--- sourceDocument: Brazil ServiceNow AI Platform user interface sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/platform-user-interface Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Brazil ServiceNow AI Platform user interface ft:clusterId : - platux bundleId : - platux workflow : - Platform --- # User preferences # User preferences {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of User preferences In ServiceNow, users can customize various UI features such as the number of rows displayed per page or the visibility of response times on lists and forms. These customizations are saved as records in theUser preferences \[sysuserpreference\]table and persist across sessions, ensuring the interface reflects each user's individual settings. Administrators have control to view, modify, or delete these preferences as needed. Show full answer Show less ## Managing and Troubleshooting User Preferences Administrators can access and manage user preferences via **User Administration \> User Preferences**. Here, they can search by user name to view all preferences customized by that user and troubleshoot any UI behavior issues caused by user preferences. Key fields in the preference records include: * **Name:** Identifies the feature or functionality. * **System:** Indicates if the record is a system-wide default (TRUE) or user-specific (FALSE). * **User:** Shows the user for whom the preference is set; blank if system-wide. * **Value:** The setting applied. System-wide defaults have **System=TRUE** and an empty User field, while user customizations have **System=FALSE** and specify the user. Multiple records can exist for the same feature to represent different users' preferences. Be aware that exceeding 10,000 user preferences per user can degrade system performance. ## Global User Preferences Administrators can create global (system-wide) default preferences by creating a record with the System checkbox checked and no user specified. Only one global preference per name should exist to avoid conflicts. Changes to system-wide preferences are stored in update sets and affect all users who have not customized that feature. ## User Preferences and Update Sets System-wide preference records are included in update sets and propagate when imported, ensuring default settings are updated across instances. However, individual user preferences are not part of update sets, so personal customizations remain intact after update set imports. ## Practical Applications * Preferences allow users to maintain consistent UI settings across sessions, such as choosing tabbed versus scrolling interfaces on forms. * Administrators can disable the Next Experience welcome splash screen by setting an appropriate user preference. * Keyboard shortcuts available to users can be configured by administrators through user preferences. Overall, user preferences empower both users and administrators to tailor the ServiceNow UI experience efficiently while maintaining the ability to manage defaults and troubleshoot issues systematically. Users can configure many UI features, such as the number of rows per page in a list or whether the response time displays at the bottom of a list or form. Administrators can modify or delete these preferences as needed. User customizations are stored as records in the User preferences \[sys_user_preference\] table, and are updated each time the user changes the setting. The UI displays according to each user's preferences. For example, the response time may appear at the bottom of lists and forms by default. If a user hides the response time, a user preference record is created for them showing that the response time indicator as hidden. During the user's future sessions, the response time indicator is hidden. If the user later decides to display the response time, the user preference record is updated appropriately, and future sessions open with the response time indicator visible. For more information about the preferences available to users, see [User preference settings](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/13KAPAIl6itY5f1kvckZJw "User preferences primarily track the way individual users interact with various features so that new sessions activate the user's last settings. For example, user preferences track whether the user activates the tabbed or scrolling interface for multi-section forms. Other user preference records enable users with the admin role to adjust certain feature settings.") and [Next Experience preferences](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Cy6ddmLHTvp3g~vJYRAIEQ "Next Experience offers user preferences to personalize your instance UI."). ## Viewing and troubleshooting user preferences {#c_UserPreferences__section_amd_yvy_1cb} Navigate to User AdministrationUser Preferences for a list of user preference records. Select a preference name to display that preference in the form view. If troubleshooting for a user, search for their user name to find all of their customizations, and then select a preference name to view. Note: Up to 10,000 user preferences can exist for each user. Exceeding this limit causes system degradation and UI performance issues. {#c_UserPreferences__simpletable_wd5_xpr_2q__entry__2} | Field | Description | |-|-| | Name | The name of the feature or functionality. | | Description | An optional short description of the feature or functionality. | | System | Shows whether this record indicates the system-wide default (TRUE), or not (FALSE). | | Type | Shows the data type of entry accepted for the Value. For example, you can select string or integer. | | User | Shows the name of the user for whom the setting is customized. If User is empty, the record is for a system-wide default. | | Value | The current setting for this record. Compare this value to the User field and System field to determine whether the value shown is a system-wide default or a specific user's preference. | [Table 1. User preference fields] {#c_UserPreferences__simpletable_wd5_xpr_2q} You can identify user preference records for system-wide values, also called the default or global values, by the following values: * System=TRUE * User=blank {#c_UserPreferences__ul_rrx_gc5_szb} Whenever a user customizes a feature, a separate user preference record is created with the following values: * System=FALSE * User=\ {#c_UserPreferences__ul_jb5_jc5_szb}As a result, the same customizable UI feature may have multiple user preference records. Note: For some features, the system-wide record doesn't appear in the User preferences module until a user customizes it, causing a new record to be added to the User preferences. If a user encounters an unexplained behavior in the user interface, you can check their user preferences by searching the User preferences list for their user name. Then, delete or update the user preference record that affects the behavior in question. Note: When an administrator manually changes a user's preference value through this module, the user's next session uses the administrator's setting. However, the user can customize the features again through the UI, which updates their user preference record. If the administrator deletes the user preference record for a particular user, that user's next session uses the system-wide value for that feature. When the user later customizes the feature, the system creates a user preference record for the user. ## Global user preferences {#c_UserPreferences__section_qtz_rr5_3gb} Create system-wide or global user preferences to set a default preference for your users. To make a preference the default, create a preference, check the System check box, and leave the User field empty. Important: You should never have more than one preference with the same name set as a global user preference. ## User preferences and update sets {#c_UserPreferences__section_nqn_zmm_n1b} User preference records for system-wide values, also called the default or global values, are stored in update sets. Any changes are implemented when you import the update set and affect all users who have not customized the feature. User preference records for specific users aren't stored in update sets, so user customizations are retained when you import an update set. For more information, see [System update sets](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=system-update-sets&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-application-development&ft:locale=en-US). * **[User preference settings](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/13KAPAIl6itY5f1kvckZJw)** User preferences primarily track the way individual users interact with various features so that new sessions activate the user's last settings. For example, user preferences track whether the user activates the tabbed or scrolling interface for multi-section forms. Other user preference records enable users with the admin role to adjust certain feature settings. * **[Turn off the Next Experience welcome screen after upgrading your instance](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/YOOuolb0Q7r7JfK55sIvDg)** You can turn off the Next Experience welcome splash screen that appears in the Core UI after upgrading your instance by creating a user preference. * **[Configure available keyboard shortcuts](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/3IOB8~Gdl0DGxWseg2WqAQ)** Administrators can configure which keyboard shortcuts are available to users. *[\>]: and then