SharePoint: Setting person field default values in “Column default value settings”

Problem

SharePoint doesn’t allow setting person field default values in “Column default value settings” of a list, in fact, it doesn’t even show the person type fields in the “Column default value settings” screen.

Solution

Using browser, you cannot do it, but modifying /yourlist/forms/client_LocationBasedDefaults.html using SharePoint Designer or programmatically makes it possible. Just put in the full user identity claim, below sample is from SharePoint Online.

<DefaultValue FieldName="MyPersonFieldName">i:0#.f|membership|firstname.lastname@mydomain.onmicrosoft.com</DefaultValue>