Locking Files in Box

Locking files in Box is the best way to reduce the number of accidental copies created in high collaboration settings and can also help protect the integrety of individual work. Click here to learn more about the best practices to use when working with high collaboration files.

There are many ways to lock files; Box in a web browser has several and Box Drive (File Explorer) has one. This article will explain the various ways to lock files as well as how to tell if a file is locked. 

How to lock files using Box in a web browser

How to lock files using Box Drive (File Explorer)

How to tell if a file is locked. 

How to lock files using Box in a web browser.

The following instructions apply to Windows and Mac users alike. 

Right-click file name method:

1. Navigate to the file you want to lock.
2. Hover over the file name and right-click. 
3. In the pop-up menu that displays, left-click the "Lock" option. 
4. You will now be prompted to choose the duration of the lock. This will prevent anyone else from editing the file using Box in a web browser. Other users can still access the file using Box Drive. However, saving from there will result in the creation of a duplicate file due to the original being locked for editing.  
5. You may want to disable the download to prevent anyone else from editing the file at all. Doing so will block Box Drive from opening the file because it relies on the download option to work. 

Three dots method:

1. Navigate to the file you want to lock. 
2. Click on the three dots that display on the right side of the "size" column. 
3. In the pop-up menu that displays, select the "Lock" option. 
4. You will now be prompted to choose the duration of the lock and may also disable downloads for the file. 

Previewer method:

1. Navigate to the file you want to lock.
2. Double click the file to access the previewer.
3. Click open the drop-down menu located to the right of the file's name at the top of the page. 
4. Select the "Lock" option. 
5. You will now be prompted to choose the duration of the lock and may also disable downloads for the file. 

After opening a file to edit method:

1. Navigate to the file you want to edit.
2. Right-click the file name and select "Open with" the applications installed on your machine (i.e. .docx files open in Word 2016, .xlsx files open in Excel 2016, etc). 
   1. OR, use the three dots located on the right side of the "Size" column to access the same menu as above. 
   2. OR, double-click the file to access the previewer and then click the "Open" option located at the top of the page.  
3. Once the file begins to open, a small message will appear at the center of the browser window you were using to inform you that the file will open on your desktop. 
4. Click the blue line of text that reads "Lock file to prevent others from editing it." 
5. You will now be prompted to choose the duration of the lock and may also disable downloads for the file.   

How to lock files using Box Drive (File Explorer)

These steps apply to Windows users only. 

1. In Box Drive, locate the file you want to lock. 
2. Right-click the file and scroll to the "Box" options. 
3. In the side menu that displays, select "Lock."  
4. The file is now locked indefinetly but other users may still download the file. See instructions above to learn how to disable downloads. 

How to tell if a file is locked

Box in a web browser

The following applies to both Windows and Mac users.

Files that are locked will have a red-padlock icon next to them. This icon is visible at the folder level on the left side of the "Updated" column and in the previewer on the right side of the file name. Hovering over the icon will display who locked the file and for how long. 

At the folder level: 

In the previewer:  

Box Drive (File Explorer)

This applies to Windows users only. 

 In Box Drive, files that are locked will have a closed-white padlock within a red circle next to them:  

Click here to learn more about these icons.

From here, there is no way to tell who locked the file or for how long it will remain locked. To see this information, you must view the file in quesition using Box in a web browser.