---
title: Padlocks
description: Padlocks on search results and article pages and their meaning
---

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August 2, 2026

# Padlocks

## Padlocks are used across the Informit platform to help you understand what content you can access.

There are a number of different **padlocks** across the Informit platform that indicate your access.

These padlocks can be found on the **search results** as well as on the **Table of contents** and **article** pages.

In addition to padlocks, there are also **labels** on the records that indicate whether the record provides **full text**, **video** or **abstract only** access.

![](https://support.informit.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-31-2026-02-38-13-2054-AM.png?width=670&height=372&name=image-png-Jul-31-2026-02-38-13-2054-AM.png)

**Article page:**

![Padlock article page](https://support.informit.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Padlock%20article%20page.png?width=670&name=Padlock%20article%20page.png)

---

Padlocks stand for different **levels** of access:

| **![](https://support.informit.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-31-2026-02-18-53-6884-AM.png?width=39&height=47&name=image-png-Jul-31-2026-02-18-53-6884-AM.png)** | **Green padlocks** indicate that you have access to the full text or index record. |
| --- | --- |
| ![](https://support.informit.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-31-2026-02-21-04-0240-AM.png?width=58&height=69&name=image-png-Jul-31-2026-02-21-04-0240-AM.png) | **Yellow padlocks** indicate that the content is open access. |
| ![](https://support.informit.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-31-2026-02-27-40-8026-AM.png?width=40&height=40&name=image-png-Jul-31-2026-02-27-40-8026-AM.png) | **Red padlocks** indicate that you do not have access to a record. |

---

Labels stand for different **types** of access:

**FULL TEXT** - record is associated with Informit hosted content (in PDF, HTML Format) or has links to full text via external links to full text (eg. DOI links etc.)

**VIDEO** - record is associated with Informit streaming video content

**ABSTRACT ONLY** - record provides metadata and may have external links for content

---

**Accessing content with a red padlock**

**Option 1: Accessing Informit through an institution**

- If you are accessing Informit via your institution’s subscription, check that the name of the institution appears in the banner at the top of the screen.
- If it doesn’t appear, there is an authentication issue and you will need to contact us at [support.informit@rmit.edu.au](mailto:support.informit@rmit.edu.au)
- If your institution’s logo appears in the banner,  a red padlock means that your institution has not subscribed to the publication.

![](https://support.informit.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-31-2026-03-49-46-1491-AM.png?width=670&height=227&name=image-png-Jul-31-2026-03-49-46-1491-AM.png)

**Option 2: Purchasing an Article**

If you are accessing Informit as an individual and the article is available for purchase:

Select the **PDF** link.

![](https://support.informit.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-31-2026-03-39-23-1028-AM.png?width=670&height=350&name=image-png-Jul-31-2026-03-39-23-1028-AM.png)

Enter your payments details to purchase the article. 

![](https://support.informit.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-31-2026-04-01-29-6120-AM.png?width=670&height=427&name=image-png-Jul-31-2026-04-01-29-6120-AM.png)

If you are not taken to the payment screen after clicking on the PDF link, the article is not available for individual purchase. 

 

---

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