---
title: "Lock objects with Object Lock"
description: "Turn on Object Lock when you create a bucket, set a retention period, and remove a Governance Lock or Legal Hold from a version."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "object-storage"
platform: "MyAccount"
url: "/myaccount/object-storage/how-to/lock-objects-with-object-lock/"
topic: ["protect-your-data"]
relationships: {"requires":["/myaccount/object-storage/how-to/create-a-bucket/"]}
---

# Lock objects with Object Lock

Object Lock stops a locked object version from being overwritten or deleted. Read [Object
Lock](/myaccount/object-storage/concepts/object-lock/) first: you can turn it on only when you
create the bucket, so decide before you create it.

## Turn on Object Lock when you create the bucket

On the bucket creation form, check **Enable Object Lock**. This also turns on Object
Versioning, since a lock only protects a version. Click **Create Bucket**.

## Set a default retention policy

Open the bucket's **Object Lock** tab, set a retention period in days (1 to 36,500), select
**Governance** (the only lock mode available today) as the lock mode, and save. Every object
uploaded to this bucket from then on inherits this retention period automatically.

## Lock or unlock one version

On the **Objects** tab, click **View All Versions**, open the version's menu, and select **Lock
Settings**. From there:

- Turn on **Governance Lock** to set a retention period on this one version, or remove it
  early. As the bucket's owner, you can shorten or clear a Governance Lock before it expires.
- Turn on **Legal Hold** for an indefinite hold with no expiry; turn it off yourself when it is
  no longer needed.

## Before you delete a locked bucket

To delete a bucket with a default lock policy, remove the policy first. Once it is gone, locked
objects on their own no longer hold the delete back. A version under Governance Lock can still be
deleted early if you, as the owner, clear or shorten the lock first; a version under Legal Hold can
be deleted once you turn the hold off. See [Troubleshooting E2E Object
Storage](/myaccount/object-storage/troubleshooting/object-storage/#my-bucket-will-not-delete) if a
delete is blocked.

For when to use Governance Lock and when to use Legal Hold, see
[Object Lock](/myaccount/object-storage/concepts/object-lock/).