How to create a database in Airtable

Create a database in Airtable from scratch: start a blank app from the home screen, then rename your new base so it is easy to find later.

Quick answer

To create a database in Airtable, open the home screen and click **Create**, then choose **Build an app on your own** to start from a blank app. Airtable opens an untitled base with **Table 1** in **Grid view**. Click the base name, type a new name in **Base name**, and press Enter to save.

Steps at a glance

  1. Click Create in the left sidebar
  2. Choose Build an app on your own
  3. Open the new base and click its name
  4. Type a new name in Base name
  5. Press Enter to save the name
  6. Check the new name at the top left

Interactive demo

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Summary

In Airtable, a database is called a base. Starting from a blank app gives you a base with a table already in Grid view, ready for your own records. Naming it straight away keeps your home screen easy to scan.

Step-by-step guide

  1. Step 1

    Click Create

    From the Airtable home screen, click **Create** at the bottom of the left sidebar. A dialog opens asking how you want to start.

  2. Step 2

    Choose Build an app on your own

    In the **How do you want to start?** dialog, pick **Build an app on your own** to begin with a blank app. The other option, **Build an app with Omni**, uses AI, so skip it if you want to build the structure yourself.

  3. Step 3

    Click the base name

    Airtable opens your new base with **Table 1** in **Grid view**. It is called **Untitled Base** at first. Click the name at the top left to open the base settings.

  4. Step 4

    Name your base

    Click into the **Base name** field and type a name that describes the project, such as Project database. The same panel also lets you pick an icon and a base color.

  5. Step 5

    Save the name

    Press Enter to save the name. The panel title updates to match the name you typed.

  6. Step 6

    Your database is ready

    Click an empty area of the grid to close the panel. Your base now shows its new name at the top left, and Airtable shows **All changes saved**.

Why this matters

You have a new project to track and want a clean place for it instead of reusing an old workspace. Creating a fresh base from scratch gives you an empty table you can shape around your own work, with a name your team will recognise.

Frequently asked questions

  • Is a base the same as a database in Airtable?

    Yes. In Airtable you create a base, and it holds your tables. This guide starts a blank base so you can build your database yourself.

  • Can I change the base name later?

    Yes. Click the base name at the top left to open the base settings, edit the **Base name** field, and press Enter.

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