Locking files in Google Drive just got much easier

Google is making it easier to lock files in Drive. If you have edit access to the file, you can lock a Drive file to make sure reviewers can’t change it while it undergoes approval.

When you lock a file, no one can change it until it is unlocked - reviewers can't edit, comment or add suggestions to locked documents.

"This update simplifies and streamlines the process of restricting files in Drive, which was previously only available through the Google Drive API or through file approvals," Google said.

Here's how to lock a file in Google Drive:

• When hovering over a file in Google Drive, right-click into the context menu
• Select File information > Lock
• Select " Lock" to confirm that you actually want to lock the document.

To unlock a document, click File > Unlock. You can unlock a file through the context menu as well.

The new feature is gradually rolling out to Rapid Release domains starting Sept. 5 and may take up to 15 days to be fully visible to all users. Scheduled Release domains will see the new option starting September 20, 2023.

The new option to lock files in Google Drive is available to all Google Workspace customers.