---
schema_version: "1"
id: 804f88baa2ff7c658dc23d443c031632520a776a90c57ac5543c2702342c3476
title: Protected Components in Managed Packages
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/platform-pkg-exchange/managed_packaging/guides/first-generation/packaging-protected-components.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/pkg1-dev/guide/packaging-protected-components.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 7fdf19af476e7f0968bb47d62b5314c3f25a48d93a98655909e7466d6ea6d5a6
products:
  - First-Generation Managed Packaging Developer Guide
  - merged-docs
---

# Protected Components in Managed Packages

Developers can mark certain components as protected. Protected components can’t be linked to or referenced by components created in a subscriber org. A developer can delete a protected component in a future release without worrying about failing installations. However, after a component is marked as unprotected and is released globally, the developer can’t delete it.

Developers can mark these components as protected in managed packages.

- Custom labels
- Custom links (for Home page only)
- Custom metadata types
- Custom objects
- Custom permissions
- Custom settings
- Workflow alerts
- Workflow field updates
- Workflow outbound messages
- Workflow tasks

## Considerations for Protected Custom Objects in Subscriber Sandboxes

When a subscriber creates either a full or partial sandbox copy using a template, protected custom objects don’t display in the list of objects to copy. As a result, data contained in the records of protected custom objects isn’t copied to these sandboxes. If a full sandbox is created without selecting a sandbox template, data from protected custom objects is copied to the sandbox.

**See Also**

- [Hide Custom Objects and Custom Permissions in Your Subscribers' Orgs](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.pkg1_dev.meta/pkg1_dev/fma_hide_custom_objects_permissions.htm)