Unlocking a locked channel in Buffer

If you downgrade to the Free plan, any channels above the limits of the Free plan will become locked. This article will discuss the two options for unlocking locked channels.

In this article:

• Unlocking channels by removing locked channels
• Unlocking channels by selecting which channels to lock
• FAQ

Unlocking channels by removing locked channels

If you no longer need certain channels, you can remove the channels from Buffer, which will then unlock the channels you're looking to keep.

Unlocking channels by selecting which channels to lock

If you'd rather not delete any channels (for example, if you would like to keep them connected in case you upgrade again in the future or would like to keep the post history), you can choose which channels to unlock using the steps below:

1. Click on your profile avatar at the top right of your dashboard and then click Channels from the drop down menu.
2. Find the channel you wish to unlock and then click Unlock next to the channel:

4. You will now see a window showing all of your channels. Tick the checkboxes to the left of the channels you’d like to keep active. Channels not ticked will remain (or become) locked. If you attempt to keep more channels active than your plan limits allow, you’ll see an error message.

An alternate route to unlock your channels is by following these steps:

1. Click on your profile avatar at the top right of your dashboard and then click Billing from the drop down menu.
2. Click Unlock.

FAQ

What will happen to my scheduled posts if my channel is locked?

If a channel is locked with posts still scheduled in its queue, the posts will remain in the queue, but won't publish until the channel is unlocked. Once unlocked, you might need to reschedule some of your posts if the posting time has passed.