The content lock feature protects a page from being edited by another CMS user while you have it locked.
If you have locked a page, it will stay locked until:
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the page is saved (to any status, e.g. Draft or Needs Review)
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in the CMS prevents simultaneous edits on a page, ensuring content integrity during updates.
When you engage the lock by entering Edit mode, the page is reserved exclusively for your edits until one of the following occurs:
Save completion: The page is saved, whether as a Draft or for Review.
Manual unlock: You click the "Unlock" button at the bottom of the page
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the lock period of 4 hours has elapsed
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a site administrator or approver unlocks it.
Locking a content page
Once you have entered Edit mode on a page, the lock is applied and you will see this message:
| Tip |
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This content is now locked against simultaneous editing. The content will remain locked if you navigate away form this page without saving or unlocking it. |
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Once you've completed your changes, you can save as Draft or Needs Review (if the content is ready to go live), and the content lock should automatically be removed.
However, if you click Edit again but don’t save the page, the page may remain locked to you. It will also stay locked to you if you have closed the tab. You should make sure you manually unlock the page so that other editors or approvers can access the page.
Unlocking your page
To manually unlock a page locked to you, scroll to the Unlock button at the bottom of the page when you are in the Edit screen.
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You could also go to the Locked content page in the CMS (find this by clicking Content > Locked content in the main menu) and:
select the page(s) you want to unlock
click the “Apply to selected items” button.
Trying to edit a page locked by someone else
If another content editor is editing a page you want to work on, you'll see the following message:
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.
Time elapse: A 4-hour period expires without any save activity.
Administrative action: A site admin or approver manually unlocks the page.
How to unlock a page you have locked
To manually release a content lock you have activated:
Navigate to the "Edit" screen.
Scroll to the bottom and click the "Unlock" button.
Alternatively, bulk unlock is available through:
Locked Content Listing: Go to
Content > Locked contentand select pages to unlock.Bulk Action: Click "Apply to selected items" for the chosen pages.
What to do if you want to edit a page that is locked by another editor
If you attempt to edit a page that has been locked by another CMS users, you’ll see this message:
"This content is being edited by
[username
...
]and is
...
locked
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since
[
...
time elapsed].
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This means that you can't edit a page at the same time as another content editor. You can either:
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return to the page later to make your edits
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"
Options in this scenario:
Wait: Return later to edit the page.
Communicate: Contact the editor directly for unlocking.