How to protect cells in Excel

Protection is vital for all things and documents. Excel allows its users to protect their documents from being editable and protect the document's original content. This excel feature only allows authorized users to re-edit the document as it may require one to enter the protection password before editing. The protection feature of excel involves pretty easy steps to lock your document; thus, it is beneficial to learn to use the feature.

Protecting All cells

1. Launch the excel application by double-clicking the Excel icon on your device.

2. Then, open or open any existing document of your device by clicking Ctrl+O.

3. Once the workbook is open, select any cell and right-click. Alternatively, press Ctrl + 1.

4. Then, on the drop-down menu, click on the format cells button.

5. Locate the Protection tab and verify whether the locked check box is checked, and then click Ok.

6. Go to Review Tab and click the Protect Sheet button.

7. On the protect sheet page, input the password that will lock your sheet and then click ok to protect the sheet.

Now all the cells within your workbook are protected. To unprotect, go to the Review tab>unprotect sheet>enter the set password.

Protecting specified cells

1. Launch the excel application by double-clicking the Excel icon on your device.

2. Then, open or open any existing document of your device by clicking Ctrl + O.

3. Right-click on any cell within the workbook. Click the format cells button.

4. Locate the Protection tab and uncheck Locked Box and then click Ok.

5. Now, select the only cells to be protected by highlighting them. Then repeat steps 3 and 4, but this time you will check the Locked Box option.

6. Go to the ribbon bar, click the review bar, protect the sheet, and then protect the sheet using a password. Click ok to save changes.

The specified cells will be protected, and they can't be edited, unlike other cells within the workbook.

Protecting Formula cells

1. Launch the excel application by double-clicking the Excel icon on your device.

2. Then, open or open any existing document of your device by clicking Ctrl+O.

3. Then select all the cells, including the ones with formulas.

4. Right-click on any cell within the workbook. Click the format cells button.

5. Locate the Protection tab and unchecked Locked Box, and then click Ok.

6. On the top ribbon, click the Home tab. Then, locate the editing section, click find & select. And then, click Go to Special.

7. Check the formulas box and click Ok.

8. Now, select the cells that contain formulas to be protected by highlighting them. Then repeat steps 4 and 5, but this time you will check the Locked Box option.

9. Go to the ribbon bar, click the review bar, protect the sheet, and then protect the sheet using a password. Click ok to save changes.

Note: all the highlighted cells that contain formulas will now be locked and protected, and to reverse this, you will have to unprotect the sheet.