How to Create Custom Views in SharePoint?

Custom views in SharePoint allow you to personalize how list and library data is displayed, so you can work smarter, not harder. Whether you're managing tasks, tracking documents, or collaborating across teams, learning how to create custom views in SharePoint can help you surface the most relevant information faster.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to create a custom SharePoint view, explain common use cases, and share best practices to get the most from your SharePoint experience.

What is a Custom View in SharePoint?

A SharePoint view controls how items appear in a list or document library. While the default “All Items” or “All Documents” view shows everything, custom views help you focus on the specific data that matters most to you or your team.

Types of SharePoint Views:

• Standard View (classic table layout)

• Grid View (Excel-style editing)

• Calendar View (great for date-based tracking)

• Gallery View (visual, card-style layout)

• Custom JSON Formatted View (for advanced users)

Creating a custom view lets you filter, sort, group, and format data, all without changing the underlying list structure.

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Why Use Custom SharePoint Views?

Creating custom views in SharePoint helps:

• Improve user experience by reducing clutter

• Increase team efficiency by highlighting relevant data

• Support role-based or personalized access to information

• Reduce errors by presenting filtered content (e.g., "My Tasks", "Due This Week")

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How to Create a Custom View in SharePoint (Step-by-Step)

Creating a custom view in SharePoint helps you filter, organize, and display information in a way that’s most useful to you and your team. Follow these steps to build a personalized view in any modern SharePoint list or document library.

#1 - Open Your List or Library

Navigate to the SharePoint list or document library where you want to create the custom view.

#2 - Select "Create New View"

• For Document Libraries: Click the current view name (e.g., “All Documents”) and select “Create new view.”

• For Lists: Click the “+ Add View” button.

#3 - Name Your View

Give your new view a descriptive name. Use terms that help users understand the purpose (e.g., “Pending Tasks,” “Files by Department,” “My Assigned Items”).

#4 - Choose the Best Layout for Your Content

• List: Best for general-purpose tracking, like tasks, logs, or issue tracking.

• Compact List: Ideal for dense data sets where space-saving is key, such as inventory or CRM-style lists.

• Gallery: Perfect for image-heavy content like staff profiles or product catalogs.

• Calendar: Best for date-driven data like events, appointments, or deadlines.

• Board (Kanban)*: Great for status-based workflows like project management, where items move across columns (e.g., To Do → In Progress → Done).

  • *Board view is available only in SharePoint lists, not in document libraries.

#5 - Define View Permissions and Create

Decide who can access this custom view:

• Personal View: Only visible to you.

• Public View: Visible to anyone with access to the list or library (requires edit permissions).

Then click “Create” to save your custom SharePoint view.

#6 - Configure Filters, Sorting, Grouping, and Columns

Now that the base view is created, fine-tune how your data is displayed:

• Filter: Show only items matching certain criteria (e.g., Status = In Progress).

• Sort: Organize items by priority, date, or title.

• Group By: Add collapsible sections by department, project, or status.

• Columns: Choose which fields to show and in what order.

A well-configured custom view improves efficiency, reduces noise, and helps users focus on what matters most.

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Best Practices for SharePoint List Views

• Use “Filter by Me” to personalize lists (e.g., Assigned To = [Me])

• Group by Categories for high-level organization

• Use Conditional Formatting in modern views to highlight deadlines or priorities

• Limit visible columns to keep views clean and easy to scan

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Examples of Effective Custom Views in SharePoint

• My Tasks: Filters tasks assigned to the current user

• Upcoming Deadlines: Shows items due in the next 7 days, sorted by date

• Recently Modified: Displays items updated in the last week

• By Department: Groups content by internal team or business unit

• Pending Approval: Filters by status and assigned reviewer

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Final Thoughts: Use Custom SharePoint Views to Streamline Workflows

Learning how to create custom views in SharePoint is a simple but powerful way to improve productivity and user experience. With just a few clicks, you can tailor SharePoint to meet your unique business needs.

Encourage your team to create personal views that work for their role, and consider building public views for consistency across departments.

Bonus Tip: If you're building out a new SharePoint site, consider documenting the most useful views for each list to help onboard new users quickly.

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Need help optimizing your SharePoint lists for better performance and usability?

Contact our team for more SharePoint productivity tips.