Upgrade StorageFeature Request: Add a “Lock Editing” / “Read-Only” toggle for the item note editor
Dear Zotero Team and Community,
I would like to suggest a small but very useful enhancement to the item note editor: a “Lock Editing” or “Read‑Only” toggle button.
This feature would be especially valuable for users who read their notes on touchscreen devices (tablets, 2‑in‑1 laptops, touch monitors, etc.). On such devices, it is all too easy to accidentally tap, swipe, or drag the cursor while simply scrolling through a note, which can result in unwanted insertions, deletions, or formatting changes. Even when I am extremely careful, I often find that I have inadvertently modified something I only meant to read.
A simple switch—placed, for example, near the editor toolbar—could lock the note into a read‑only mode. In this state, the editor would behave like a plain text viewer: all editing actions (typing, backspace, delete, cursor movement, selection, drag‑and‑drop, etc.) would be disabled, so that tapping or swiping only scrolls the view. The user could then unlock the editor with a second click or tap whenever they actually need to make changes.
This would bring several benefits:
Peace of mind when reviewing notes, especially important or lengthy ones.
Better usability on touch‑first devices, making Zotero more enjoyable and reliable for mobile workflows.
Reduced risk of accidental data loss or corruption (e.g., pressing a key by mistake while highlighting text).
While the editor already supports keyboard shortcuts and auto‑save, a dedicated lock/unlock function would be a much more intuitive and explicit safeguard. It would also be helpful for desktop users who want to temporarily protect a note from accidental keystrokes while reading.
I believe this is a relatively straightforward addition that would significantly improve the user experience. Thank you for considering my request, and I truly appreciate all the hard work that goes into making Zotero such an indispensable tool.
Best regards,
chmzs
I would like to suggest a small but very useful enhancement to the item note editor: a “Lock Editing” or “Read‑Only” toggle button.
This feature would be especially valuable for users who read their notes on touchscreen devices (tablets, 2‑in‑1 laptops, touch monitors, etc.). On such devices, it is all too easy to accidentally tap, swipe, or drag the cursor while simply scrolling through a note, which can result in unwanted insertions, deletions, or formatting changes. Even when I am extremely careful, I often find that I have inadvertently modified something I only meant to read.
A simple switch—placed, for example, near the editor toolbar—could lock the note into a read‑only mode. In this state, the editor would behave like a plain text viewer: all editing actions (typing, backspace, delete, cursor movement, selection, drag‑and‑drop, etc.) would be disabled, so that tapping or swiping only scrolls the view. The user could then unlock the editor with a second click or tap whenever they actually need to make changes.
This would bring several benefits:
Peace of mind when reviewing notes, especially important or lengthy ones.
Better usability on touch‑first devices, making Zotero more enjoyable and reliable for mobile workflows.
Reduced risk of accidental data loss or corruption (e.g., pressing a key by mistake while highlighting text).
While the editor already supports keyboard shortcuts and auto‑save, a dedicated lock/unlock function would be a much more intuitive and explicit safeguard. It would also be helpful for desktop users who want to temporarily protect a note from accidental keystrokes while reading.
I believe this is a relatively straightforward addition that would significantly improve the user experience. Thank you for considering my request, and I truly appreciate all the hard work that goes into making Zotero such an indispensable tool.
Best regards,
chmzs
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chmozs@dstillman