---
title: "Set a default object lock on a bucket"
description: "Set, change, or remove the default governance lock on a TIR Object Storage bucket created with object lock, so every new object keeps a retention period."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "tir-object-storage"
platform: "TIR"
url: "/tir/tir-object-storage/how-to/set-a-default-object-lock/"
topic: ["protect-and-manage"]
---

# Set a default object lock on a bucket

Object lock keeps a locked object version from being overwritten or deleted until its retention ends.
The default lock puts a retention on every new object uploaded to the bucket.

## Before you begin

- A bucket created with **Enable Object Lock**. You can turn object lock on only while you create the
  bucket. To get it on an existing bucket, create a new bucket with
  object lock and copy the objects across. See
  [Create a bucket](/tir/tir-object-storage/how-to/create-a-bucket/). On a bucket created with object lock off,
  the **Object Lock** tab shows "Object lock is not enabled on this bucket".
- Permission to update datasets in the project. A Member gets it through a policy that allows updating datasets.

## Set the default retention

Object lock supports the governance mode only.

1. In the list, select the bucket's row and open the **Object Lock** tab.
2. Tick **Enable Governance Lock on the objects of this bucket**.
3. Enter the **Retention period** in days, from 1 to 36,500. Any other value shows "Enter a value
   between 1 and 36500".
4. Select **Save**.

The tab then shows "Governance Lock is enabled on this bucket" and the **Retention period**. The
retention counts from the upload date and applies to new objects only. When you change it, objects
already stored and objects already under another retention stay as they are.

## Change or remove the default lock

To change the retention period, edit it on the **Object Lock** tab. To remove the lock, select
**Remove Lock** and confirm. The default lock then stops applying to new uploads, and the portal shows
"Governance lock removed successfully". Versions that already took a retention keep it, and you can
still set a custom lock on a single version.

Remove the default lock before you delete the bucket. To lock one version, see
[Lock one object version or place a legal hold](/tir/tir-object-storage/how-to/lock-an-object-version/).
For help with a message, see
[Troubleshooting TIR Object Storage](/tir/tir-object-storage/troubleshooting/tir-object-storage/).