--- title: "Using the Protection mode" date: "2026-03-26T14:06:31+00:00" summary: image: type: "page" url: "/acquia-cloud-platform/add-ons/multi-experience-operations/using-protection-mode" id: "730dcd56-1743-4faa-a2ca-b0f5e5e45d6e" --- Table of contents will be added Note This feature is available only for Production environments. Overview -------- Use the Protection mode to prevent the overwrite of live production data. This mode restricts data migration tasks that originate from lower environments such as Development or Staging. Key capabilities ---------------- * ****Environment-Level Toggle****: Set a global safety default for a Production environment. * ****Site-Level Overrides:**** Granularly enable or disable protection for specific sites to bypass the environment default. * ****Inheritance Logic:**** Sites automatically follow the environment's state unless an explicit override is defined. Note Files or databases cannot be copied to a production environment where the Protection mode is enabled. Enabling the Protection mode for a production environment --------------------------------------------------------- Enable the Protection mode to prevent the copy of files and databases to a production environment. This restricts misconfiguring a live site with unwanted data.  To enable the Protection mode for a production environment: 1. [Sign in to the Cloud Platform user interface.](https://cloud.acquia.com/) 2. Go to **Codebases**. The system displays all available codebases along with the number of sites and environments associated with the codebases. 3. Select the number in the **Environment** column. 4. Select a specific Production environment to access the Environment Overview page. 5. Click **Actions** > **Enable Protection mode**. 6. Click **Enable**. The system displays a confirmation message and updates the **Protection mode** option on the Overview page to **Enabled**. If the Protection mode is not enabled, the system displays an alert message. Disabling the Protection mode for a production environment ---------------------------------------------------------- To allow files and databases to be copied to a production environment, you can disable the Protection mode. Acquia recommends that you exercise caution before you disable this mode for your production environment. To disable the Protection mode for a production environment: 1. [Sign in to the Cloud Platform user interface.](https://cloud.acquia.com/) 2. Go to **Codebases**. The system displays all available codebases along with the number of sites and environments associated with the codebases. 3. Select the number in the **Environment** column. 4. Select a specific Production environment to access the Environment Overview page. 5. Click **Actions** > **Disable Protection mode**. 6. Click **Disable**. The system displays a confirmation message and updates the **Protection mode** option on the Overview page to **Disabled**. However, if the system is unable to disable the Protection mode, the system displays an alert message. Viewing the current Protection mode for a production environment ---------------------------------------------------------------- To know if the Protection mode is enabled or disabled for your production environment: 1. [Sign in to the Cloud Platform user interface.](https://cloud.acquia.com/) 2. Go to **Codebases**. The system displays all available codebases along with the number of sites and environments associated with the codebases. 3. Select the number in the **Environment** column. 4. Select a specific Production environment to access the Environment Overview page. 5. Verify if the **Protection mode** option is set to **Enabled** or **Disabled**. Overriding the Protection mode at site level -------------------------------------------- You can override the environment-level setting for the Protection mode at site level. This ensures that your sites can have a mode different from the one set at the environment level. To override the Protection mode at site level: 1. [Sign in to the Cloud Platform user interface.](https://cloud.acquia.com/) 2. Go to **Codebases**. The system displays all available codebases along with the number of sites and environments associated with the codebases. 3. Select the number in the **Environment** column. 4. Select a specific environment to access the Environment Overview page. 5. In **Sites**, go to the **Associated** section, locate a specific site, and click **Actions** > **Override Protection mode**. This displays the Override Protection Mode pop-up window. 6. In **Site-level Protection mode**, select one of the following options: * **None**: Select this option if you do not want to override the Protection mode at the site instance and instead want to inherit the mode selected at the environment level. * **Enable**: Select this option to enable the Protection mode at the site instance regardless of the mode selected at the environment level. * **Disable**: Select this option to disable the Protection mode at the site instance regardless of the mode selected at the environment level. 7. Click **Save**. The system displays a confirmation message and updates the value for the **PROTECTION MODE** column. However, if the system is unable to override the environment-level setting, the system displays an alert message. Viewing the current Protection mode at the site level ----------------------------------------------------- To know if the Protection mode is enabled or disabled at the site level: 1. [Sign in to the Cloud Platform user interface.](https://cloud.acquia.com/) 2. Go to **Codebases**. The system displays all available codebases along with the number of sites and environments associated with the codebases. 3. Select the number in the **Environment** column. 4. Select a specific Production environment to access the Environment Overview page. 5. In **Sites**, go to the **Associated** section, locate your site, and check the value for the **PROTECTION MODE** column. * ****Inherit****: The site follows the environment-level setting. * ****Enabled:**** Protection is applied for this site, regardless of environment settings. * ****Disabled:**** Protection is removed for this site, regardless of environment settings.