Microsoft KB Archive/100618

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XL: How to Lock Individual Cells in a Worksheet

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 7.0, 7.0a
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.x, 4x, 5.x
 * Microsoft Excel for OS/2, version 3.0
 * Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.0a

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SUMMARY
To lock individual cells in a Microsoft Excel worksheet, use one of the appropriate following procedures. The procedure to use depends on whether you want the majority of the cells on the worksheet to remain locked or unlocked.

Microsoft Excel Versions 5.0 and Later
To lock the majority of the cells on the worksheet, follow these steps:


 * 1) Select the cells that you want to remain unprotected. To select nonadjacent (noncontiguous) cells, hold down the CTRL key (on the Macintosh, hold down the COMMAND key) and click the cells that are to remain unprotected.
 * 2) On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Protection tab.
 * 3) Click to clear the Locked check box and click OK.
 * 4) On the Tools menu, point to Protection, and then click Protect Sheet. Type a password if you want one, and then click OK.

Microsoft Excel Versions 3.0 and 4.0
To lock the majority of the cells on the worksheet, follow these steps:


 * 1) Select the cells that you to remain unlocked.
 * 2) On the Format menu, click Cell Protection. Clear the Locked check box and click OK.
 * 3) On the Options menu, click Protect Document. If you want, enter a password. (A password is optional.) Click OK.

By default, the Locked option is selected for all cells. Any cells for which you have not cleared the option are locked when you protect the document.

Microsoft Excel Versions 5.0 and Later
To leave the majority of the cells on the worksheet unlocked, follow these steps:


 * 1) Select the entire worksheet by clicking Select All (to the left of the column headings) or by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR.
 * 2) On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Protection tab. Click to clear the Locked check box and click OK.
 * 3) Select the cells that you want to protect. To select nonadjacent cells, hold down the CTRL key (on the Macintosh, hold down the COMMAND key) and click the cells that you want to protect.
 * 4) On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Protection tab. Click to select the Locked check box, and then click OK.
 * 5) On the Tools menu, point to Protection, and then click Protect Sheet. Type a password if you want one, and then click OK.

Microsoft Excel Versions 3.0 and 4.0
To leave the majority of the cells on the worksheet unlocked, follow these steps:


 * 1) Select the entire worksheet by clicking Select All (to the left of the column headings) or by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR.
 * 2) On the Format menu, click Style, and then click Define.
 * 3) In the Style dialog box, click Protection. Clear the Locked option and click OK twice.
 * 4) Select the cells you want to lock and click Cell Protection on the Format menu.
 * 5) Click to select the Locked check box and click OK.
 * 6) On the Options menu, click Protect Document. Type a password if you want, and then click OK.