Working together on documents can be a lot of fun. Or a complete disaster. It all depends on the tools you use. If you’re using Confluence, made by Atlassian, you might be wondering: can multiple people edit a page at the same time?
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
Yes, Confluence does support multiple editors working on the same page at once. This feature is called real-time collaborative editing. It’s similar to how Google Docs lets people write and edit together. No more waiting your turn or overwriting someone else’s work!
Let’s Go Back a Step
Confluence is a team collaboration tool. It’s great for creating meeting notes, project plans, product documentation—you name it. It works like a wiki, so your team can write everything in one place and keep it up to date.
But collaboration is more than just sharing. It’s about making stuff together. That’s where things get interesting.
So, What’s the Deal With Editing Together?
Good news: Confluence Cloud offers simultaneous editing. This is also called real-time collaborative editing.
Here’s how it works. When you’re editing a page, and someone else also jumps in, you’ll see their avatar pop up in the top right corner. You can watch them typing in real time!
The text gets updated live as others write. There’s no need to take turns. You no longer have to coordinate over chat while everyone waits to “get in” and make their edits.
Here’s What You’ll See
- Avatars of everyone editing the page
- Colored cursors showing where someone is typing
- Live updates that reflect any changes instantly
It’s pretty smooth and intuitive!
But… Is It Always Safe?
Mostly, yes. But here are a few things to keep in mind:
- If your internet connection drops, Confluence will let you know.
- If someone else deletes the same sentence you’re editing, you might see a conflict.
- You can still get version control through the page history feature. Very handy!
That means even if things go wonky for a second, you can roll back changes and fix things easily.
Does Everyone See The Same Thing?
Yes and no.
You’re all looking at the same page. But your cursor and view might be a bit different. For example, one editor might be at the top of the document while another scrolls to the bottom.
This is normal. You can all edit away without interfering. But for best results, try not to crowd the same paragraph!
What Happens When You Click Publish?
Once you’re done editing, just hit Publish. You can publish the page while everyone else is still typing. All the live edits will be saved together in the same version.
It’s smart enough to keep changes from everyone unless there’s a serious conflict—which again, you can fix.
Can You See Who Changed What?
Yes! Confluence keeps track of every version of the page.
Just click on Page History. Then you can:
- See what changed and who made the change
- Compare versions side by side
- Revert to an older version if needed
Perfect for when someone deletes that one thing you really needed.
Wait—Does It Work on Confluence Server or Data Center?
Nope. That’s the catch.
This awesome real-time editing feature is only available in Confluence Cloud. If you’re using Confluence on-premise (like Server or Data Center versions), you’ll get something more basic.
In older setups, only one person can edit a page at a time. Others are locked out until the editor is done. That’s like waiting in line at a bathroom. Not very productive.
Is There a Way Around That?
Sort of. On Confluence Server or Data Center:
- People can edit and save separate copies of the page
- Then they can merge changes manually
It’s not ideal. But it works as a backup if you’re not on Cloud.
If real-time editing is important to your team, consider moving to Confluence Cloud.
What About Permissions?
You can only edit a page at the same time if you have permission to edit it in the first place.
Admins and space owners can control who can edit what. So, even if you’re part of the team, you might not always be able to jump in and edit every page.
Tips for Smooth Collaborative Editing
- Communicate clearly. Use comments or Slack to say what part you’re working on.
- Break up the page. Use headings so people can edit different sections.
- Don’t all pile into the same paragraph unless you want chaos!
Bonus: Using Comments While Editing
Sometimes, you don’t want to change the text directly. You just want to suggest an idea or ask a question.
That’s where inline comments come in handy. Highlight some text and click the comment icon. The rest of the team can reply and resolve it when ready.
It’s not quite like Google’s “Suggesting Mode,” but it’s close!
In a Nutshell…
Confluence lets you collaborate in real time—if you’re on the Cloud. It’s perfect for:
- Team brainstorming
- Project planning
- Documentation updates without losing your work
Like digital teamwork magic. Once you’ve used it, there’s no going back.
Summary: Confluence + Collaboration = 💡
Let’s wrap it up. Here’s what we’ve learned:
- Real-time editing is available on Confluence Cloud
- Multiple users can see and edit a page at the same time
- There are avatars, cursors, and live updates
- Version history keeps everything safe
- You must have edit permissions to join in
So yes, you can totally edit a Confluence page with your teammates—at the same time—without losing your mind. Just remember to play nice!