Lock agent

Written By Stanislas

Last updated About 17 hours ago

Overview

When you are the owner or administrator of an agent, you can lock it so that only owners and admins can make changes. Once locked, other users—including those with the User role—cannot modify the agent's settings, skills, data sources, photo, sharing, or any other linked configuration. They can still use the agent in chat; they just cannot edit it.

This prevents accidental changes in shared workspaces. When the agent is locked, no one can modify it, including owners and admins, until it is unlocked. Only owners and admins can unlock it. Users see a clear message that the agent is locked and must be unlocked to make changes.

Prerequisites

To lock or unlock an agent:

You must be an Owner or Admin of the agent (via resource access or workspace role).
You must have access to the agent's configuration page in the app.

For users who are not Owner or Admin:

When the agent is locked, they can still use the agent in chat.
They cannot change any agent settings, skills, data sources, photo, sharing, automations, or other linked options.
If they try to modify the agent, they see a message that the agent is locked and must be unlocked to make changes. Only owners or admins can unlock it.

Step-by-step guide

1. Open the agent

Go to Agents and open the agent you want to lock (the one you own or administer).

2. Turn on "Lock agent"

At the top of the agent page, you'll see the label Lock agent with a switch next to Share and Use this agent.

Turn the switch ON to lock the agent. The agent is now locked. No one can change its configuration while it is locked (including owners and admins). To make changes, an owner or admin must turn the switch OFF to unlock it first. If anyone tries to modify it while locked, they see an error.

3. Confirm the lock

The switch remains ON as long as the agent is locked. To allow edits again (for everyone with edit access), turn the switch OFF. The agent is then unlocked.

What is protected when locked?

When the agent is locked, the following actions are blocked for non-owners and non-admins:

Editing the agent name, description, system prompt, or model.
Updating the agent's photo.
Changing widget appearance.
Adding or removing skills (agent tools).
Adding or removing data sources.
Adding or removing starter questions.
Changing sharing (resource access, roles).
Pinning or unpinning the agent.
Updating public access (e.g. widget sharing).
Modifying custom config (temperature, prompt overrides).
Creating or selecting prompt versions.
Updating monitoring settings.
Connecting external accounts (OAuth, SNS) to the agent.
Toggling favorite.
Duplicating the agent.
Transferring ownership or updating credit owner.
Deleting the agent.

Only Owner and Admin can perform these actions when the agent is locked. User-level access is not enough.

Practical use cases

Production agent used by the whole team

You've built an agent that handles customer inquiries and is used by your support team. You're the owner; a few people are admins. You lock the agent so only you and the admins can change its prompt, skills, or data sources. Support agents use it every day in chat but cannot alter its configuration. If something needs to change, they contact you or an admin.

Shared agent with external integrations

Your agent uses Gmail, Slack, or other integrations. You've shared it with several teammates. You lock the agent so no one can accidentally change the skill configuration or data sources. Only you (or another owner/admin) can update those settings. Teammates continue to use the agent and configure their own accounts where applicable.

Handover to a new owner

You're transferring ownership of an agent to a colleague. Until the handover is complete, you keep the agent locked. Only you (and any existing admins) can make changes. Once the new owner has taken over and you're comfortable, they can unlock it if they want to allow edits from other admins.

Tips & best practices

Lock after major updates

After you finish a significant update (new skills, new data sources, new prompt), lock the agent so the configuration stays stable until the next planned change.

Communicate with your team

Tell your team that the agent is locked and that only owners and admins can change it. If someone needs a change, they should contact you or an admin. This avoids confusion and repeated failed edit attempts.

Use with sharing roles

Combine locking with sharing roles:

Owner / Admin: Can lock, unlock, and edit the agent.
User: Can use the agent but cannot edit it when it's locked.

This keeps day-to-day use open while keeping configuration under control.

Unlock when you need broad edits

If you want several people to contribute to the agent (for example, during a project), temporarily unlock it. When the configuration is stable again, lock it to prevent accidental changes.

Troubleshooting

		Issue Cause Solution
I can't change the agent (name, skills, data sources, etc.)	The agent is locked and you are not an Owner or Admin.	Contact the owner or an admin of the agent. Only they can edit it or unlock it.
I don't see the "Lock agent" switch	You're not an Owner or Admin of the agent.	Only owners and admins see and can use the Lock agent control. Check your role on the agent.
I'm an owner but I get an error when editing	The agent is locked and something is wrong with the permission check.	Refresh the page and try again. If it persists, contact support.
I unlocked the agent but someone still can't edit	They might have the User role only.	Lock/unlock only affects whether non-owners/non-admins can edit. Users need at least Admin or Owner role to edit.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I still use the agent in chat when it's locked?
A: Yes. Locking only prevents editing the agent. Using the agent in chat is unchanged.

Q: Who can lock or unlock the agent?
A: Only Owner and Admin of the agent. Users with the User role cannot lock, unlock, or edit the agent when it's locked.

Q: If I share the agent with someone as Admin, can they unlock it?
A: Yes. Admins have the same ability as owners to lock, unlock, and edit the agent.

Q: What happens if I transfer ownership while the agent is locked?
A: The new owner can unlock the agent if they want. Locking is a setting on the agent; it doesn't block ownership transfer for current owners.

Q: Does locking affect usage or credits?
A: No. Locking only restricts who can modify the agent. Usage and credits work the same whether the agent is locked or unlocked.

Q: Can I lock an agent via API or automation?
A: Yes. The feature is exposed via the setBotLocked mutation. Only owners and admins should call it.

What happens next

Once the agent is locked:

Only owners and admins can change its configuration.
All other users see a clear message if they try to edit.
The agent remains fully usable in chat for everyone who has access.
You can unlock it at any time by turning the "Lock agent" switch off.

Additional resources

Share an agent – Learn how to share agents with users and groups and assign roles.
Create an AI agent step by step – Build your first custom agent and add skills.
Using agents from chat – Access and use shared agents in chat.
Workspace administration – Manage roles, permissions, and team access.