FAQ for the new URL format for Lightning Experience and Salesforce mobile app

FAQ for the New URL Format for Lightning Experience and the Salesforce Mobile App

In the Summer ’18 release* Salesforce is changing the URL format used by Lightning Experience standard apps, console apps, and the Salesforce mobile app. To help you prepare for this change, we are providing a new Critical Update Console (CRUC) setting during the Spring ’18 release** for you to test the new URL format in your production and sandbox orgs. This FAQ contains additional information to help you prepare for the change.

*Currently targeted for June 2018; date subject to change

**Currently targeted for February 2018; date subject to change

What does the new URL format critical update (CRUC) do?

It changes the URL format used by Lightning Experience standard apps and the Salesforce mobile app. For example:

• Current format: https://<lightning.domain.com>/one/one.app/#/sObject/Account/home
• New format: https://<lightning.domain.com>/lightning/o/Account/home

The critical update doesn’t apply to console apps and communities.

Why is Salesforce making this change?

To improve URL readability and address the issue of being directed to an unexpected location when accessing Lightning Experience URLs before authenticating. 

When will the new URL format be enforced?

In Spring ‘18, all new orgs will use the new enhanced URL format, and existing orgs can opt-in via the CRUC. Starting in Summer ’18, all orgs will use the new URL format for Lightning Experience standard apps, console apps, and the Salesforce mobile app. Communities won’t be affected.

We recommend that you enable this critical update in a sandbox first to test it, and make necessary adjustments before the new URLs go live for everyone.

What happens to links I’ve saved, or see in email?

Don’t panic! The existing URLs will work for the foreseeable future. Links that you’ve saved or have in emails will be translated into the new enhanced URL format when they’re executed. If you have the enhanced URL format enabled for your org, that format is what you see in the browser address bar.

Will the new URL format break my customizations?

Logic that parses URLs will likely break, unless it is only pattern matching on, for example, 15 or 18 character object IDs. Custom or installed Lightning components that parse a URL may break or behave differently after this change, especially components with logic that relies on window.location or the aura:locationChange event.

What about logic that creates URLs in the old format?

Logic that create URLs in the old format like bookmarks, email templates, and force:navigateToURL in Lightning components will continue to work.

How do I enable the new URL format?

In Setup, type Critical into the Quick Find box, then click Critical Updates. Find the row for enabling the new URL format, and click Activate.

Can I disable the new URL format?

You can--by deactivating the CRUC--but we don’t recommend it. The enhanced URL formats aren’t rewritten or redirected to their former versions. If you disable the new URL format, you’ll start to get “page not found” issues for URLs generated or saved outside of Salesforce. 

You can only deactivate and reactivate the new URL format until Summer ‘18. When Summer ‘18 rolls out, the change takes effect for everyone.