Modifying the Default View Settings

The gravityview/view/settings/defaults filter lets you customize the default settings applied to new Views. This is useful for enforcing site-wide standards like security settings, display preferences, or permissions.

Example #

add_filter( 'gravityview/view/settings/defaults', function( $default_settings ) {

    $default_settings['embed_only']['value'] = true;         // Prevent Direct Access
    $default_settings['is_secure']['value'] = true;          // Enable Enhanced Security
    $default_settings['page_size']['value'] = 50;            // Entries per page
    $default_settings['lightbox']['value'] = true;           // Enable lightbox for images
    $default_settings['show_only_approved']['value'] = true; // Show only approved entries
    $default_settings['caching']['value'] = true;            // Enable caching

    return $default_settings;
} );

add_filter( 'gravityview/view/settings/defaults', function( $default_settings ) {

    $default_settings['embed_only']['value'] = true;         // Prevent Direct Access
    $default_settings['is_secure']['value'] = true;          // Enable Enhanced Security
    $default_settings['page_size']['value'] = 50;            // Entries per page
    $default_settings['lightbox']['value'] = true;           // Enable lightbox for images
    $default_settings['show_only_approved']['value'] = true; // Show only approved entries
    $default_settings['caching']['value'] = true;            // Enable caching

    return $default_settings;
} );

These defaults apply to new Views only. Existing Views are not affected.

Notes #

Checkbox Values

For checkbox settings, you can use either true /false or 1 /0 :

$default_settings['lightbox']['value'] = true;  // Enabled
$default_settings['lightbox']['value'] = false; // Disabled

// Also valid:
$default_settings['lightbox']['value'] = 1;     // Enabled
$default_settings['lightbox']['value'] = 0;     // Disabled

$default_settings['lightbox']['value'] = true;  // Enabled
$default_settings['lightbox']['value'] = false; // Disabled

// Also valid:
$default_settings['lightbox']['value'] = 1;     // Enabled
$default_settings['lightbox']['value'] = 0;     // Disabled

Settings with Dynamic Defaults

Some settings inherit their default value from global GravityView settings:

caching — Inherits from GravityView Settings → Performance
caching_entries — Inherits from GravityView Settings → Performance

When you set these via the filter, your value takes precedence over the global setting.

Settings Reference #

View Settings Tab

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Number of entries per page	`page_size`	number	25	Use -1 to display all entries.
Enable lightbox for images	`lightbox`	checkbox	1	Opens images full-size in a lightbox overlay.
Show only approved entries	`show_only_approved`	checkbox	1	Hides unapproved and disapproved entries from the View.
Show all entries to administrators	`admin_show_all_statuses`	checkbox	0	Administrators see entries with any approval status.
Hide View data until search is performed	`hide_until_searched`	checkbox	0	Only shows entries after a search is performed.
Search in visible fields only	`search_visible_fields`	checkbox	0	Limits “Search Everything” results to visible fields only.
Hide empty fields	`hide_empty`	checkbox	1	Applies to Multiple Entries layout.
Hide empty fields	`hide_empty_single`	checkbox	1	Applies to Single Entry layout.

No Entries Behavior

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
No Entries Behavior	`no_entries_options`	select	0	0=Show Message, 1=Display Form, 2=Redirect, 3=Hide View
No Entries Message	`no_results_text`	text	(empty)	Message shown when no entries are visible. Supports HTML and shortcodes.
No Entries Form	`no_entries_form`	select	(empty)	Gravity Forms form to display when no entries exist.
No Entries Redirect URL	`no_entries_redirect`	text	(empty)	URL to redirect to when no entries exist.
“No Search Results” Text	`no_search_results_text`	text	(empty)	Message shown when a search returns no results.

Caching

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Enable caching	`caching`	checkbox	(plugin setting)	Improves performance. Inherits from GravityView Caching Settings.
Entry Cache Duration	`caching_entries`	number	(plugin setting)	Duration in seconds before cache is refreshed.

Single Entry Tab

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Single Entry Title	`single_title`	text	(empty)	Changes the page title when viewing a single entry.
Back Link Label	`back_link_label`	text	(empty)	Text for the link returning to Multiple Entries. Default: “← Go back”

Edit Entry Tab

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Allow User Edit	`user_edit`	checkbox	0	Logged-in users can edit entries they created. Admins can always edit.
Unapprove Entries After Edit	`unapprove_edit`	checkbox	0	Resets approval status to “Unapproved” after non-admin edits.
Redirect After Editing	`edit_redirect`	select	(empty)	(empty)=Stay, 0=Single Entry, 1=Multiple Entries, 2=URL
Edit Entry Redirect URL	`edit_redirect_url`	text	(empty)	Custom URL to redirect to after editing.
Update Button Text	`action_label_update`	text	Update	Label for the Update button.
Cancel Link Text	`action_label_cancel`	text	Cancel	Label for the Cancel link.
Enable Edit Locking	`edit_locking`	checkbox	1	Prevents multiple users from editing the same entry simultaneously.

Delete Entry Tab

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Allow User Delete	`user_delete`	checkbox	0	Logged-in users can delete entries they created. Admins can always delete.
Redirect After Deleting	`delete_redirect`	select	1	1=Multiple Entries, 2=URL
Delete Entry Redirect URL	`delete_redirect_url`	text	(empty)	Custom URL to redirect to after deleting.
Delete Link Text	`action_label_delete`	text	Delete	Label for the Delete link.

