diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index eceba9d..e311dbf 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ export default class NoteLockerPlugin extends Plugin {
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	private updateLeafMode(leaf: WorkspaceLeaf | null) {
+	public updateLeafMode(leaf: WorkspaceLeaf | null) {
 		if (!leaf || !(leaf.view instanceof MarkdownView)) return;
 
 		const { view } = leaf;
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ export default class NoteLockerPlugin extends Plugin {
 			}
 		} else if (isLocked) {
 			const state = leaf.getViewState();
-			if (state.state?.mode === 'source') {
+			if (this.settings.preventEditInLockedNotes && state.state?.mode === 'source') {
 				leaf.setViewState({
 					...state,
 					state: { ...state.state, mode: 'preview' },
@@ -495,55 +495,76 @@ export default class NoteLockerPlugin extends Plugin {
 		}
 
 		if (isStrictLocked) {
-			const container = view.containerEl;
-			const allActions = container.querySelectorAll('.view-action');
-
-			allActions.forEach(btn => {
-				if (btn instanceof HTMLElement) {
-					const ariaLabel = btn.getAttribute('aria-label') || '';
-					const hasPencilIcon = !!btn.querySelector('.lucide-pencil');
-
-					if (hasPencilIcon || ariaLabel.includes('Edit') || ariaLabel.includes('edit') || ariaLabel.includes('Switch to editing')) {
-						btn.style.display = 'none';
-					}
-				}
-			});
-
-			let lockBtn = container.querySelector('.note-locker-strict-btn');
-			if (!lockBtn) {
-				lockBtn = document.createElement('div');
-				lockBtn.addClass('view-action', 'clickable-icon', 'note-locker-strict-btn');
-				lockBtn.setAttribute('aria-label', 'Strictly Locked');
-				lockBtn.innerHTML = '<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="svg-icon lucide-lock"><rect x="3" y="11" width="18" height="11" rx="2" ry="2"></rect><path d="M7 11V7a5 5 0 0 1 10 0v4"></path></svg>';
-
-				lockBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
-					new StrictUnlockModal(this.app, () => {
-						this.toggleStrictLock(path);
-					}).open();
-				});
-
-				const actionsContainer = container.querySelector('.view-actions');
-				if (actionsContainer) {
-					actionsContainer.prepend(lockBtn);
-				}
-			}
+			this.hideEditButtons(view);
+			this.addStrictLockButton(view, path);
+		} else if (isLocked && this.settings.preventEditInLockedNotes) {
+			this.hideEditButtons(view);
+			this.removeStrictLockButton(view);
 		} else {
-			const container = view.containerEl;
-			const editBtns = container.querySelectorAll('.view-action');
-			editBtns.forEach(btn => {
-				if (btn instanceof HTMLElement) {
-					if (btn.getAttribute('aria-label')?.includes('Edit') ||
-						btn.getAttribute('aria-label')?.includes('edit') ||
-						btn.querySelector('.lucide-pencil')) {
-						btn.style.display = '';
-					}
-				}
-			});
-			const lockBtn = container.querySelector('.note-locker-strict-btn');
-			if (lockBtn) lockBtn.remove();
+			this.showEditButtons(view);
+			this.removeStrictLockButton(view);
 		}
 	}
 
