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To create linked records in Airtable, add a Link to another record field, choose the table it should connect to, and then select records in the new field. Creating the field defines the relationship; you still need to link the individual records. Airtable also creates a reciprocal field so the connection is visible from the other table.
Plan the relationship before adding a field
Use separate tables for distinct kinds of things—such as clients, projects, and action items—and link records that relate to one another. A linked-record field can connect two different tables or connect records within the same table. First decide which records should be related and whether one record may need to link to several others.
Choose a cross-table link or a self-link
- Cross-table: Link records in separate tables, such as a project to its client or action items to a project.
- Self-link: Link records in the same table, such as a parent task to subtasks, a manager to direct reports, or one project to related projects.
Airtable’s linking guide covers both patterns.
Create the linked-record field
- Open the base and table where you want the relationship field.
- Add a field and search for and select Link to another record.
- Choose the table to link to. Choose the current table for a self-link.
- Name the field, then choose whether it can link to multiple records. Configure any available record-picker options that suit your workflow.
- Create the field.
Airtable adds a reciprocal field to the connected table. The field establishes the relationship structure, but does not connect any particular records.
Connect records in the field
- Find the record whose relationship you want to set.
- In its linked-record cell, click the plus icon.
- Select the record or records to connect.
The connection is now visible from either table through the linked field and its reciprocal field. If you created the field but the other table does not show a connection, check that you selected records in the linked-record cell.
Display values from linked records with a lookup
To show information from a connected record without copying it into the current table, add a lookup field. A lookup needs both a linked-record field and an actual record connection. If the linked-record cell is empty, there is no linked record for the lookup to read. See Airtable’s lookup field documentation.
Choose manual linking or an automation
Manual selection is a good fit for a small number of deliberate connections. For links that should be made repeatedly according to a rule, an automation can find the matching record and write it into a linked-record field. The match must be dependable: Airtable documents finding a record by a unique value and then using a create- or update-record action to set the link. Airtable’s automation guidance explains the linking workflow.
Use a unique match and the record ID when possible
Primary-field matching requires an exact value match. A formula primary field cannot be used as the automation’s linking value; use the found record’s Airtable record ID instead. Finding by a unique value, such as an email address, helps avoid linking the wrong record. Airtable provides more detail on record IDs in automations.
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Converting a populated field to a linked-record field can create a new linked table from its values and preserve relationships to the original table. Values that do not match a record in the target table may create new records. Airtable treats commas as separators during conversion, so quote a value containing a comma if it should remain a single value. Clean the source data first, then review the linked table and resulting connections. See Airtable’s linked-record field guidance.
Know what picker restrictions do—and do not—enforce
Restricting a linked-record picker to a view or using a dynamic condition can narrow the choices shown in supported editing flows. It is not necessarily a universal validation rule: automation, pasted values, scripts, or API writes may still create links outside the selection. If a relationship must always meet a rule, enforce that rule in every applicable write path rather than relying on the picker alone. See Airtable’s documentation on filtered record selection and dynamic filtering in linked-record fields.
Check dependencies before deleting a linked field
Deleting a linked-record field removes its connections. The reciprocal field becomes plain text, and dependent lookups, rollups, counts, automations, filters, sorts, or interface elements may stop working. Check what uses the field before deleting it. Airtable describes the consequences in its linked-record field documentation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check the current linked-record cell limit
Airtable’s linking guide reports a hard limit of 100,000 linked records in a cell, with lower workspace-plan limits of 50,000 for Team and 1,000 for Free. These are Airtable’s published limits as of October 2026; check the current guide for changes before designing around them.
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