# mc legalhold set

LLMS index: [llms.txt](/llms.txt)

---

> [!NOTE]
> **Since mcli 20260916:** Single-object and recursive legal-hold failures return exit status 1. Successful objects are not rolled back. [Release behavior](/compatibility/mcli/#current-release).


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## Syntax {#syntax}

The [`mc legalhold set`](#command-mc.legalhold.set) command enables [legal hold](/administration/object-management/object-retention/#minio-object-locking-legalhold) Write-Once Read-Many (WORM) object locking on an object or objects.

[`mc legalhold`](/reference/minio-mc/mc-legalhold/#command-mc.legalhold) *requires* that the specified bucket has [object locking enabled](/administration/object-management/object-retention/#minio-object-locking). You can **only** enable object locking at bucket creation. See [`mc mb --with-lock`](/reference/minio-mc/mc-mb/#mc.mb.-with-lock) for documentation on creating buckets with object locking enabled.

**EXAMPLE**

The following command enables legalhold WORM locking on all existing objects in the `mydata` bucket on the `myminio` MinIO deployment:

```shell
mc legalhold set --recursive myminio/mydata
```

**SYNTAX**

The command has the following syntax:

```shell
mc [GLOBALFLAGS] legalhold set  \
                 [--recursive]  \
                 [--rewind]     \
                 [--version-id] \
                 ALIAS
```

- Brackets `[]` indicate optional parameters.
- Parameters sharing a line are mutually dependent.
- Parameters separated using the pipe `|` operator are mutually exclusive.

Copy the example to a text editor and modify as-needed before running the command in the terminal/shell.

### Parameters {#parameters}

##### `ALIAS` {#mc.legalhold.set.ALIAS}

*mc-cmd*

*Required*

The MinIO [alias](/reference/minio-mc/mc-alias-set/#alias) and path to the object or objects on which to enable the legal hold. For example:

```shell
mc legalhold set play/mybucket/myobjects/objects.txt
```

##### `--recursive, r` {#mc.legalhold.set.-recursive}

*mc-cmd*

*Optional*

Applies the legal hold to all existing objects in the [`ALIAS`](#mc.legalhold.set.ALIAS) bucket or bucket prefix.

> [!NOTE]
> **`--recursive` only applies to existing objects**
>
> To enable legal hold for future objects, periodically repeat the [`mc legalhold`](/reference/minio-mc/mc-legalhold/#command-mc.legalhold) command as new objects are created.

##### `--rewind` {#mc.legalhold.set.-rewind}

*mc-cmd*

*Optional*

Directs [`mc legalhold set`](#command-mc.legalhold.set) to operate only on the object version(s) that existed at specified point-in-time.

- To rewind to a specific date in the past, specify the date as an ISO8601-formatted timestamp. For example: `--rewind "2020.03.24T10:00"`.
- To rewind a duration in time, specify the duration as a string in `#d#hh#mm#ss` format. For example: `--rewind "1d2hh3mm4ss"`.

[`--rewind`](#mc.legalhold.set.-rewind) requires that the specified [`ALIAS`](#mc.legalhold.set.ALIAS) be an S3-compatible service that supports [Bucket Versioning](/administration/object-management/object-versioning/#minio-bucket-versioning). For MinIO deployments, use [`mc version`](/reference/minio-mc/mc-version/#command-mc.version) to enable or disable bucket versioning.

##### `--version-id, vid` {#mc.legalhold.set.-version-id}

*mc-cmd*

*Optional*

Directs [`mc legalhold set`](#command-mc.legalhold.set) to operate only on the specified object version.

[`--version-id`](#mc.legalhold.set.-version-id) requires that the specified [`ALIAS`](#mc.legalhold.set.ALIAS) be an S3-compatible service that supports [Bucket Versioning](/administration/object-management/object-versioning/#minio-bucket-versioning). For MinIO deployments, use [`mc version`](/reference/minio-mc/mc-version/#command-mc.version) to enable or disable bucket versioning.

### Global Flags {#global-flags}

This command supports any of the [global flags](/reference/minio-mc/#minio-mc-global-options).

## Examples {#examples}

Use [`mc legalhold set`](#command-mc.legalhold.set) to enable legal hold on objects:

```shell
mc legalhold set [--recursive] ALIAS/PATH
```

- Replace [`ALIAS`](#mc.legalhold.set.ALIAS) with the [alias](/reference/minio-mc/mc-alias-set/#alias) of the S3-compatible host.
- Replace [`PATH`](#mc.legalhold.set.ALIAS) with the path to the bucket or object on the S3-compatible host. If specifying the path to a bucket or bucket prefix, include the [`--recursive`](#mc.legalhold.set.-recursive) option.

## Behavior {#behavior}

### Legal Holds Require Explicit Removal {#legal-holds-require-explicit-removal}

Legal holds are indefinite and enforce complete immutability for locked objects. Only privileged users with the [`s3:PutObjectLegalHold`](/administration/identity-access-management/policy-based-access-control/#policy-action.s3-PutObjectLegalHold) can set or lift the legal hold.

### Legal Holds Complement Other Retention Modes {#legal-holds-complement-other-retention-modes}

Legal holds are complementary to both [GOVERNANCE Mode](/administration/object-management/object-retention/#minio-object-locking-governance) and [COMPLIANCE Mode](/administration/object-management/object-retention/#minio-object-locking-compliance) retention settings. An object held under both legal hold *and* a `GOVERNANCE/COMPLIANCE` retention rule remains WORM locked until the legal hold is lifed *and* the rule expires.

For `GOVERNANCE` locked objects, the legal hold prevents mutating the object *even if* the user has the necessary privileges to bypass retention.

### S3 Compatibility {#s3-compatibility}

SILO is the supported server for PGSTY mcli; compatibility with upstream MinIO and other S3 services is [best effort](/reference/minio-mc/#command-mc).