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Define Editing Restrictions in Modules

Control how content can be changed in modules to stay on brand and protect layout consistency.

Updated this week

Overview

Use editing restrictions to limit how modules can be customized. This keeps emails aligned with your brand standards. Restrictions are set per module in the module editing screen.

Need help setting up modules?


Available Editing Restrictions

Element Lock Options

Apply restrictions to individual content blocks, entire rows, or both.

Click a content element and choose from these Element Lock settings:

  • Unlocked – Fully editable

  • Lock All – Prevents all edits

  • Hide All – Hides all components

  • Locked (Text Editable) – Locks design but allows text edits

Element lock with unlocked, lock all, hide all, and locked text editable selections displaying

Custom Restrictions

Click the gear icon next to the Element Lock toggle to enable Custom Restrictions.

Customize permissions for font, text color, alignment, and more. Each attribute supports:

  • Inherit – Uses parent settings

  • Editable – Can be changed

  • Locked – Not editable

  • Hidden – Locked and not visible

View of individually locked settings for text attributes section after custom restrictions is applied


Image Size Restrictions

Add an image to your module. Scroll to the bottom of the image attributes section to:

  • Set exact dimensions

  • Set minimum or maximum dimensions


Text Character Limit

Add a text block to your module. Scroll to the bottom of the text attributes section. Set a maximum character count.

Text box with max character restriction added of 55 characters


Alternate Text Settings

In the Optimize tab, choose how the module handles missing alt text:

  • Warning – Displays a warning

  • Ignored – Skips the check

  • Error – Blocks the module

This affects the accessibility impact score (High, Medium, or None).

Alternate text editor restriction section displaying changes that can change the optimize severity

Override Editor Restrictions

Users with the “Bypass Editor Restrictions” permission can override module locks while editing.

To override:

  1. Click a locked module in the asset editor.

  2. Toggle the Restriction switch to “On.”

You can control the default state of this switch in the self-service preferences.

Text attributes section with override restrictions toggled off


Finalizing Changes

When finished:

  • Click the Actions menu in the module builder

  • Press Publish

This saves your restrictions and makes the module available for others.

Actions menu and unpublished changes section displaying in the module builder in the top right corner

Assign Modules to Brands

You can control which brands have access to a module from the Module Settings panel.

Why Use Brand Restrictions?

Brand restrictions help teams manage content access across multiple brands. They ensure each team only sees the modules that match their branding and messaging needs. This keeps your module library organized and prevents accidental use of the wrong design elements.

To Assign a Module:

  1. Open the module in the editor.

  2. Expand the Module Settings section on the right.

  3. Under Brand Access, select:

    • All Brands - if the module should be available to everyone.

    • Specific brands - if you want to limit access.

Setting up brand restrictions in the module builder UI.

Note:

  • Only users with global brand access can assign or edit brand selections for a module.

  • Brand-restricted users can only assign modules to brands they have access to.

  • Brand-restricted users cannot:

    • Edit brand assignments for global modules.

    • Remove or add brands outside their permission scope.

    • View brand access settings for global modules.

Example:
A global user creates a module with no brand restrictions.
A brand-restricted user opens the module but cannot view or change the brand assignment settings.


Troubleshooting

  • Out-of-date modules can be updated even if they have no locked elements. Updates depend on the type of change and user permissions. For more information about updating out of date modules, check out our Using Modules in Assets help document.

  • Custom content (editable text, swapped images, etc.) is preserved and not overwritten.

  • Locked content is updated to match the latest module version, unless the user has admin override permissions.

  • Admin-only overrides are preserved only if the admin performs the update. If a non-admin updates the module, admin changes are lost.

  • Best practice: Lock layout sections and leave text editable. This allows updates to formatting without affecting team-created content.


Need more help? Contact support via live chat using the chat bubble in the bottom right corner or email support@knak.com.

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