When work is read-only
Understand why buttons are missing or editing is unavailable on a canvas, project, or file.
Read-only means ALLO is letting you see something without letting you change it
Read-only work can happen for good reasons: you only have view access, the owner shared a view-only link, the item is archived, your workspace membership changed, a plan or billing state limits editing, or you are using a surface that does not expose that editing control.
If you cannot open the work at all, use When you can't access work. If the work is missing from lists, use When work looks missing.
Availability
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Applies to | Canvases, projects, dashboards, files, comments, and shared links |
| Who can fix | Owner, editor, workspace admin, or billing admin depending on cause |
| Best first check | Permission level and account email |
| Mobile note | Some advanced editing controls are intentionally desktop/web-first |
Symptom guide
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Edit buttons are missing | View/comment permission, item state, or screen state | Ask the owner for edit access or reopen the work on a larger screen if the control is hard to reach. |
| Comment box is missing | View-only access or comments unavailable | Ask for comment or edit access. |
| Dashboard widgets cannot move | View-only dashboard access | Ask for dashboard edit permission. |
| Project canvas cannot be changed | Project role or task permission | Ask project owner/admin. |
| File cannot be replaced or downloaded | File permission, storage state, or file type | Check file access and storage warnings. |
| Everything became read-only after warning | Billing, seat, storage, or workspace state | Ask an admin to check Billing. |
Check your permission level
The owner or workspace admin should confirm whether you have view, comment, edit, or manage access. A view-only link is supposed to be read-only. Comment access may let you discuss work but not edit canvas objects or dashboard layout.
For workspace roles, see Roles and access. For canvas-specific sharing, see Share a canvas. For dashboards, see Share a dashboard.
Check the account
If you are signed into the wrong email, ALLO may treat you as a guest or external viewer. Compare the account email with the one the owner shared. Sign out and back in if needed.
If the owner shared the correct email and you still see read-only, ask them to remove and re-add access or confirm whether the item inherits permission from a workspace, project, or dashboard.
Check item state
Archived, deleted, locked, or restored work can appear differently from active work. A dashboard in archived state may not allow normal editing. A file in Trash may not behave like an active file. A project canvas can be limited by project rules.
If the work should be active, ask an owner to restore or unarchive it. Use How Trash works and Archive and restore dashboards where relevant.
Check workspace membership
If your workspace membership is deactivated, item-level access cannot reopen editing. A workspace admin must restore membership first. If you are an external collaborator, you may have access only to specific shared items and not broader workspace editing.
Use When you can't access work for membership recovery.
Check billing or quota state
Workspace billing and quota problems can limit workflows. Failed payment, over-seat state, storage overage, or plan restrictions may affect what admins and members can do.
| State | Article |
|---|---|
| Payment failed | Fix a payment issue |
| Seat limit | Manage seat limits |
| Storage limit | Fix storage limits |
| Plan change needed | Change a plan |
If you are not an admin, send the warning text to an admin.
Mobile read-only behavior
Mobile can be read-only for two different reasons: permission or product surface. If you only have view access, mobile and desktop should both be read-only. If you have edit access but a specific advanced control is missing only on mobile, use web or desktop for that action.
For mobile boundaries, see Use the mobile app for canvas review and Troubleshoot the mobile app.
What to ask the owner
Ask:
| Question | Why |
|---|---|
| What email has access? | Confirms the right account. |
| What access level do I have? | Separates view/comment/edit/manage. |
| Is the item archived, locked, or deleted? | Explains disabled controls. |
| Does the item inherit permission from a workspace or project? | Finds upstream restrictions. |
| Are there billing or quota warnings? | Explains workspace-wide limits. |
When to contact support
Contact support when the owner confirms you have edit access, you are signed in with the correct email, the item is active, there are no billing or quota blockers, and editing is still unavailable after refresh. Include the item link, workspace name, account email, expected permission, surface used, and screenshots of missing controls.
Related articles
- Share a canvas
- Troubleshoot project and canvas access
- How Trash works
- Members, guests, and external collaborators
- When you can't access work
- When refresh helps and when it does not