How to Protect an Excel Worksheet

Protect worksheet elements

1. Select the worksheet that you want to protect.

2. To unlock any cells or ranges that you want other users to be able to change, do the following:

   1. Select each cell or range that you want to unlock.

   2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format, and then click Format Cells.

      

   3. On the Protection tab, clear the Locked check box, and then click OK.

3. To hide any formulas that you do not want to be visible, do the following:

   1. In the worksheet, select the cells that contain the formulas that you want to hide.

   2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format, and then click Format Cells.

   3. On the Protection tab, select the Hidden check box, and then click OK.

4. To unlock any graphic objects (such as pictures, clip art, shapes, or Smart Art graphics) that you want users to be able to change, do the following:

   1. Hold down CTRL and then click each graphic object that you want to unlock.

      This displays the Picture Tools or Drawing Tools, adding the Format tab.

      Tip You can also use the Go To command to quickly select all the graphic objects in a worksheet. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Find & Select, and then click Go To. Click Special, and then click Objects.

   2. On the Format tab, in the Size group, click the Dialog Box Launcher next to Size.

   3. On the Properties tab, clear the Locked check box, and if present, clear the Lock text check box.

      Note You do not need to unlock buttons or controls for users to be able to click and use them. You can unlock embedded charts, text boxes, and other objects created with the drawing tools that you want users to be able to modify.

5. On the Review tab, in the Changes group, click Protect Sheet.

   

6. In the Allow all users of this worksheet to list, select the elements that you want users to be able to change.

   More information about the elements that you can select

   Worksheet elements

   Clear this check box	To prevent users from
   Select locked cells	Moving the pointer to cells for which the Locked check box is selected on the Protection tab of the Format Cells dialog box. By default, users are allowed to select locked cells.
   Select unlocked cells	Moving the pointer to cells for which the Locked check box is cleared on the Protection tab of the Format Cells dialog box. By default, users can select unlocked cells, and they can press the TAB key to move between the unlocked cells on a protected worksheet.
   Format cells	Changing any of the options in the Format Cells or Conditional Formatting dialog boxes. If you applied conditional formats before you protected the worksheet, the formatting continues to change when a user enters a value that satisfies a different condition.
   Format columns	Using any of the column formatting commands, including changing column width or hiding columns (Home tab, Cells group, Format button).
   Format rows	Using any of the row formatting commands, including changing row height or hiding rows (Home tab, Cells group, Format button).
   Insert columns	Inserting columns.
   Insert rows	Inserting rows.
   Insert hyperlinks	Inserting new hyperlinks, even in unlocked cells.
   Delete columns	Deleting columns. Note If Delete columns is protected and Insert columns is not also protected, a user can insert columns that he or she cannot delete.
   Delete rows	Deleting rows. Note If Delete rows is protected and Insert rows is not also protected, a user can insert rows that he or she cannot delete.
   Sort	Using any commands to sort data (Data tab, Sort & Filter group). Note Users can't sort ranges that contain locked cells on a protected worksheet, regardless of this setting.
   Use AutoFilter	Using the drop-down arrows to change the filter on ranges when AutoFilters are applied. Note Users cannot apply or remove AutoFilters on a protected worksheet, regardless of this setting.
   Use PivotTable reports	Formatting, changing the layout, refreshing, or otherwise modifying PivotTable reports, or creating new reports.
   Edit objects	Doing the any of the following: Making changes to graphic objects including maps, embedded charts, shapes, text boxes, and controls that you did not unlock before you protected the worksheet. For example, if a worksheet has a button that runs a macro, you can click the button to run the macro, but you cannot delete the button. Making any changes, such as formatting, to an embedded chart. The chart continues to be updated when you change its source data. Adding or editing comments.
   Edit scenarios	Viewing scenarios that you have hidden, making changes to scenarios that you have prevented changes to, and deleting these scenarios. Users can change the values in the changing cells, if the cells are not protected, and add new scenarios.

   Chart sheet elements

   Select this check box	To prevent users from
   Contents	Making changes to items that are part of the chart, such as data series, axes, and legends. The chart continues to reflect changes made to its source data.
   Objects	Making changes to graphic objects—including shapes, text boxes, and controls—unless you unlock the objects before you protect the chart sheet.

7. In the Password to unprotect sheet box, type a password for the sheet, click OK, and then retype the password to confirm it.

   Note The password is optional. If you do not supply a password, then any user can unprotect the sheet and change the protected elements. Make sure that you choose a password that is easy to remember, because if you lose the password, you cannot gain access to the protected elements on the worksheet.