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    • How Firebirds Wood Fired Grill translatedWhy Are My Segments Locked? 25 eLearning Courses in three months

    If you’re working on a project in Smartcat and notice that some segments can’t be edited or confirmed because they appear locked, don’t worry — this situation is easy to fix!

    Locked segments usually happen when a previous stage hasn’t been confirmed yet, the file was imported with locked segments, or the project manager intentionally locked certain parts.

    This guide explains the most common reasons why segments might appear locked and shows you how to unlock them or proceed with your work.

    Reasons Why Segments May Be Locked

    1. The Previous Stage Has Not Been Confirmed

    If your project includes multiple stages (for example, AI Translation → Translation Review → Proofreading ), each segment must be confirmed in the previous stage before it becomes editable in the next one.

    How to check:

    1. Open your project in the CAT Editor.

    2. Look at the confirmation icon — if a previous stage is not highlighted, it means it hasn’t been confirmed.

    3. If you are a Project Manager or Administrator, hover over the icon to see which stages are completed and which aren’t.

    How to fix:

    1. As the project manager you can reach out to the previous stage assignee to confirm the missing segments.

    2. You can also use filters in the CAT editor to find unconfirmed segments: Go to Filters → Current workflow stage → Unconfirmed segments.

    Tip: If the segment should remain untranslated (for example, a number or name), the Project Manager can lock it manually so it doesn’t block project completion.

    2. Segment Locked by the Project Manager

    Sometimes, Project Managers (PMs) or Administrators may lock a segment on purpose to prevent edits. Suppliers will see that these segments are grayed out and show a tooltip that says “Locked by manager.”

    How to check:

    1. Hover your cursor over the segment — you’ll see a message that confirms it’s locked by the manager.

    How to fix:

    1. Suppliers can contact their Project Manager and ask them to unlock the segment if editing is required.

    3. Segments Locked During XLIFF File Upload

    If your project was created using an XLIFF file, some segments may have been imported as locked based on the file’s settings.

    How to check:

    1. Locked segments will show “Locked by manager,” even though they were locked automatically by the upload settings.

    How to fix:

    Contact your Project Manager to verify the file’s upload settings. If the option “Lock segments for imported translations and confirm them to the last stage” was used, the segments are intentionally locked. The PM can re-upload the file with different settings if changes are needed.

    4. File Split Between Multiple Suppliers

    When a large file is split into smaller parts for multiple translators or reviewers, you’ll only have access to the segments assigned to you. All other segments will appear locked — this is normal.

    How to check:

    1. Suppliers can ask their PM which part of the file has been assigned to you.

    2. Only your portion of the text will be editable.

    How to fix:

    1. No action is needed. This is expected behavior to prevent overlapping work.

    5. Critical errors in segments

    Depending on the QA settings of your project, some requirements such as mandatory usage of glossary terms, placement of missing tags or placeholders may trigger alerts when conditions are not met.

    How to check:

    1. Check if any alert icons are displayed next to the locked segment. Suppliers will see a warning yellow sign, while Administrators and Project Managers will see a red dot. 

    2. Hover the cursor on the sign and you will see a list of the errors that need to be fixed.

    How to fix:

    1. Hover over the icon to see details about the issue.

    2. If the issue prevents confirmation, correct it and try again.

    Troubleshooting

    Common Issue

    Likely Cause

    Solution

    I can’t edit or confirm any segments

    Previous stage not confirmed

    Ask the previous stage assignee or PM to confirm segments.

    I only see part of the text

    File split between translators

    This is normal. You can only work on your assigned part.

    It says “Locked by manager”

    Segment manually locked

    Contact your PM to unlock it.

    I see red dots or alert icons

    Critical errors in the segment

    Fix missing tags or glossary issues before confirming.

    A blank segment can’t be confirmed

    It’s empty and not locked

    Ask your PM to lock it manually if no translation is needed.

    When to Contact Support

    If you’ve checked all the above and the segment is still locked without an apparent reason, please reach out to Smartcat Support and include the following details:

    1. Project name and link

    2. Segment number(s)

    3. Description of the issue

    4. Screenshot (if possible)

    This will help our team investigate the issue faster and provide the right solution.

    Summary

    Locked segments help maintain translation accuracy and prevent accidental edits, but they can also stop progress if not understood. By following the steps in this guide, you’ll be able to quickly identify why a segment is locked — and either fix it yourself or know who to contact for help.