How Collaboration and Sharing Work in Lex

Updated

Lex supports collaboration through shareable document links rather than workspace invites: you send a link, the other person logs in with one click, and you both see each other's typing live. It also offers read-only publishing links for sharing finished work. One important condition applies before you plan around this: Lex is no longer accepting new customers. Existing accounts keep working as usual, so these features are only available to current users. If you're evaluating Lex for a team that isn't already on it, this effectively rules it out.

Live collaboration: link-based, not invite-based

The core model is simple. You share a link to a document, the recipient logs in with one click, and both of you can type in the same document at the same time, seeing each other's changes as they happen. There's no separate "add collaborator" step described — the link is the invitation.

A few practical implications follow from that design:

  • Access is tied to the link. Anyone who receives it and logs in can join the document, so treat shared links with the same care as a shared password.
  • No app download is required. Lex explicitly supports mobile web, so a collaborator on a phone can open the link in a browser and work in the document without installing anything.
  • The interface is built for keyboard use. Comments can be navigated with keyboard shortcuts, which matters if you're coordinating edits in a long document rather than a quick note.

What the shared editing experience includes

Feature What it does Useful when
Live collaboration See what each person is typing in real time after one-click login Co-drafting a piece, or reviewing a draft together
Comments Inline discussion on the document, navigable by keyboard shortcut Leaving feedback without editing the text directly
Versions Try a different phrasing without losing your current version Testing an alternative while a collaborator keeps the original
AI Feedback Ask the AI for feedback, brainstorm ideas, or rewrite a passage Breaking a stalemate when two writers disagree on a section
Commands AI shortcuts to find a better word or generate idea lists Quick fixes mid-session without leaving the document

Read-only publishing links

When a document is done and you want readers rather than co-editors, Lex lets you publish a "read-only" link. Recipients can read what you've written but can't change it. This is the right tool for sending a finished draft to a client, a manager, or a wider audience — as opposed to the live collaboration link, which is for people actively working in the document.

The distinction to keep straight: collaboration links are for editing, publishing links are for reading. If you only need someone's eyes on a draft, use the read-only link and avoid the risk of accidental edits.

A concrete workflow

Say you're co-writing a launch announcement with a colleague who is traveling and only has a phone:

  1. Open the document in Lex and share the collaboration link with them.
  2. They open it in mobile web, log in with one click, and start typing — no install, no account setup beyond that login.
  3. You both see each other's text appear live. Use comments (keyboard shortcuts to move between them) for anything that needs discussion rather than a direct edit.
  4. If you want to test a different opening paragraph, use Versions so the original stays intact.
  5. When the draft is final, generate a read-only publishing link and send that to the rest of the team for review.

Common sticking points

  • "Can I invite someone who doesn't use Lex?" The described flow is link plus one-click login, and new signups are closed — so a collaborator without an existing account may not be able to get in. Confirm this with the recipient before you build a workflow around it.
  • Track Changes isn't available yet. The site lists it as "coming soon." Until then, rely on comments and Versions for review cycles rather than expecting Google Docs–style suggestion mode.
  • Don't confuse the two link types. Sending a collaboration link when you meant to share a read-only copy gives the recipient edit access. Check which link you copied before sending.

For existing users, the collaboration model is lightweight and fast — a link, a login, and you're writing together. The main thing to verify before depending on it is that everyone you need to collaborate with already has access.