# Unlocking metadata fields via Plex API

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/unlocking-metadata-fields-via-plex-api/933434>\
**Category:** Dev/API Corner\
**Tags:** pms-api\
**Created:** [November 12, 2025, 10:45am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/unlocking-metadata-fields-via-plex-api/933434 "2025-11-12T10:45:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rossinior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f8ce5/32.png) [@rossinior](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rossinior)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 10:45am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/unlocking-metadata-fields-via-plex-api/933434/1 "2025-11-12T10:45:12Z")

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Hi,

@OttoKerner had some insightful advice for using API to unlock or lock certain metadata fields, not only in the cited thread, but also in a few more threads.

> [@Reset all manual poster selections in a library at once or unlock other metadata fields](https://forums.plex.tv/t/reset-all-manual-poster-selections-in-a-library-at-once-or-unlock-other-metadata-fields/764732):
>
> The following could be most useful for very old libraries, which had their metadata agent already changed several times. For instance if the server admin has manually selected different posters on many items, but now wants to make a clean break and leave all poster selections to the agent. While one could do that by deleting the library and re-creating it, it might however be a bit drastic a measure. What it does: reset the locked attribute of all poster selections in a given library. Upon t…

My questions:

With the current Plex Media Server API ( [https://developer.plex.tv/pms/](https://developer.plex.tv/pms/) ), is this still possible? And is it also possible via [plex.tv](http://plex.tv) ?

Are there any limitations on which metadata can or cannot be locked or unlocked?

I am thinking about creating a script that reads the current data via API for movies, TV shows, collections, playlists… then let’s me change certain details of it, then asks me if I want to overwrite the field in case it is locked, then unlock if I say “yes”, then do the change, then check the field via API again to verify…. would that (still) be possible?