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snyderdavida's avatar
snyderdavida
Brass Contributor
Aug 13, 2018

"Error:The file is locked" when using Office Online within SharePoint Online

At a current client I am seeing this scenario play out often:   1) User clicks on an Office document in a SPO document library, and it opens in a new tab in the associated Office Online app. They m...
Document Library
SharePoint Online
HuwSy's avatar
HuwSy
Copper Contributor
Sep 27, 2019

I have had the same issue recently as myself locking the file. Although it was resolved by clicking back into the file in office web apps and instead of closing the tab I clicked the library name at the top of the page so the browser navigated away from the page which managed to unlock the file. It could be to do with how they have hooked the onunload event to the page and how this is supported in different browsers and for different scenarios.

  • HuwSy's avatar
    HuwSy
    Copper Contributor
    Aug 18, 2020

    Hi

     

    The best approach i have found so far is (get the user that has a lock on the file or yourself if you are the culprit) to go back into the document within office online and in the top right where it has a button that says Editing click and change to the view mode. This will unlock the current user from holding a lock on the file.

     

    Huw

    • barbaracummings's avatar
      barbaracummings
      Copper Contributor
      Aug 18, 2020

      HuwSy thats a great tip, thanks. I didn't know about it.

    • DELTAResources's avatar
      DELTAResources
      Copper Contributor
      Aug 18, 2020

      HuwSy we shouldn't have to do that though, especially if we are using Microsoft Flow and "Move File" automations. Teams and users do not have the attention or time to make sure every file is unlocked prior to documents moving. Instead, we receive error messages and have to go in and unlock the file. 

      That's unacceptable in 2020.

       

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