How to edit your proposal

Can I edit my proposal?

Yes, in many cases you can! What you can change depends on how long it’s been since you submitted and whether the client has already viewed or accepted it.

Within six hours or until the client views your proposal (whichever comes first):

You can edit the:

• • Cover letter
  • Answers to client questions
  • Profile highlights, if available (freelancers only; agencies cannot add profile highlights)
  • Attachments

After six hours or once the client has viewed your proposal (but not made an offer):

• • You can't update everything, but you can still update your terms until the client accepts or rejects your proposal, such as:
    • Hourly rate or fixed-price amount
    • Project timeline or milestones
    • Who will do the work (for fixed-price jobs only)
    • Submission format or delivery details
  • You can also boost your proposal if you didn’t originally submit the proposal with a boost. You can’t adjust a boost you’ve already submitted

Quick heads-up: You can’t let someone else log time for you on hourly contracts. That’s considered fraudulent billing and violates Upwork’s Terms of Service. But for fixed-price work, someone else can help — as long as the client agrees.

How do I edit my proposal?

1. Go to Find Work › Proposals and offers
2. Find the relevant proposal on the Active tab
3. Open the proposal and select Edit proposal. (If you’re only eligible to edit terms, that option will appear)
4. Edit and choose Save
5. If you’re already talking with the client (or interviewing), let them know you made changes — especially if you updated something like your rate or delivery timeline. That way, everyone’s on the same page, and you avoid any confusion down the line

Can I edit my proposal after the client makes an offer?

No. Once an offer is made, the terms are locked in unless the client agrees to change them, and you'll need to request changes to the offer. The same applies once you accept an offer — if a client wants to change something after you accept, you'll need to approve it. 

If the terms no longer work for you and the client won’t agree to a change, you might need to close the contract. We encourage you to try to work this out with the client first and to communicate openly about ending the contract — no surprises is always the best approach.

Note: Changing terms without client approval after they send an offer is a violation of Upwork’s Terms of Service.

Why can’t I edit my proposal?

Usually, it’s because one of these things has happened:

• • The six-hour edit window has passed (now you can only edit terms)
  • The client has already viewed your proposal (now you can only edit terms)
  • The client has already made an offer (no edits to proposals; requests for changes to an offer must be approved by the client)