Airtable Interface Designer lets you build simple app-like pages on top of an Airtable base, so people can view, edit or approve only the records and fields you choose without touching the base itself. Interfaces are available on all plans, but sharing an interface separately from the base, with interface-only users, is a paid plan feature as of October 2026.
The mistake I'd warn you about first is the share button. Airtable's help says to share your interface with the Share interface button inside Interface Designer, not the Share button in the upper right of the base. The base button shares the base itself, so whoever you invite gets your data, your automations and every interface built on that base. Share interface only grants access to that interface and its published pages.
Who it's for and what it changes
Airtable frames it around two roles. Builders create, edit, publish and share interfaces, and that needs Owner or Creator permissions. End users work inside the published interface: viewing, editing or commenting on the records they're given. Its suggested uses include items up for review, data dashboards and filtering records for each person.
Interface Designer also replaces hidden fields. Collaborators only see the fields you've added to the pages and record details you build for them. That's why it suits a small business that wants a client, freelancer or manager to update a status without seeing the rest of the table.
Choosing a layout
| Layout | What it does, per Airtable's help as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Table layouts (recommended) | Full-page layouts based on a table, with views such as list, grid, gallery, calendar and kanban |
| Record review and record detail | Work through records one at a time, where button actions such as Update record are available |
| Form | A form page for logged-in users with edit access to that interface |
| Dashboard | Charts and summaries of key information for stakeholders |
| Overview | A landing page linking to other pages and resources, which can't be publicly shared |
| Blank | The original element-based builder, not optimized for public sharing or mobile |
Airtable only recommends Blank when no other layout does what you need. AI-generated interface elements can't be added to blank pages, and new features generally ship to the newer layouts first, with some never reaching blank layouts at all.
Here's a detail that trips up anyone used to grid views. An interface page reads from a table, not from a view. Filters, sorts and hidden fields you set on a grid view in the base don't carry over. The records a page shows are decided by its own Filter by conditions, which end users can't change.
Building and publishing your first interface
- Open your base and click Interfaces near the top of the screen, then Start building and Build an interface.
- Name it, pick an icon and choose a layout, then click Finish.
- In the properties panel, choose the source table and set Filter by conditions, such as Viewer's records so each person only sees their own.
- Add tabs or dropdowns so people can filter quickly, and decide whether they can sort, search, add records through a form or export to CSV.
- Use Preview or View as to check what a specific person will see.
- Click Publish, then use Share interface to invite people.
Clicking Done saves your draft but doesn't push changes to the published version. If collaborators can't see an edit, the usual cause is that nobody clicked Publish after the last session. Collaborators without Creator permissions only ever see published interfaces, which gives you room to experiment.
Sharing and permissions without the leaks
Base collaborators see published interfaces at the same level as their base permissions. Interface-only collaborators can use an interface without access to the base, on Team, Business and Enterprise Scale plans. Granting interface-only access can affect the workspace owner's billing, so check before you invite a crowd.
Invite links let you set the permission level as Editor, Commenter or Read-only, and limit them to one email domain so a forwarded link won't work elsewhere. Share to web gives read-only access to a page, and public sharing, including password protection, is on paid plans only. Airtable warns not to rely on a password alone for sensitive data, because some hidden data behind elements may be visible to people technical enough to inspect the page.
One quirk worth knowing: if someone's access is revoked, they lose the interface immediately, but if a collaborator edits a record so it no longer matches the filter, end users keep access to that record for 5 minutes. For outside guests on Business and Enterprise Scale, Airtable points to its Portals feature.
Buttons, AI elements and mobile
Interface buttons give one-click actions: go to another interface page, open an external URL, open a record creation form, or on record detail and record review layouts, update the record, such as changing its status. They're a good fit for approval flows where someone clicks Approve and moves on. For rules that run on their own without a click, see my guide to Airtable automations.
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AI-generated interface elements are built by Omni from a plain language prompt and are available on all plans as of October 2026. Ask Omni to build an interface and it usually makes custom elements, so if you want a native page, say so, for example by asking for a native list interface page for your Projects table.
On mobile, interfaces work in the Airtable iOS and Android apps with no extra setup, but not in mobile browsers. Builders can't edit an interface's configuration from the app, and Airtable notes the apps may slow down with tens of thousands of records.
My verdict on Interface Designer
I'd use Interface Designer whenever someone outside your core team needs to see or update part of a base, because it's far safer than sharing the base. I'd pick a table, record review or form layout over Blank every time. I'd test every share with View as before sending it, and I'd always use Share interface, never the base Share button. If all you need is a simple way to collect entries, an Airtable form may be enough on its own.
Interfaces are how I'd let a client or freelancer into an Airtable workflow without handing over the whole base. I run AI training and workshops for teams, and help businesses with AI enablement and workflow automation, so the busywork runs itself and people get time back. Most of that work is with SaaS marketing teams and small businesses. Here's how we can work together.
Frequently asked questions
Is Airtable Interface Designer free?
Interfaces are available on all plans as of October 2026, but sharing an interface separately from the base, with interface-only users, is restricted to paid plans.
What's the difference between sharing a base and sharing an interface?
Sharing the base gives access to your data, automations and every interface on it. Share interface only grants access to that interface and its published pages.
Why can't my team see my interface changes?
Clicking Done saves a draft but doesn't publish it. Click Publish after your last edit so collaborators see the changes.
Can I edit an Airtable interface on my phone?
No. Creators can't edit an interface's configuration in the mobile app, which is designed for end users. Mobile browsers aren't supported for interface pages.
Do grid view filters apply to an interface?
No. An interface page reads from a table, not a view, so it uses its own Filter by conditions instead of your grid view's filters, sorts and hidden fields.
