> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://wiki.leviia.com/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # Using the file locking Your drive supports a temporary file locking system to prevent simultaneous edits by other users during non-collaborative editing. This extension allows you to lock files currently being edited to avoid conflicts. It offers two types of locking: **automatic** and **manual**. # Automatic Locking A file is automatically locked when you open it to prevent concurrent modifications by other users. **When you open a file from the web interface** (browser), other users who also have access to it will see that it is: * editable in the web interface (browser) in collaboration mode ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/capture-decran-2025-10-14-1436_vaozvr.png) * locked (read-only) in the local file explorer on their computer (sync client) ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/screenshot-2025-10-14-160931_f4shx6.png) Opening the file from the local file explorer is still possible, but the **Read-only** label will appear. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/screenshot-2025-10-14-165424_m6qg4w.png) **When you open a file directly from your local file explorer on Windows – Mac – Linux**, other users who also have access to it will see that it is: * locked (read-only) in the web interface (browser) ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/capture-decran-2025-10-14-1655_up8b8m.png) * locked (read-only) in the local file explorer on their computer (sync client) ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/screenshot-2025-10-14-160931_1lhtm2c.png) Again, the **Read-only** label appears when opening the file locally. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/screenshot-2025-10-14-165424_14g5uqy.png) **When you open a local file (Windows – Mac – Linux) from the web interface using the “Edit locally” button**, other users who also have access to it will see that it is: * locked (read-only) in the web interface (browser) * locked (read-only) in the local file explorer on their computer (sync client) With automatic locking, once you close a document, it is automatically unlocked. ### Collaborative Work When multiple users want to edit a file simultaneously in collaborative mode, there are two options: * **Via the web interface (browser):** all users with access to the file can collaboratively edit it by opening it with OnlyOffice. * **Via the local file explorer (sync client):** to work collaboratively, users must follow this procedure: [link](https://wiki.leviia.com/en/article/install-and-configure-onlyoffice-locally-for-collaborative-work-1m89fps/) # Manual Locking Manual locking is initiated by the user without having to open the document. **When you manually lock a file, whether from the web interface (browser) or from your local file explorer on Windows – Mac – Linux**, the file remains editable for you, but other users who have access to it will see that it is: * locked (read-only) in the web interface (browser) * locked (read-only) in the local file explorer on their computer (sync client) Closing the document does not automatically unlock it. You must manually unlock it through the interface or file explorer. ### Practical Example: Manual Locking from the Web Interface To activate locking on a file, click on the three dots and select **Lock file**. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/capture-decran-2025-10-14-1702_1cemhcu.png) A notification and a padlock icon will appear to indicate that the file is locked. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/capture-decran-2025-10-14-1707_ifsj4r.png) Other users accessing the file will see this appear on their interface: ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/capture-decran-2025-10-14-1709_1c4szg5.png) They cannot cancel the file lock. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/capture-decran-2025-10-14-1710_71jsyn.png) On the left, the file is opened by the person who locked it and can be edited. On the right, it is opened by another user who cannot edit it. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/capture-decran-2025-10-14-1714_18q0kir.png) The user who locked the file can unlock it from the file options. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/capture-decran-2025-10-14-1722_hav85a.png) ### Practical Example: Manual Locking from the Leviia Application If you have installed the Leviia application, you can also lock a file directly from the file explorer. To do this, simply right-click on the file and select **Show more options**, then **Leviia** > **Lock file**. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/screenshot-2025-10-14-171330_18cvisc.png) The padlock icon will then appear like this: ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/1/8/1/7181a953295a4800/screenshot-2025-10-14-171428_1x6grc5.png)