+	private hideEditButtons(view: MarkdownView) {
+		const container = view.containerEl;
+		const allActions = container.querySelectorAll('.view-action');
+
+		allActions.forEach(btn => {
+			if (btn instanceof HTMLElement) {
+				const ariaLabel = btn.getAttribute('aria-label') || '';
+				const hasPencilIcon = !!btn.querySelector('.lucide-pencil');
+
+				if (hasPencilIcon || ariaLabel.includes('Edit') || ariaLabel.includes('edit') || ariaLabel.includes('Switch to editing')) {
+					btn.style.display = 'none';
+				}
+			}
+		});
+	}
+
+	private showEditButtons(view: MarkdownView) {
+		const container = view.containerEl;
+		const editBtns = container.querySelectorAll('.view-action');
+		editBtns.forEach(btn => {
+			if (btn instanceof HTMLElement) {
+				if (btn.getAttribute('aria-label')?.includes('Edit') ||
+					btn.getAttribute('aria-label')?.includes('edit') ||
+					btn.querySelector('.lucide-pencil')) {
+					btn.style.display = '';
+				}
+			}
+		});
+	}
+
+	private addStrictLockButton(view: MarkdownView, path: string) {
+		const container = view.containerEl;
+		let lockBtn = container.querySelector('.note-locker-strict-btn');
+		if (!lockBtn) {
+			lockBtn = document.createElement('div');
+			lockBtn.addClass('view-action', 'clickable-icon', 'note-locker-strict-btn');
+			lockBtn.setAttribute('aria-label', 'Strictly Locked');
+			lockBtn.innerHTML = '<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="svg-icon lucide-lock"><rect x="3" y="11" width="18" height="11" rx="2" ry="2"></rect><path d="M7 11V7a5 5 0 0 1 10 0v4"></path></svg>';
+
+			lockBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
+				new StrictUnlockModal(this.app, () => {
+					this.toggleStrictLock(path);
+				}).open();
+			});
+
+			const actionsContainer = container.querySelector('.view-actions');
+			if (actionsContainer) {
+				actionsContainer.prepend(lockBtn);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	private removeStrictLockButton(view: MarkdownView) {
+		const container = view.containerEl;
+		const lockBtn = container.querySelector('.note-locker-strict-btn');
+		if (lockBtn) lockBtn.remove();
+	}
+
+
 	async loadSettings() {
 		const loaded = await this.loadData();
 		if (loaded) {
diff --git a/src/models/types.ts b/src/models/types.ts
index d4dc261..ffe6fd2 100644
--- a/src/models/types.ts
+++ b/src/models/types.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ export interface NoteLockerSettings {
 	showFileExplorerIcons: boolean;
 	showStatusBarButton: boolean;
 	showNotifications: boolean;
+	preventEditInLockedNotes: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_SETTINGS: NoteLockerSettings = {
@@ -17,5 +18,6 @@ export const DEFAULT_SETTINGS: NoteLockerSettings = {
 	desktopNotificationMaxLength: 22,
 	showFileExplorerIcons: true,
 	showStatusBarButton: true,
-	showNotifications: true
+	showNotifications: true,
+	preventEditInLockedNotes: false
 };
diff --git a/src/settings.ts b/src/settings.ts
index 7b8e626..9c1c592 100644
--- a/src/settings.ts
+++ b/src/settings.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { App, Platform, PluginSettingTab, Setting } from "obsidian";
+import { App, Platform, PluginSettingTab, Setting, MarkdownView } from "obsidian";
 import type NoteLockerPlugin from "./main";
 
 export class NoteLockerSettingTab extends PluginSettingTab {
@@ -41,6 +41,21 @@ export class NoteLockerSettingTab extends PluginSettingTab {
 					await this.plugin.saveSettings();
 				}));
 
+		new Setting(containerEl)
+			.setName('Prevent editing in locked notes')
+			.setDesc('If enabled, normally locked notes will be read-only. If disabled, you can switch to edit mode.')
+			.addToggle(toggle => toggle
+				.setValue(this.plugin.settings.preventEditInLockedNotes)
+				.onChange(async (value) => {
+					this.plugin.settings.preventEditInLockedNotes = value;
+					await this.plugin.saveSettings();
+					this.plugin.app.workspace.iterateAllLeaves((leaf) => {
+						if (leaf.view instanceof MarkdownView && leaf.view.file) {
+							this.plugin.updateLeafMode(leaf);
+						}
+					});
+				}));
+
 		const mobileNotificationSetting = new Setting(containerEl)
 			.setName('Mobile notification max length')
 			.setDesc('Maximum length of file names in notifications on mobile devices')