has no impact on the information kept in Salesforce or any associated functionality.
In addition, renaming a picklist value can improve clarity, fix mistakes, improve user experience, and uniformize the label according to the organization’s world. Even it helps the user to choose the right value from the picklist by altering the display label.
Moreover, when a picklist value is renamed, the API name linked to the picklist value does not change. As the API name is used to identify the value which is used for data storage, integrations, and programmatically referencing the picklist value.
With this, we have understood what renaming the picklist value means in Salesforce. Now, we will move ahead and overview the difference between renaming and replacing picklist values in Salesforce.
Difference between rename and replace picklist value
In the previous post, we studied replacing the picklist value in Salesforce. Maybe you get confused by both the term “Rename” and “Replace”.
To clear up the confusion we will discuss the difference between “Rename the picklist value” and “Replace the picklist value” in Salesforce.
Rename Picklist Value | Replace Picklist Value |
---|---|
Renaming the picklist value means a change in the displayed label of an existing picklist value. | Replacing the picklist value means replacing the existing value with the new picklist value. |
It only has an impact on how users see the picklist value in the user interface. | It has an impact on the full system, including existing values in the data records. |
There is no effect on workflows, validation rules, reports, or customized code. | Replace the value needs an update to reports, workflows, rules, etc that use the old picklist value. |
Minimal impact on the user experience and documentation. | It requires communication with the client and proper documentation before replacing the value as it globally replaces an existing value. |
For example: Suppose we have a picklist value with three options “In Progress”, “On Hold” and “Completed”. And we want to rename the “In Progress” value to “Active”. So, renaming only changes the label on the UI and remains it same on the database. | For example: Suppose we have a picklist value with three options “In Progress”, “On Hold” and “Completed”. But this time we want that all the records having the value “In Progress” replace with the new value “On Hold”. So, we are replacing the old value with a new one and it also affects both the label name on the UI and the value stored in the database. |
With this, we have also learned the concept of the difference between “Rename the picklist value” and “Replace the picklist value” in Salesforce. Now, we will proceed and learn the steps to rename the picklist value in Salesforce Lightning.
How to rename the picklist value in Salesforce Lightning
Here, are the steps to rename the picklist value in Salesforce Lightning.
Step 1: First log in to the Salesforce account and select “Setup” from the menu in the top right corner of the page.

Step 2: From the setup menu, click on the “Object Manager” option.

Step 3: It will redirect you to the object manager page, now search for the object you want to rename the picklist value and click on it. So, here I click on the “Lead” object.

Step 4: Click on the “Fields & Relationships” option left side menu on the screen.
Step 5: Now, search for the picklist field to whom you want to rename the value. Here, I select the “Lead Status” field.

Step 6: On success, it will redirect us to the picklist detail page. Now, scroll down to the “Values” section.
Step 7: Find the picklist value that you want to rename and click on the “Edit” link next to it. Here, I select the “Prospect” picklist value.

Step 8: Enter the new label name, in the “Label” field. Here I enter the new name “New Lead” and change the existing one the “Prospect“.
Step 9: We can also change the name of the “API” and set it according to the “Label” name. But it is recommended to keep the “API Name” unchanged as it affects the data integrity.
Step 10: To finally save the changes of the picklist value, click on the “Save” button.

Step 11: To check that the whether the picklist values have been renamed correctly, navigate to the item whose picklist values have been modified and check.


With this, we have successfully learned to rename the picklist value in Salesforce Lightning Component. Now, we will proceed and learn to rename the picklist value in Salesforce Classic.
Check out, How to delete picklist value in Salesforce
How to rename the picklist value in Salesforce Classic
Here, are the steps to rename the picklist value in Salesforce Classic.
Step 1: We must first sign in to Salesforce Classic. To do this, click on “Avatar” and select “Switch to Salesforce Classic”.

Step 2: Then, select “Setup” from the menu.

Step 3: Scroll down to the “Build” section. Select the object for which we want to rename the picklist value under “Customize”. In this case, I select the “Campaign” object.

Step 4: Find the field from the chosen object for this select the “Fields” option. Here, I select “Status” as the field.

Step 5: Find the picklist value that you want to rename and click on the “Edit” link next to it. Here, I select the “Planned” picklist value.

Step 6: Enter the new label name, in the “Label” field. Here I enter the new name “Registered” and change the existing one the “Planned”.
Step 7: We may also modify the “API” name and set it to match the “Label” name. However, because it affects the data integrity, it is advised to leave the “API Name” unchanged.
Step 8: To finally save the changes of the picklist value, click on the “Save” button.

Step 9: To check that the whether the picklist values have been renamed correctly, navigate to the item whose picklist values have been modified and check.

With this, we have successfully learned to rename the picklist value in Salesforce Classic Component.
Conclusion
In conclusion, renaming the picklist value in Salesforce is the procedure of changing the old display label value name to the new display label value name.
In addition, it also helps to maintain data integrity and user experience. Moreover, we have learned the steps to rename the picklist value in Salesforce Lightning and in Salesforce Classic Component.
You may also like to read the following articles:
- How to replace the picklist value in Salesforce
- How to Sort Picklist Values into Alphabetical Order in Salesforce
- How to deactivate picklist value in Salesforce
I am Bijay Kumar, the founder of SalesforceFAQs.com. Having over 10 years of experience working in salesforce technologies for clients across the world (Canada, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, etc.). I am a certified salesforce administrator and expert with experience in developing salesforce applications and projects. My goal is to make it easy for people to learn and use salesforce technologies by providing simple and easy-to-understand solutions. Check out the complete profile on About us.