How to Lock Or Unlock Cells in Excel or a protected worksheet

Table of Contents

How to lock or unlock cells in Excel?

In Microsoft Excel 2007 or later version, we want to protect few cells only in a worksheet, then how to do it? Solution: There are two situations to lock cells in excel depending on these reasons.

If You Want the Majority of Cells Locked
If You Want the Majority of Cells Unlocked

They are explained as follows:-

A. If You Want the Majority of Cells Locked:

Select the cells that you want to remain unprotected. To select nonadjacent (non-contiguous) cells, hold down CTRL and click the cells that are to remain unprotected.

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On Excel 2007 or later, make right click on any selected cell and select FORMAT-CELL, and then click Protection

Click to clear the Locked check box and click OK.

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In Excel 2007 or later, click the Review tab, and click Protect Type a password if you want one, and then click OK.

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B. If You Want the Majority of Cells Unlocked:

To leave the majority of the cells on the worksheet unlocked, follow these steps:

Select the entire worksheet by clicking the Select All button (the gray rectangle in the upper-left corner of the worksheet where the row 1 and column A headings meet), or by pressing CTRL+A.

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On Excel 2007 or later, make right click on any selected cell and select FORMAT CELL, and then click Protection.

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Click to clear the Locked check box and click OK.

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Select the cells that you want to protect. To select nonadjacent (non-contiguous) cells, hold down CTRL and click the cells that you want to protect.

Return to the Format Cells dialog box, and then click the Protection tab. Click to select the Locked check box, and then click OK.