Filter & Sort Tab

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Sort by field	`sort_field`	select	(empty)	Primary sort field. Default sorts by Entry ID.
Sort direction	`sort_direction`	select	ASC	ASC, DESC, or RAND (random).
Sort by secondary field	`sort_field_2`	select	(empty)	Secondary sort field (not available with random sort).
Secondary sort direction	`sort_direction_2`	select	ASC	ASC or DESC.
Enable sorting by column	`sort_columns`	checkbox	0	Allows users to click column headers to sort (Table layout only).
Filter by Start Date	`start_date`	text	(empty)	Show entries after this date. Supports relative dates like “-1 week”.
Filter by End Date	`end_date`	text	(empty)	Show entries before this date. Supports relative dates like “now”.

Permissions Tab

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Prevent Direct Access	`embed_only`	checkbox	(empty)	Only allows access when View is embedded via shortcode or block.
Enable Enhanced Security	`is_secure`	checkbox	0	Requires `secret` attribute on shortcodes/blocks.
Allow User Duplicate	`user_duplicate`	checkbox	0	Logged-in users can duplicate entries they created.
Allow REST Access	`rest_enable`	checkbox	(empty)	Enables REST API access to this View.
Allow Export	`csv_enable`	checkbox	(empty)	Users can download data by adding /csv/ or /tsv/ to the View URL.
Show All In File	`csv_nolimit`	checkbox	(empty)	Export all entries without pagination limit.

Custom Code Tab

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Custom CSS	`custom_css`	textarea	(empty)	CSS placed after GravityView styles.
Custom JavaScript	`custom_javascript`	textarea	(empty)	JavaScript placed in page footer, after GravityView scripts.

Extension Settings #

These settings are available when the corresponding extension is active.

Advanced Filter

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Show only entries created by the currently logged-in user	`show_only_entries_by_current_user`	checkbox	0	Shortcut for an Advanced Filter condition.

Multiple Forms

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Show only approved joined entries	`show_only_approved_joined`	checkbox	0	Treats unapproved or disapproved joined entries as no match. Works only while Show only approved entries is on. The View editor checks it on new Views, whatever this default says.
Strict Entry Match	`multiple_forms_disable_null_joins`	checkbox	0	Only returns entries with matches in connected forms.

Magic Links

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Enable Magic Links	`magic_link_enable`	checkbox	0	Allows editing entries via secure magic links.
Allow Deletion via Magic Link	`magic_link_delete`	checkbox	0	Users can delete entries via magic link without logging in.
Email Field	`magic_link_email_field`	select	0	Email field used for validation.
Allowed Emails	`magic_link_allowed_emails`	textarea	(empty)	Email addresses with edit access. Supports wildcards like *@example.com.
Edit Window	`magic_link_edit_window`	select	(varies)	How long after entry creation editing is allowed. See available options.
Link Expiration	`magic_link_expiration`	select	(varies)	How long magic links remain valid after being sent. See available options.
One-Time Access	`magic_link_one_time_access`	checkbox	0	Invalidates links after first use.

GravityEdit

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Enable Inline Edit	`gk_inline_edit_enable`	checkbox	0	Adds a link to toggle inline editing capabilities on the View.

GravityMath

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Calculation Row Background	`gv_math_footer_row_background_color`	color	#f0f0f0	Background color for the calculation row.
Calculation Row Position	`gv_math_footer_row_position`	select	below	“below” or “above” the table footer.

Dashboard Views

Label	Key	Type	Default	Description
Show in Dashboard	`dashboard_views_enable`	checkbox	0	Makes the View accessible in WordPress Dashboard.
Restrict to Internal-Only View	`dashboard_views_internal_only`	checkbox	0	Prevents the View from rendering on the frontend.
Limit Access to User Role(s)	`dashboard_views_user_roles`	custom	(empty)	Restricts View to selected roles. Admins always have access.

More Examples #

Security-Focused

add_filter( 'gravityview/view/settings/defaults', function( $settings ) {

    $settings['embed_only']['value'] = true;
    $settings['is_secure']['value'] = true;
    $settings['rest_enable']['value'] = false;
    $settings['csv_enable']['value'] = false;

    return $settings;
} );

add_filter( 'gravityview/view/settings/defaults', function( $settings ) {

    $settings['embed_only']['value'] = true;
    $settings['is_secure']['value'] = true;
    $settings['rest_enable']['value'] = false;
    $settings['csv_enable']['value'] = false;

    return $settings;
} );

User Portal

add_filter( 'gravityview/view/settings/defaults', function( $settings ) {

    // Requires Advanced Filter extension
    $settings['show_only_entries_by_current_user']['value'] = true;
    $settings['user_edit']['value'] = true;
    $settings['user_delete']['value'] = true;

    return $settings;
} );

add_filter( 'gravityview/view/settings/defaults', function( $settings ) {

    // Requires Advanced Filter extension
    $settings['show_only_entries_by_current_user']['value'] = true;
    $settings['user_edit']['value'] = true;
    $settings['user_delete']['value'] = true;

    return $settings;
} );

Agency / Multi-Site

add_filter( 'gravityview/view/settings/defaults', function( $settings ) {

    // Performance
    $settings['caching']['value'] = true;

    // Display
    $settings['page_size']['value'] = 50;
    $settings['lightbox']['value'] = true;
    $settings['hide_empty']['value'] = true;
    $settings['hide_empty_single']['value'] = true;

    // Sort by newest first
    $settings['sort_field']['value'] = 'date_created';
    $settings['sort_direction']['value'] = 'DESC';

    return $settings;
} );

add_filter( 'gravityview/view/settings/defaults', function( $settings ) {

    // Performance
    $settings['caching']['value'] = true;

    // Display
    $settings['page_size']['value'] = 50;
    $settings['lightbox']['value'] = true;
    $settings['hide_empty']['value'] = true;
    $settings['hide_empty_single']['value'] = true;

    // Sort by newest first
    $settings['sort_field']['value'] = 'date_created';
    $settings['sort_direction']['value'] = 'DESC';

    return $settings;
} );