Article summary: The Lock feature allows you to freeze interactions on a post while preserving all existing reactions and comments. This guide explains how the feature works, who has permission to use it, and how it differs from disabling interactions entirely.
1. Why Lock a Post?
Locking a post is highly effective when you want to stop new interactions but keep historical comments and reactions visible as they are. This feature applies to all post types, including updates, news items, and polls.
This is particularly useful when you have already obtained all the necessary information from your readers and want to maintain those acknowledgments or answers while avoiding further noise or prolonged discussion.
2. How the Lock Feature Works
To lock a post, complete the following steps:
- Click on the three dots icon in the top right corner of the post.
- Select the Lock option from the dropdown menu.
- The post will instantly freeze, preventing any further comments or reactions.
📱 Visual Confirmation: Once locked, an on-screen pop-up notification will confirm the action. This notification appears in the top right corner on a desktop web browser and at the bottom of the screen on a mobile device.
- To unlock a post: Simply repeat the process, click the three dots icon, and select Unlock from the dropdown menu to restore full interaction capabilities.
3. Feature Permissions
The ability to exercise this feature is highly restricted to ensure proper timeline moderation:
- Allowed: Only the post author and network administrators have the authority to lock or unlock a post.
- Not Allowed: Standard users who have interacted with the post (by liking or commenting) cannot lock it.
4. FAQ: How is locking different from disabling comments and reactions?
It is important to understand the functional difference between these two moderation tools:
- Locking a post: This option prevents any user from interacting with the update moving forward, but all historical comments and likes remain fully visible to your network users.
- Disabling comments/reactions: Turning off interactions via this method blocks future engagement and obscures (hides) all previous comments and reactions from view.