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File Locking

File locking keeps data safe from accidental overwrites when multiple people try to work on a file simultaneously, and the file type does not allow co-editing. We'll cover how Egnyte handles file locking, how to see who locked a file, and how Admins and folder owners can manually unlock files. 

If you use Microsoft Office Desktop, Microsoft Office Online, or Google Workspace integration, you'll still be able to use the co-authoring function if the person opened the file through the integration.

 

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Lock a File

Unlock a File

Lock Summary Report

Lock a File

There are two ways in which files can be locked within Egnyte. The first is an automatic file lock that occurs whenever one person has opened a file utilizing the Desktop App or WebEdit, Microsoft Office Desktop, Microsoft Office Online, or Google Workspace. As long as the file remains open (and the computer is online), the file will remain locked. 

The second way to lock a file is to manually lock the file via the web interface, using the file action menu to lock the file.

Screen_Shot_2019-11-21_at_10.14.36_AM.png

A locked file will show a lock icon (except when the file is being co-edited), and moving your cursor over the lock icon will reveal who locked the file and when it was locked.

Screen_Shot_2019-11-21_at_10.17.10_AM.png

 

Locked files may be previewed or downloaded, but may not be renamed, moved, or deleted. Users may not upload new versions of a locked file.

These rules do not apply to Admins or users with the "Owner" permission on a folder, who may manually unlock any files in that folder (except files that are under a co-editing session using Microsoft Office (beta), Microsoft Office Online, or Google Workspace).

Unlock a File

An open, locked file in the Desktop App, WebEdit, Microsoft Office Desktop, Microsoft Office Online, or Google Workspace will unlock automatically after closing the application (or the users' computer goes offline). For files being co-edited, it might take up to 35 minutes (usually, much faster - just a few minutes) to automatically unlock upon everyone leaving the co-editing session.

For files that were locked manually through the web interface, the user, an Admin, or a folder owner must unlock the file manually. If a file is not unlocked manually, the lock will be automatically removed in 7 days.

Screen_Shot_2019-11-21_at_10.19.26_AM.png

If a file is being co-edited using Microsoft Office Desktop, Microsoft Office Online, or Google Workspace integration, it is impossible to unlock the file until the co-editing session ends. To co-edit the file under the co-editing session, the user can click on the "Co-edit" button.

 

Lock Summary Report

Administrators and Power Users that have been provisioned with the can run reports role can use the Lock Summary Report to view all of their domain's locked files. Learn more about the Lock Summary Report here

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