Unlock a file that has been locked for editing

When you try to open a Excel workbook, PowerPoint presentation, or Word document on your mobile device, you might receive a message stating that the file is locked for editing by another user. Typically, you will be able to open the file as read-only, but you won’t be able to edit it.

The file might be locked because:

The file is shared and another user is currently editing it.
An instance of the Office app is running in the background with the file already opened.
The file has been marked as Final and can no longer be updated.

In some situations, you can use your mobile device to unlock the file and continue editing it.

Note: If the Office file is password-protected, you won’t be able to open it without supplying the password. There is no way to circumvent password protection.

Another user is editing the file

If someone is currently working on the file, you can either wait for that person to close it, or you can create a copy of the file and enter your changes in the copy. (Alternatively, you could switch to an app that allows multiple authors to work on a file simultaneously.)

Use the following procedures to create a copy on your mobile device. If you choose to enter your changes in a copy, it’s a good idea to use tracked changes so that you can easily move your changes to the shared file when it becomes available. You can turn on tracked changes on the Review tab.

Tip: If you're trying to edit an Excel file at the same time as someone else, make sure that everyone uses a version of Excel that that supports co-authoring.

The Office app is running in the background

If the file is not shared on a network or if you are certain that no one is currently editing it, then an instance of the Office app with the file open might be running in the background.

The file is marked as Final

Microsoft 365 includes a file protection feature that allows authors to mark a file as Final. This locks the file, preventing any further editing. You can easily turn off this feature in the Microsoft 365 applications; however, you can’t turn it off from your mobile device. If an Office file is marked Final, you will need to make a copy to enter your changes from your mobile device.

Open the file.
Tap the file icon .
On your iPad, tap Name or Duplicate. The Save As window opens. If you have any pending changes, you will be asked whether you want to apply them to the both the original and duplicate copy or the duplicate copy only. Make your selection.
Type a new name for the file and choose a storage location for the new file. On your iPhone, use the backspace key to delete the current name, and then enter the new one.
Tap Save or tap Duplicate.

Double-tap the Home button, touch the app, and then swipe up. This will close the app and any running processes associated with it.

If for some reason the app is unresponsive and can’t be closed, you can force it to close.

Hold down the power button.
When the slide to power off screen appears, release the power button.
Press the Home button until the app quits. (It will quit after a few seconds.)
Double-tap the Home button. If the app still appears to be open, touch the app icon, and then swipe up.