You may want to protect your Excel worksheet while sending an Excel file to your colleagues. In this article, I’ve discussed 5 effective methods to protect an Excel workbook from editing.
How to Protect Excel Workbook from Editing: 5 Methods
1. Using ‘Open as Read-Only’ Feature to Protect Workbook from Editing
You can mark your Excel workbook as a Read-Only file. Thus, when someone else attempts to open the Excel file, it will primarily protect the workbook from editing.
This method offers the least protection for your Excel workbook. Because it doesn’t require any password to enter and edit an Excel file.
❶ At first go to the File tab.
❷ Now go to Info ➤ Protect Workbook ➤ Always Open Read-Only.
This will shift your Excel workbook to Read-Only mode.
Thus, when someone else will try to open the Excel file, it will show the following dialog box:
Hitting Yes to proceed with the Read-Only mode. But hitting No will enable editing the workbook.
Read More: Protect and Share Excel Workbook
2. Encrypting with Password to Protect Excel Workbook from Editing
This method offers powerful protection for your Excel workbook. Because it requires a password for someone to access the editing of an Excel workbook.
❶ First, go to File.
❷ Then, go to Info ➤ Protect Workbook ➤ Encrypt with Password.
❸ Now, insert a password in the Encrypt Document dialog box.
❹ After that, re-enter the password in the Confirm Password dialog box.
That’s all you need to do.
When you re-open the Excel workbook, it requires a password to insert in the Password dialog box.
3. Using Protect Workbook Structure to Protect Workbook
You can also use the Protect Workbook Structure feature.
For that,
❶ Go to File.
❷ Then, go to Info ➤ Protect Workbook ➤ Protect Workbook Structure.
❸ Insert a password in the Protect Structure and Win dialog box.
❹ Re-enter the password in the Confirm Password dialog box and hit OK.
This will encrypt your Excel workbook with a password.
If you want to unlock your Excel workbook,
❶ Just go to the Review tab.
❷ Click on Protect Workbook.
❸ Now, insert your password into the Unprotect Workbook dialog box.
❹ Then, hit OK.
This will unprotect the Excel workbook and you will have access to the editing.
4. Using Protect Workbook Command
The next way to protect an Excel workbook from editing is to use the Protect Workbook command.
For that,
❶ Just go to the Review tab.
❷ Click on Protect Workbook.
❸ Insert a password in the Protect Structure and Win dialog box.
❹ Re-enter the password in the Confirm Password dialog box and hit OK.
This will encrypt your Excel workbook with a password and protect it from editing.
If you want to unlock your Excel workbook,
❶ Just go to the Review tab.
❷ Click on Protect Workbook.
❸ Now, insert your password into the Unprotect Workbook dialog box.
❹ Then, hit OK.
This will unprotect the Excel workbook and you will have access to the editing.
Read More: [Fixed!] Protect Workbook in Excel Not Working
5. Using ‘Mark as Final’ to Protect Workbook from Editing
Another way to protect an Excel workbook from editing is to mark a version of an Excel workbook as a final copy.
Thus, when someone opens the Excel file, it will warn them that, it’s the final version and they shouldn’t edit it.
To mark an Excel workbook as a final version,
❶ Go to File first.
❷ Then, go to Info ➤ Protect Workbook ➤ Mark as Final.
❸ Then, a small dialog box will appear. Just hit OK in it.
Excel will automatically mark your Excel workbook as a final version.
When someone else tries to open the workbook, Excel will show the following warning box.
To proceed,
- Just hit OK.
If you want to edit the workbook further, just click Edit Anyway.
Then, Excel will access you to edit the workbook.
Read More: Difference Between Protect Sheet and Protect Workbook in MS Excel
Conclusion
To sum up, we have discussed 5 methods to protect an Excel workbook from editing. You are recommended to download the practice workbook attached to this article and practice all the methods. And don’t hesitate to ask any questions in the comment section below. We will try to respond to all the relevant queries ASAP.
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