uneditable

Uneditable is an adjective used to describe content, fields, or elements that cannot be modified by a user. In digital systems, uneditable items are typically designed to protect data integrity, enforce finalization of records, or support audit trails by preventing inadvertent or unauthorized changes.

Common contexts include user interfaces with read-only fields, locked cells in spreadsheets, or static blocks of text in documentation. In document formats such as PDFs, certain sections can be designated uneditable through security settings. In software development, source files or configuration items may be marked as read-only to restrict edits.

Uneditable behavior is usually achieved through permissions, access controls, or specific attributes such as readonly or disabled in web forms, or by applying security features in file systems and document formats. It may also be implemented by rendering content as static rather than interactive, so users can view but not modify it.

Although uneditable suggests a prohibition on changes, it does not guarantee absolute immutability or protection against unintended modifications by other means, such as copying content or altering the surrounding system or permissions. In practice, uneditable often serves as a balance between accessibility and protection.

See also:

- read-only

- lock

- access control

- immutability

- non-editable