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This feature is for on-premises Exchange Server. The Exchange Toolbox’s Details Templates Editor changes how recipient properties are laid out when users open entries from Outlook address lists. It does not redesign Exchange Online, Outlook on the web, GAL membership, address-list columns, or the underlying directory data.
Microsoft documents Set-DetailsTemplate and Restore-DetailsTemplate for on-premises Exchange only: Set-DetailsTemplate.
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What an Exchange details template controls
A details template defines the property-page presentation shown when a user opens a recipient from an Outlook address list. You can arrange controls, labels, tabs and tab order for supported recipient types. The template is a display layer: it reads existing recipient attributes but does not create, rename or populate them.
| Item | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Details template | Layout and presentation of recipient properties in Outlook |
| Recipient attributes | Actual values such as department, title, telephone and office |
| Address list or GAL | Which recipients appear in a directory |
| Address book policy (ABP) | Which address lists, GALs and offline address books a user can access |
| Outlook client | The classic client experience where Microsoft documents this presentation |
See Microsoft’s overview of details templates.
Supported templates and Exchange versions
The editor can expose templates for Contacts, Users, Groups, Mailbox agents and Public folders. The PowerShell identity documentation also lists SearchDialog. The exact set depends on Exchange version and installed languages, so select a template that actually exists in your organization.
Microsoft lists Exchange Server 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and Subscription Edition for the cmdlet. The procedural article is labeled Exchange 2013; treat its screenshots as workflow guidance, not proof that every newer build has identical labels or menus: supported versions and identities.
Before you edit
- Confirm that you administer on-premises Exchange Server, not an Exchange Online-only tenant.
- Use an account with the documented Organization Management permission. In delegated RBAC environments, verify the precise management-role assignment and least-privilege design before granting access: Exchange permissions.
- Ensure Exchange Toolbox and its Details Templates Editor are installed on the management server you will use.
- Identify the exact object type and language. For example,
en-usUseris different from another language’s User template. - Record the original layout and each control-to-attribute mapping. The editor has no Undo command.
- Review privacy: exposing phone numbers, locations or custom attributes in a broadly visible template can reveal more information than intended.
Open the Details Templates Editor
- Open Exchange Toolbox on an Exchange management server.
- Open Details Templates Editor.
- Select Open Tool.
- In the console tree, select Details Templates.
- Choose the required language and recipient type.
- Select Edit.
Start-menu locations and Toolbox components vary by Exchange release, so use the installed Toolbox rather than relying on an Exchange 2013 screenshot. The documented procedure is described at Customize details templates.
Edit fields, labels and tabs
Move, resize or remove controls
Drag controls to new positions, resize them, or delete fields that are not useful. Removing a control only removes it from this presentation; it does not delete the attribute or its value.
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Use the editor to add edit boxes, list boxes, multi-valued drop-down boxes, multi-valued list boxes and group boxes. A newly added control must be associated with an Exchange attribute. Inspect the attribute assignment explicitly before saving; Microsoft warns that an attribute may otherwise be selected automatically.
Rank #2
A label is merely displayed text. A label such as Department shows department data only when the control is mapped to the correct attribute and that recipient’s attribute is populated. Renaming the label to Team does not rename or transform directory data. Keep a written mapping of every visible label to its underlying attribute.
Organize tabs and order
Add or remove tabs, change tab names, and set TabIndex so keyboard and visual navigation follow a logical sequence. A practical layout might group office, department, phone and reporting information instead of leaving rarely used fields on a crowded default page.
Save safely
Use the File menu to save, then exit the editor. If the current session is wrong and has not been saved, exit without saving. After saving, there is no granular Undo; rollback restores the entire template.
PowerShell: limited template administration
Set-DetailsTemplate changes details-template attributes, but Microsoft directs administrators to the editor for visual layout and formatting. Run these examples in the on-premises Exchange Management Shell, not Exchange Online PowerShell:
Set-DetailsTemplate -Identity "en-usUser"The documented -Pages parameter is reserved for Microsoft internal use and is not a normal way to script arbitrary visual layouts: Set-DetailsTemplate reference.
Restore the default template
To discard all customizations on one template, use the editor’s Restore command or run:
Restore-DetailsTemplate -Identity "en-usUser"
Restore-DetailsTemplate -Identity "en-USContact"GUI path: open Exchange Toolbox, launch Details Templates Editor, select the language and object type, choose Restore, and confirm. Restoration is a full reset, not an undo of the last change; every customization on that template is removed. See Microsoft’s restore procedure and Restore-DetailsTemplate reference.
Test the result
Open the relevant recipient from the same Outlook address-list path used by affected users. Test a user, contact, group and public folder when those types are in scope; include populated and empty attributes, every language you support, and the Outlook versions deployed in your organization. Check both newly retrieved and cached directory data.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Details Templates Editor is unavailable | Exchange Online-only deployment, missing Toolbox, wrong server, or insufficient permissions | Confirm on-premises Exchange, installed tools and delegated RBAC rights |
| New field is blank | Attribute is empty or control mapping is wrong | Verify the recipient value, selected attribute, object template and language |
| Change is not visible | Wrong client, template, language or stale directory data | Test the exact recipient, Outlook client, language and address-list path |
| GAL membership or list columns did not change | A details template was used for a directory-visibility task | Manage address lists or ABPs instead |
| You need to undo one saved edit | The editor has no granular Undo | Exit without saving, or restore the entire template if losing all customizations is acceptable |
What to use in Exchange Online instead
For cloud-only environments, choose the tool that matches the requirement:
- Missing or incorrect data: populate recipient attributes with Exchange Online recipient-management tools, such as those documented for mail users.
- Filtered recipient collections or GAL membership: manage address lists.
- Different directories for different user groups: configure address book policies.
- Modern, rich employee profiles: consider a separately designed directory backed by Microsoft Graph, SharePoint or another platform, with its own security and development review.
These alternatives change data or visibility; they are not replacements for the legacy Outlook details-template layout.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Can I customize details templates in Exchange Online?
Microsoft marks Set-DetailsTemplate and Restore-DetailsTemplate as on-premises Exchange cmdlets. In Exchange Online, manage recipient attributes, address lists or address book policies according to the outcome you need.
Does a details-template change affect Outlook on the web?
Microsoft documents the feature for the recipient-property presentation reached through Outlook address lists. Do not assume the same layout applies to Outlook on the web, Teams or other modern clients; test the target client.
Can I add a completely new directory attribute?
No. The editor adds a control that must be mapped to an existing Exchange attribute. It does not create recipient data or new directory schema fields.
Why is my new field empty?
The selected attribute may not be populated, or the control may be mapped to the wrong attribute, object type or language template. Verify all four.
Can I customize only one user’s view?
A template is selected by language and object type, so the change is not a per-user formatting override. Use a different supported design or a separate directory solution for individualized views.
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Can I change the GAL columns with this editor?
No. Details templates control the recipient property page. Address-list and GAL configuration controls directory collections and list presentation.
Do I need to customize each language separately?
Yes, review each language template used by your Outlook clients. Editing one identity such as en-usUser does not automatically redesign other localized templates.
Does changing a label rename the Active Directory attribute?
No. It changes only the text displayed beside the control; the underlying attribute and recipient records remain unchanged.
Which Exchange Server versions support the cmdlet?
Microsoft lists Exchange Server 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and Subscription Edition for Set-DetailsTemplate. Verify the installed Toolbox and labels on your specific build.
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