---
title: "Collaboration Mode: Read Only or Take Control"
description: "![](https://bowtiemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Icon-Language-v2.png) ## Troubleshooting 4 - [User hasn’t received onboarding email](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/user-hasnt-received-onboarding-email/) - [The share link is blank](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/the-share-link-is-blank/) - [I can’t access my account](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/i-cant-access-my-account/) - [Unable to build a new diagram or create a new project](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/unable-to-build-a-new-diagram-or-create-a-new-project/) ![](https://bowtiemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Icon-Clipboard-v2-127x150.png) ## How-to Guides 39 -…"
url: "https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/collaboration-mode-read-only-or-take-control/"
updated: "2025-09-19"
category: "How-to Guides"
---

# Collaboration Mode: Read Only or Take Control

![](https://bowtiemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Icon-Language-v2.png)

## Troubleshooting

   4

- [User hasn’t received onboarding email](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/user-hasnt-received-onboarding-email/)
- [The share link is blank](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/the-share-link-is-blank/)
- [I can’t access my account](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/i-cant-access-my-account/)
- [Unable to build a new diagram or create a new project](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/unable-to-build-a-new-diagram-or-create-a-new-project/)

         ![](https://bowtiemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Icon-Clipboard-v2-127x150.png)

## How-to Guides

   39

- [Build your first bowtie diagram](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/build-your-first-bowtie-diagram/)
- [Diagram Metadata](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/diagram-metadata/)
- [Diagram risk matrix](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/diagram-risk-matrix/)
- [Create your first project](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/build-your-first-project/)
- [Customise the view](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/customise-the-view/)
- [Reset password](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/reset-password/)
- [Resend onboarding email](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/resend-onboarding-email/)
- [Managing Users](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/managing-users/)
- [Download an image or pdf](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/download-an-image-or-pdf/)
- [Share a diagram](https://bowtiemaster.com/docs/share-a-diagram/)

## Collaboration Mode: Read only or Take control

##### Bowtie Master allows multiple users to edit the same diagram. However, users **cannot**edit a diagram at the exact same time.  Users may enter into Read Only mode or Take Control.

#####

 

#### Read Only

If another user is editing a diagram and you wish to open the same file for Read-Only (meaning you cannot make any changes), choose one of the following steps:

**Option 1: In your projects folder, click on the ellipse on a diagram and click View Read Only.**

![](https://bowtiemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Collaboration-Mode_-Read-Only.png)

**Option 2: A warning pop-up will appear in the diagram if someone is currently editing it. Click Open in Read Only.**![](https://bowtiemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Collaboration-Mode_-Read-Only-2.png)

**In the upper left corner of the Diagram Editor, you will see that you are in read-only mode.**

![](https://bowtiemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Collaboration-Mode-Read-Only-1.png)

####

 

#### **Taking Control**

If another user is editing a diagram that you have opened, a warning message will pop up that editing is in progress. If you wish to take control of editing, follow these steps:

**Step 1: If you were in read-only mode and wish to take control of the diagram, refresh your browser.**

**Step 2: A warning pop-up will appear. Click Take Control. Now you have full editing rights to the diagram.**

![](https://bowtiemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Collaboration-Mode-Take-Control.png)NOTE: If another user (User 1) has been editing a diagram within the past hour, and you take control of the diagram, User 1 will switch into read-only mode. User 1 will no longer be able to make any changes and may lose their latest change to the diagram.