System Fields Manager

Simplify the directus_files and directus_users forms in Directus for non-admin roles — choose which fields appear, in what order, and at what width.

Overview

Files and Users come with many built-in fields (storage details, theme options, tokens, and more). For Editors and similar roles that only need a few of them, that can feel noisy.

System Fields Manager lets you define layouts per collection: pick roles and/or policies, drag fields into order, then show or hide each field and set its width. Matched users see a quieter form; everyone else keeps the normal Directus layout.

Open System Fields Manager from the left bar (admins only). Layouts only affect non-admin users. Administrators always see the default Studio forms and are never restricted by these rules.

Important: This changes how the Data Studio looks. It does not replace Directus permissions. People may still read or write fields through the API if their access control allows it. Use Access Control for real security; use this extension to clean up the editing experience.

Features

Users

Simplify the user profile / user edit form for selected roles.

• Decide which fields appear (name, email, custom fields, and more)
• Put important fields first; tuck the rest away or hide them
• Place fields side by side (half width) or across the full row
• Keep groups and expandable sections when you use them in the data model
• Assign the layout to the right roles (or policies)

Files

Same idea for the file detail screen — including where the preview sits.

• Reorder the fields on a file
• Show only what your team needs (for example title, tags, and description)
• Hide technical details they don’t use every day
• Include File Preview as its own row — show or hide it and place it in the stack
• Assign by role or policy, just like Users

Settings

• Export / import your setup as a file (handy for backup or another project)
• Remove extension data cleanly before uninstall (only this extension’s settings — not your files or users)

How layouts work

For each layout:

1. Pick the roles and/or policies it should apply to
2. Arrange the fields (drag to reorder)
3. Turn visibility and width on or off per field

The first matching layout in the list wins. Leave roles and policies empty for a catch-all that applies to everyone who didn’t match an earlier layout — put that one last.

Getting started

1. Open System Fields Manager as an admin.
2. Start with Users or Files — hide what your Editors don’t need.
3. Assign each layout to the right roles (add a catch-all last if you want a default for everyone else).
4. Save, then check the result with a non-admin account (or another browser profile).
5. Optionally Export from Settings so you can restore the setup later.

Tips

• Pair cleaner screens with the right permissions in Directus Access Control.
• Admins won’t see layout changes on themselves — that’s expected; always test as a non-admin.
• Export your setup before big changes or before uninstalling.
• Uninstall cleanup only removes this extension’s data — your files, users, and other project settings stay intact.

Installation

Requires Directus 9.26+ through 12.x.

npm

npm install directus-extension-system-fields-manager

Place the package in your Directus extensions folder (or install into a project that loads extensions from node_modules), then restart Directus.

Marketplace

Search for System Fields Manager in Settings → Marketplace. This bundle includes a server part, so some environments only allow App extensions from the Marketplace — use the npm or manual install below if install is blocked.

Manual installation

1. Install and build:

cd directus-extension-system-fields-manager
npm install
npm run build

2. Copy the built package into your Directus extensions folder (include package.json and the dist folder).

3. Restart Directus.

4. In the Data Studio:

   1. Open Settings → Project Settings → Modules
   2. Enable System Fields Manager
   3. Open System Fields Manager from the left bar

App users who should receive layouts need normal App Access (including read access to Project Settings) so the Studio can load their layout.

License

MIT