Table of Contents
Lock Cells
You can lock cells in Excel if you want to protect cells from being edited.
Lock All Cells
By default all cells are locked. However locking cells has no effect until you protect the sheet.
1. Select all cells.
2. Right click and then click Format Cells (or press CTRL + 1).
3. On the Protection tab you can verify that all cells are locked by default.
4. Click OK or Cancel.
5. Protect the sheet.
All cells are locked now. To unprotect a worksheet right click on the worksheet tab and click Unprotect Sheet. The password for the downloadable Excel file is “easy”.
Lock Specific Cells
To lock specific cells in Excel first unlock all cells. Next lock specific cells. Finally protect the sheet.
1. Select all cells.
2. Right click and then click Format Cells (or press CTRL + 1).
3. On the Protection tab uncheck the Locked check box and click OK.
4. For example select cell A1 and cell A2.
5. Right click and then click Format Cells (or press CTRL + 1).
6. On the Protection tab check the Locked check box and click OK.
Again locking cells has no effect until you protect the worksheet.
7. Protect the sheet.
Cell A1 and cell A2 are locked now. To edit these cells you have to unprotect the sheet. The password for the downloadable Excel file is “easy”. You can still edit all other cells.
Lock Formula Cells
To lock all cells that contain formulas first unlock all cells. Next lock all formula cells. Finally protect the sheet.
1. Select all cells.
2. Right click and then click Format Cells (or press CTRL + 1).
3. On the Protection tab uncheck the Locked check box and click OK.
4. On the Home tab in the Editing group click Find & Select.
5. Click Go To Special.
6. Select Formulas and click OK.
Excel selects all formula cells.
7. Press CTRL + 1.
8. On the Protection tab check the Locked check box and click OK.
Note: if you also check the Hidden check box users cannot see the formula in the formula bar when they select cell A2 B2 C2 or D2.
Again locking cells has no effect until you protect the worksheet.
9. Protect the sheet.
All formula cells are locked now. To edit these cells you have to unprotect the sheet. The password for the downloadable Excel file is “easy”. You can still edit all other cells.
