Allow cells to be edited in a protected worksheet

When you protect a worksheet, all cells are locked by default, which means that they cannot be edited. To enable cells to be edited while leaving only some cells locked, you can unlock the cells and then lock only specific cells and ranges before you protect the worksheet. You can also allow specific users to edit specific ranges in a protected worksheet.What do you want to do?

Lock only specific cells and ranges in a protected worksheet

Allow specific users to edit ranges in a protected worksheet

Lock only specific cells and ranges in a protected worksheet

1. If the worksheet is protected, do the following:
   1. On the Review tab, in the Changes group, click Unprotect Sheet.

      

      Note Protect Sheet changes to Unprotect Sheet when a worksheet is protected.

   2. If prompted, type the password to unprotect the worksheet.
2. Select the entire worksheet by clicking the Select All button.

   

3. On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the Format Cell Font dialog box launcher .

   

   Keyboard shortcut You can also press CTRL+SHIFT+F or CTRL+1.

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

   Note This unlocks all of the cells on the worksheet when you protect the worksheet.

5. In the worksheet, select just the cells that you want to lock.
6. On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the Format Cell Font dialog box launcher .

   Keyboard shortcut You can also press CTRL+SHIFT+F or CTRL+1.

7. On the Protection tab, select the Locked check box, and then click OK.
8. On the Review tab, in the Changes group, click Protect Sheet.

   

9. Type a password for the worksheet.

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

Tip In the Protect Sheet dialog box, you have the option to select other elements that you want users to be able to change. For more information, see Protect worksheet or workbook elements.

Allow specific users to edit ranges in a protected worksheet

Important To give specific users access to ranges in a protected worksheet, your computer must be running Microsoft Windows XP or later, and your computer must be on a domain.

1. Select the worksheet that you want to protect.
2. On the Review tab, in the Changes group, click Allow Users to Edit Ranges.

   

   Note This command is available only when the worksheet is not protected.

3. Do one of the following:
   • To add a new editable range, click New.
   • To modify an existing editable range, select it in the Ranges unlocked by a password when sheet is protected box, and then click Modify.
   • To delete an editable range, select it in the Ranges unlocked by a password when sheet is protected box, and then click Delete.
4. In the Title box, type the name for the range that you want to unlock.
5. In the Refers to cells box, type an equal sign (=), and then type the reference of the range that you want to unlock.

   Tip You can also click the Collapse Dialog button, select the range in the worksheet, and then click the Collapse Dialog button again to return to the dialog box.

6. In the Range password box, type a password that allows access to the range.

   Note The password is optional. If you don't supply a password, then any user can edit the cells.

7. Click Permissions, and then click Add.
8. In the Enter the object names to select (examples) box, type the names of the users that you want to be able to edit the ranges.

   Tip To see how user names should be entered, click examples. To verify that the names are correct, click Check Names.

9. Click OK three times.

   Tip If prompted for a password, type the password that you specified.

10. In the Allow Users to Edit Ranges dialog box, click Protect Sheet.
11. In the Password to unprotect sheet box, type a password, click OK, and then retype the password to confirm it.

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

    Tip In the Protect Sheet dialog box, you can select other elements that you want users to be able to change. For more information, see Protect worksheet or workbook elements.

Notes:

• Users that you specify in the Permissions for range dialog box (New Range or Modify Range dialog box, Permissions button) can automatically edit the range without entering the password. All other users are prompted for the password when they try to edit the range.
• If a cell belongs to more than one range, users who are authorized to edit any of those ranges can edit the cell.
• If a user attempts to edit multiple cells at once and is authorized to edit some but not all of those cells, the user will be prompted to select and edit the cells one by one.
• If you specify ranges in the Allow Users to Edit Ranges dialog box without assigning a password, those ranges will be unlocked for all users.

See also:

• Overview of security and protection in Excel
• Protect worksheet or workbook elements