Introduction

Salesforce Shield provides critical tools for security monitoring, compliance, and data protection. These tools are widely used by security admins, compliance teams, and auditors. However, until now, accessing the Shield app required additional permissions, even for users who already had valid Shield licenses or functional access.

With the Spring ’26 preview release, Salesforce simplifies Shield app access by making it role- and capability-based. Users who already have Shield-related access can now open the Shield app automatically, without needing extra permissions.

What’s Changing in Spring ’26?

Salesforce updates the Shield app access model.

New Behavior

Users can see and access the Shield app by default if they already have access to any Shield-related capability, including:

● Data Detect
● Event Monitoring
● Platform Encryption
● Field Audit Trail

Old Requirement

Previously:

● Users had the correct Shield licenses
● Users had functional Shield permissions
● But still could not see the Shield app
● Admins had to assign the View Shield App Pages permission manually

Why This Feature Matters

Before Spring ’26:

● Shield users faced unnecessary access issues
● Admins assigned extra permissions just to enable visibility
● Misconfigurations were common
● Support tickets increased

With the new model:

● Access is automatic and logical
● Permissions align with job responsibilities
● Admin workload is reduced
● Governance is cleaner and safer

Who Can Access the Shield App Now?

A user can access the Shield app by default if they have any one of the following:

● Salesforce Shield license
● Event Monitoring add-on
● Field Audit Trail
● Data Detect
● Shield Platform Encryption

No additional permission is required in most cases.

When Is the View Shield App Pages Permission Still Needed?

The View Shield App Pages permission is now required only when:

● A user does not have any Shield-related license or capability
● But still needs read-only visibility into the Shield app

This makes the permission exception-based, not mandatory.

Where This Change Applies

This enhancement applies to:

● Lightning Experience
● Shield App
● Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions

It does not apply to Classic-only usage.

Admin Impact and Required Actions

In most orgs:

● No immediate action is required
● Existing Shield users gain access automatically

Admins should still:

● Review users with the View Shield App Pages permission
● Remove unnecessary or legacy assignments
● Align Shield access with security roles
● Use permission sets for better governance

Example Use Case

A security analyst has:

● Event Monitoring access
● Data Detect enabled

Before Spring ’26:

● Analyst could not open the Shield app
● Admin had to assign an extra permission

After Spring ’26:

● Analyst sees the Shield app automatically
● Starts monitoring activity immediately
● No admin intervention required

Best Practices

● Grant Shield-related licenses only to trusted users
● Remove unnecessary View Shield App Pages permissions
● Review Shield access during security audits
● Use permission sets instead of profiles
● Follow least-privilege principles

Security and Compliance Benefits

● Reduced risk of misconfigured access
● Clearer separation of duties
● Faster access for incident response
● Better alignment with compliance requirements

Limitations and Notes

● Feature is in preview
● Governed by Salesforce preview and beta terms
● Behavior may change before GA
● GA timeline is not guaranteed

Who Benefits the Most?

● Salesforce Security Administrators
● Compliance teams
● Audit and risk teams
● Enterprises using Salesforce Shield
● Orgs with strict governance requirements

Conclusion

The simplified Shield app access model in Salesforce Spring ’26 removes unnecessary friction while preserving strong security controls. By aligning Shield app visibility with actual Shield capabilities, Salesforce ensures that the right users get access automatically—without extra configuration.

For orgs using Salesforce Shield, this preview feature is a clean and practical improvement that enhances usability, governance, and compliance readiness.

Blogs

Simplify How Users Access the Shield App