---
title: PUBLIC_READ Access Setting for App Owned Metafields - Shopify developer changelog
description: Shopify’s developer changelog documents all changes to Shopify’s platform. Find the latest news and learn about new platform opportunities.
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  html: https://shopify.dev/changelog/public_read-access-setting-for-app-owned-metafields
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[Back to Developer changelog](https://shopify.dev/changelog)

July 1, 2023

Tags:

* API
* 2023-07

# PUBLIC\_READ Access Setting for App Owned Metafields

As of the 2023-07 Admin API release, you can now apply a `PUBLIC_READ` access setting to your metafield definitions. If your metafield definition is `PUBLIC_READ`, this means:

* The merchant can read the metafields on the definition.
* All installed applications with proper access scopes can read the metafields on the definition.
* Only the owner of the definition can write metafields.

This new setting builds upon the `PRIVATE`, `MERCHANT_READ`, and `MERCHANT_READ_WRITE` access settings [released in January 2023](https://shopify.dev/changelog/access-controls-for-app-metafields).

Note that the `access` field can only be set when the definition is in your own [reserved namespace](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/custom-data/ownership#create-a-metafield-definition-under-a-reserved-namespace).

Learn more about [access controls](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/custom-data/ownership).