# Group Lock

A **Group Lock** lets you prevent anyone from adding members to a group. Once a group is locked, no admin, web app, or mobile app user can add new members until a group member approves an unlock request via email.

This is useful for sensitive groups where membership changes should require deliberate, accountable action — like elder or deacon groups, finance teams, or background-checked volunteer lists.

### How It Works

1. You lock a group from its settings page in the admin.
2. All group members receive an email notifying them the group has been locked.
3. While locked, "Add Members" and "Copy Members" are completely disabled everywhere — admin panel, member app, and mobile app.
4. To unlock, you submit an unlock request. 
   1. Every group member receives an email notification of this request, with an approval link.
5. Any one member can click the link to approve and unlock the group.
   1. An unlock approved email will be sent to all group members, if approved.
6. Once unlocked, member management works normally again.

### Locking a Group

#### Requirements

* You must have the **Groups: Manage** role permission.
* The group must be **private**. Joinable (public) groups cannot be locked, because members can add themselves, which would bypass the lock. 
  * Make the group private first if needed.

#### Steps

1. Go to the group's **Settings** page.
2. Scroll down to the **Lock Group** section.
3. Check the **Lock Group** checkbox.
4. A confirmation dialog will appear warning that no one will be able to add members until a group member approves an unlock request via email, and that all members will be notified.
5. Click **Lock Group** to confirm.
6. Click **Save Changes** to apply.

Once saved, all group members will receive an email informing them the group is now locked.

#### What Gets Blocked

When a group is locked, these actions are blocked across the entire platform:

* Adding members from the admin group members page
* Copying members from another group
* Adding a user to the group from the admin user edit page
* Adding members from the member web app
* Adding members from the mobile app API

Members can still be **removed** from a locked group. \
Other group features (posts, files, task boards, messaging) continue to work normally.

#### What Else Is Restricted

* A locked group **cannot be made joinable**. You must unlock it first.
* The lock checkbox on the settings page becomes **disabled and read-only** once locked — you cannot directly uncheck it.

### Unlocking a Group

Admins cannot directly unlock a group. \
The unlock process requires email approval from a current group member.

#### Requesting an Unlock

You can request an unlock from two places:

**From the Admin -> Group -> Settings page:**

1. On a locked group's settings page, you'll see the lock checkbox is checked and disabled.
2. Below it, click **Request Unlock**.
3. A confirmation dialog explains that an email will be sent to every group member asking for approval.
4. Click **Send Unlock Request** to confirm.

**From the Admin -> Group -> Members page:**

1. On a locked group's members page, an amber banner shows at the top: "This group is locked. Members cannot be added or copied."
2. Click the **Request Unlock** button on the right side of the banner.
3. Confirm in the dialog that appears.

#### What Happens Next

* Every group member receives an email titled "Group Unlock Request: \[Group Name]".
* The email explains who requested the unlock and what it means for the group.
* It includes an **Approve Unlock Request** button.
* Any single member can click the button to approve the unlock. 
* Once a member approves, the group is immediately unlocked and all members receive a confirmation email.

#### Unlock Link Expiration

Unlock request links **expire after 3 days**. If no member approves within that window:

* The settings page and members page will show a **"Request expired"** badge.
* You can submit a new unlock request at any time after expiration.

#### What Members See When They Click the Link

<table><thead><tr><th width="305">Scenario</th><th>What They See</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Approval successful</td><td>"Group Unlocked" — the group is now open for new members</td></tr><tr><td>Group was already unlocked</td><td>"Already Unlocked" — no action needed</td></tr><tr><td>Link is invalid or expired</td><td>"Invalid or Expired Link" — ask the admin to send a new request</td></tr><tr><td>They're no longer a group member</td><td>"Unable to Approve" — another member must approve instead</td></tr></tbody></table>

### Status Indicators

The group settings page and members page show the current lock status:

| State                      | What You See                                                                                      |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Unlocked                   | Lock checkbox is available (if group is private)                                                  |
| Locked, no pending request | Lock checkbox is checked and disabled. "Request Unlock" button is visible.                        |
| Locked, request pending    | Lock checkbox is checked and disabled. Shows "Unlock pending since \[date]".                      |
| Locked, request expired    | Lock checkbox is checked and disabled. Shows "Request expired" badge and "Request Unlock" button. |
| Joinable group             | Lock checkbox is disabled with note: "Group must be private to lock."                             |

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Can I lock a joinable group?** No. The group must be private first. This is because joinable groups allow members to add themselves, which would bypass the lock.

**Can I directly uncheck the lock?** No. A locked group can only be unlocked through the email approval process. This is by design — it ensures accountability.

**What if no group members have email addresses?** The unlock request emails are sent best-effort. If no members have emails, you would need to add a member with an email address to the group (members can still be removed, but not added while locked), or contact a system administrator for assistance.

**What if I request an unlock and then want to cancel it?** There is no explicit cancel action. The link will expire after 3 days on its own. If a member approves before then, the group will be unlocked.

**Can I re-lock a group after unlocking it?** Yes. You can lock and unlock a group as many times as needed. Each lock clears any previous pending unlock state.

**Does locking affect group posts, files, or task boards?** No. Locking only prevents member additions. All other group features continue to work normally for existing members.

**Who can approve an unlock request?** Any current member of the group. They do not need to be an admin or have any special permissions — just an active member of the group at the time they click the link.

**What happens if a member leaves the group and then tries to approve?** They will see an "Unable to Approve" message. Another current member must approve instead.


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