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Set share, copy, download, and comment permissions for documents

3 min read
I. Intro
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Applicable scope: Instructions in this article apply to all document types in Lark Docs, including Docs, Sheets, Base, Slides, MindNotes, and uploaded files.
You can set the following permissions for the documents you manage:
  • Whether to allow external sharing
  • Who can view, invite, and remove collaborators
  • Who can copy content, duplicate, print, or download
  • Who can comment
Note: Only document owners and collaborators with manage permission can set the document permissions.
II. Steps
Open the permission settings
Open your document, click Share in the upper-right corner, and click Permission settings.
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Configure external sharing
This setting allows you to set whether content can be shared with users outside the organization, including adding external collaborators or changing the link sharing setting to "Anyone with the link".
  1. In Permission settings, go to External sharing, and select or deselect Allow the content to be shared externally.
  1. If you select the option, you can further select Only collaborators with manage permission can share the content externally to restrict external sharing to only those with manage permission. Otherwise, any user with permission to add collaborators can share the document with users outside the organization.
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Notice: The Allow the content to be shared externally option is not available in the following scenarios:
Set who can view, invite, and remove collaborators
This setting allows you to manage who can invite and remove collaborators, as well as modify collaborator permissions.
  1. In Permission settings, go to Who can view, invite, and remove collaborators, and select an option in the drop-down list under it to allow users with either view, edit, or manage permission to manage the collaborators.
  • For example, if you select Users with manage permission, then users with view or edit permissions can't add collaborators.
  1. If you've turned on Allow the content to be shared externally, you can further select Only people in the organization can view, invite, and remove collaborators. External users then won't be able to view or change the collaborator list.
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Set who can copy content
This setting allows you to set who can copy content in the document.
In Permission settings, go to Who can copy content, and select an option in the drop-down list under it to allow users with either view, edit, or manage permission to copy content in this document.
For example, if you select Users with manage permission, then users with view or edit permissions can't see the copy option in the document.
Note: Users without copy permission can't copy content on the desktop app, and can't copy content, take screenshots, or take screen recordings of documents on the mobile app (including tablets).
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Set who can duplicate, print, and download
This setting allows you to set who can duplicate, print, download, and export the document.
In Permission settings, go to Who can duplicate, print or download, and select an option in the drop-down list under it to allow users with either view, edit, or manage permission to perform the above actions.
For example, if you select Users with manage permission, then users with view or edit permissions can't see the corresponding options in the document.
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Set who can comment
This setting allows you to set who can leave comments in the document.
In Permission settings, go to Who can comment, and select an option in the drop-down list under it to allow users with either view, edit, or manage permission to leave comments in the document.
For example, if you select Users with manage permission, then users with view or edit permissions can't see the comment option in the document.
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Configure visitor visibility
This setting allows you to set whether one can check on other visitors.
In Permission settings, go to Advanced settings, and select an option under Who can view profile pictures of visitors and users who liked this document to allow users with either view, edit, or manage permission to check the visitors' profile photos.
For example, if you select Users with manage permission, then users with view or edit permissions can't see the profile photos of visitors or the visitors who've clicked Like at the bottom of the document.
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III. FAQs
Why are the permission setting options in documents gray and can't be clicked?
The permission settings for documents are determined by the permission settings of the location where they are located. If certain options are grayed out and not selectable, it may be due to stricter permission settings for the folder, wiki space, or document library parent page. You can hover over the grayed-out options to see relevant information.
Why can't I set separate permissions for a document even after disabling the inheritance of permissions from the folder or parent page it belongs to?
Regardless of whether the document inherits permissions from the parent folder or page, the permissions for copying, creating copies, printing, and downloading the document cannot exceed the permissions allowed for its current location. Whether it inherits permissions or not affects collaboration, the link sharing range, and external sharing settings.
For example, if permissions for a folder allow users with edit permission to download the folder, then the documents within the folder cannot be set to allow users with view permission to download the documents. You need to either modify the folder permissions or move the document to another location.
Why can't I see the "Allow the content to be shared externally" option in "Permission settings" of a document?
Your administrator has turned off external sharing, so you won't be able to share your documents with external users. You can contact your administrator if you want to change this setting. Administrators can visit Admin | Configure Docs settings to learn more.
Why can't I find the "Permission settings" option in a document?
Only the owner and collaborators with manage permissions can change permission settings.
Contact the owner or collaborators with manage permission for help.
What is the default visibility range for documents newly created in Lark Docs?
It follows your setting of Default access permissions for new documents.
Here are two methods to find the option:
  • Open a document in the web browser, click your profile in the upper-right corner of an open document, and go to Settings > Permissions & Privacy.
  • In the Lark desktop app, open a document, and click the Settings icon in the upper-right corner > Permissions & Privacy.
You can set the default visibility range for new documents as visible to the whole organization or to only invited users. This setting is not available if you're not part of an organization.
Written by: Lark Help Center
Updated on 2025-04-01
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