excel tutorialPassword Protection
This chapter teaches you how to password protect an Excel workbook or worksheet, and how to lock cells.
Password Protect a Workbook
You can password protect a workbook when you want to be sure that only people who know the password can open your Excel file.
1. Open the workbook you want to protect.
2. Click on the green File tab and click on Save As.
3. Click on the Tools button and select General Options.
4. In the Password to open box, enter a password and click on OK.
5. Reenter the password and click on OK.
Note: this feature also encrypts your Excel file. If you lose or forget the password, it cannot be recovered.
6. Click on Save.
Your workbook is protected now.
Password Protect a Worksheet
When you share a file with other users, you may want to protect a worksheet to help prevent it from being changed.
1. Right click on the worksheet tab of the worksheet you want to protect.
2. Click on Protect Sheet...
3. Enter a password.
4. Check the actions you allow the users of your worksheet to perform.
5. Click on OK.
6. Confirm the password and click on OK.
Your worksheet is protected now.
Note: to unprotect a worksheet, right click on the worksheet tab again and click on Unprotect Sheet..
Lock Cells
You can lock cells in Excel if you want to protect certain cells from being edited. Execute the following steps to lock cell A2.
Important: by default, all cells are locked. However, locking cells has no effect until you protect the worksheet. So when you protect a worksheet, all your cells (=worksheet) will be locked. As a result, if you want to lock certain cells, you have to unlock all cells first, next lock certain cells, and finally protect the sheet.
1. Select all cells.
2. Right click and then click Format Cells...
3. On the Protection tab, uncheck the Locked checkbox, and click OK.
4. Now, right click on cell A2.
5. Click Format Cells...
6. On the Protection tab, check the Locked checkbox, and click OK.
Also see the note: Locking cells or hiding formulas has no effect until you protect the worksheet.
7. So now protect the worksheet.
Cell A2 is locked now.
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