Permission settings are easy to get subtly wrong.
A field you meant to hide stays visible, a colleague loses access to a table they need, or a folder vanishes because nothing inside it is reachable.
Lark Base lets you check before anyone notices: preview mode shows you the base exactly as a chosen collaborator will see it.
Note: Preview mode is available to administrators and anyone with manage permission for the base. It works on the Lark desktop app and the web version, not on mobile.
How to Preview Your Permission Settings
- Open the base and click Advanced Permissions in the upper-right corner, then switch on advanced permissions if they are not already on.
- Click Add Role. Give the role a name, set its table and dashboard permissions, and save it.
- With the role selected, click Assign Role and add the users, groups, departments or user groups it applies to.
- Choose Save and Preview rather than saving normally. The base reopens in preview mode.
You can then pick which collaborator to view the base as, using the Previewing as selector in the upper-right corner. Members are grouped by role, so you can work through them one at a time.
Tip: Create all your roles before previewing. You can switch between collaborators without leaving preview mode, so testing five roles in one sitting is far quicker than saving and re-entering for each.
What to Check While You Are In There
Preview mode only helps if you know what to look at. Work through this list for each role:
- Tables: Is anything visible that should not be, and is anything missing that the role needs?
- Records: If you limited a role to their own records, confirm they see only those.
- Fields: Check that restricted columns are genuinely hidden, not just moved out of the default view.
- Views: Confirm the visible views are the ones you intended, since new views are hidden by default from roles with limited view access.
- Dashboards: Verify that a role with no data access cannot see the numbers through a chart instead.
- Folders: A folder disappears when nothing inside it is accessible, which can surprise people who expect to find it.
Important: Dashboards are the most common leak. A role can be blocked from a table and still see its figures summarised in a chart, so check the dashboard as well as the data.
How to Exit Preview Mode
Click Exit Preview in the upper-left corner.
Two Things Preview Mode Does Not Do
Both are worth knowing before you rely on it.
It does not update live. If a colleague changes the permission settings while you are previewing, those changes will not appear in your session. Exit and re-enter to see the current configuration.
It does not save edits. Anything you change in the base while in preview mode is discarded when you leave. That makes preview safe to poke around in, but it also means you cannot fix a problem from inside it. Note what is wrong, exit, then correct the settings.
Practical Use Cases for SMEs and Startups
- Before onboarding a new team: Preview as one member of each department to confirm they land on the right tables.
- Before sharing with a client: Check what an external role can actually reach, including anything exposed through a dashboard.
- After adding a table: New tables and views often default to hidden, so confirm the roles that need them still have access.
- When someone reports a problem: Preview as that person rather than asking them to send screenshots.
- Before a permissions audit: Walk every role in one session and record what each can see.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who can preview permissions in Lark Base?
Administrators and anyone with manage permission for the base. Other roles cannot enter preview mode.
Can I preview permissions on the Lark mobile app?
No. Preview mode is only available on the Lark desktop app and the web version.
Will edits I make in preview mode be saved?
No. Anything you change while previewing is discarded when you exit, so you cannot fix a permission problem from inside preview mode.
If a colleague changes permissions while I am previewing, will I see it?
No. Your preview session reflects the configuration as it was when you entered. Exit and start a new preview to pick up their changes.
Can I preview more than one role in a single session?
Yes. Use the Previewing as selector in the upper-right corner to switch between collaborators without leaving preview mode.
How do I leave preview mode?
Click Exit Preview in the upper-left corner of the base.
Check It Before They Do
Preview mode takes a minute and removes the guesswork from an area where mistakes are quiet and expensive.
Build your roles, save and preview, then walk through each one asking a single question: if this person opened the base right now, would they see anything they should not, or miss anything they need?
Ready to Power Your Business with Lark?
Lark Base is just one part of an all-in-one platform that brings messaging, meetings, documents, approvals, and automations together for your entire team.
As the Platinum Partner for Lark in Malaysia, Exabytes offers tailored Lark plans, hands-on onboarding, and dedicated local support to help your team share data with confidence.
