Salesforce Error: Record Type Cannot Be Deleted or Deactivated Because Profiles Use It as Default

This article explains how to resolve the Salesforce error that blocks record type deletion or deactivation because profiles use the record type as default, by changing the default record type on each listed profile.

Before You Start: Disable Enhanced Profile User Interface

Important: These steps require the Enhanced Profile User Interface to be temporarily disabled.

To resolve this, edit each profile listed in the error and change the default record type assigned. Some profiles don't allow edits to their assigned record types. These profiles include Chatter Only, Chatter Free, Package License Manager, Platform Integration User, and Salesforce Administrator.

When an administrator creates a record type, they have the option to assign a default record type to those profiles. To remove the record type assignment from those profiles, follow these steps:

• In Salesforce Classic: Setup | Manage Users | User Management Settings
• In Lightning Experience: Setup | Users | User Management Settings

Important: While within User Management Settings, disable "Enhanced Profile User Interface" by toggling the switch from Enabled to Disabled. This is required to implement the following solution.

Steps to Update the Default Record Type for the Listed Profiles

Note: These steps must be done in the Salesforce Classic interface.

1. When you receive the error, the profile in the error message is a link, for example https://[domainname].salesforce.com/00e41000000abcd. Copy this link into Notepad or any other text editor. The 15-character ID that starts with '00e' is the ID of the profile you want to adjust. Save this ID for later.
2. In Salesforce Classic, go to Setup | Manage Users | Profiles (or Setup | Users | Profiles in Lightning Experience). Click the standard System Administrator profile, scroll down to "Record Type Settings," and click the [Edit] link next to the object that includes the record type to deactivate or delete. This example uses the Account object. If your error points to a different object (for example Contact or a custom object), click the Edit link next to the object noted in your error. The URL of this page looks like this: https://[domainname].salesforce.com/setup/ui/profilerecordtypeedit.jsp?id=00e41000000wxyz&tid=Account&pn=System%2BAdministrator&retURL=%2F00e41000000wxyz. Copy this URL into Notepad as well.
3. Replace the profile ID in the second URL (located after "id=") with the profile ID of the profile that needs a different default record type. Make no other changes. For example, the URL above becomes: https://[domainname].salesforce.com/setup/ui/profilerecordtypeedit.jsp?id=00e41000000abcd&tid=Account&pn=System%2BAdministrator&retURL=%2F00e41000000abcd
4. Copy the modified URL into the browser's address bar and press Enter. This loads the Record Type Settings edit page for the profile and object you need to adjust.
5. Change the default record type for that profile as desired and save. Complete steps 1 through 5 for each profile listed in the error.
6. Return to the record type to deactivate or delete, and try again.