The file is locked and won't let me edit it

The padlock on the file’s row means one of two different things. To find out which, hover over it: the wording appears.

Locked by name — someone is editing it right now, usually because they opened it locally with their own program. It is a temporary lock: it lifts by itself when that person closes the file, and it expires on its own after a while anyway. Usually it is enough to wait, or to write to your colleague.

Protected by name — someone locked it on purpose, so that it is not touched any more. This one does not expire: it stays until it is removed.

Unlocking it

If you set it yourself:

1. Right-click on the file.
2. Hover over «Security and preservation» — it has an arrow on the right and opens a submenu.
3. Choose «Unlock file» (for an editing lock) or «Remove protection» (for a protection).

If it belongs to someone else, the same submenu has «Force unlock», but it needs the «Lock/Unlock files» permission — and it is better to ask first: if your colleague has the document open on their computer, forcing the unlock risks two people writing at once and losing one of them.

Stopping others from editing it

Same path: right-click → «Security and preservation» → «Protect file». It stays that way until you remove it.

I don’t want to lock it, I want to work on it together

Then don’t use «Open locally», which locks it: use «Edit online» (right-click → «Edit»), where several people are inside at once and everyone sees what the others write.

Questions this guide answers

• the file is locked
• I can't edit, it says it is locked by someone else
• how do I unlock a file
• what does protect file mean
• how do I stop others editing a file
• unlock file
• force unlock
• protect file
• remove protection
• padlock on the file
• who locked the file
• I don't want anyone editing this file any more
• stop a document being touched