Custom metadata fields not visible or not saving for non-admin users in AEMaaCS
In AEMaaCS, non-admin users can see the default metadata form instead of a custom schema, or they can see custom fields that fail to save. This usually happens when the affected user group cannot read the schema or metadata form nodes, when the schema is assigned only in Admin View and not in Assets View, or when property mappings are incorrect. In some cases, folder permissions allow users to view fields but block metadata updates, which can trigger insufficient-permissions or 409 errors. Correct the schema assignment, review read/write access and validate property mappings so custom fields appear and save correctly.
Description description
Environment
- Adobe Experience Manager as a Cloud Service
- AEM Managed Services
- AEM Assets Essentials
Issue/Symptoms
- Non-admin users see only the default metadata schema.
- Custom metadata fields appear in Admin View but not in Assets View.
- Metadata save fails with Unable to edit properties. Insufficient permissions.
- Metadata save fails with 409 conflict errors.
- Admins can view the custom schema, but standard users cannot.
Cause
AEM requires the affected user group to have jcr:read access to metadata schema definition nodes so it can render the correct metadata form. If users cannot read those nodes, AEM falls back to the default schema. In Assets View, the metadata form is separate from the Admin View schema and must be imported and assigned independently. Metadata can also fail to save when users lack write access on the asset folder or when schema fields use incorrect property mappings.
Resolution resolution
To resolve missing or unsaved custom metadata for non-admin users:
- Determine whether the issue affects Admin View, Assets View, or both by opening the affected asset in each experience.
- Open Tools
>Assets>Metadata Schemas, review the schema assignment, and confirm that the intended schema is applied to the correct DAM folder. - Grant
jcr:readaccess to the affected user group for the schema definition paths used by AEM, such as/conf/global/settings/dam/adminui-extension/metadataschemaand, when applicable,/conf/global/settings/dam/adminui-extension/foldermetadataschema. - If the issue affects Assets View, import the metadata form into Assets View, assign it to the same folder, and ensure the affected users can read
/content/dam/appdataand/content/dam/appdata/metadataforms. - Confirm that the affected users belong to the dam-users group.
- If metadata fields appear but do not save, review the permissions on the asset folder and ensure the affected user group has write access to modify properties.
- Open the schema in the Metadata Schema Editor and review each field’s Property Name value. Correct invalid or incorrect mappings and avoid protected or incorrect JCR property paths.
- If 409 errors continue after permissions are corrected, review folder-level access restrictions and remove conflicting restrictions that block metadata updates.
- Reopen the asset as a non-admin user and confirm that custom fields appear and save successfully in the intended view.