How to lock specific cell in Excel worksheet

The problem that I was encountered when someone asking about excel is how to lock specific cells in excel, because he want to know how to secure the confidentiality if somebody wants to modify the data in a worksheet particularly for specific rows and columns. Unfortunately, he’s question didn’t yet answer when he left because I have no idea answering his problem. I used search engine to find specific answer for the problem to help him, it’s sad to say that I am computer literate but I couldn’t find the solution for that simple problem.

I guess it’s a challenge for me. So, I wrote this article because finally I found it how very simple is. Hopefully this is very helpful for someone looking the same problem. Unfortunately, I used 2007 version, I think it’s similar in 2010 version of Excel.

To start – Open Microsoft Excel. Highlight the entire worksheet or Press Ctrl + A then Right click anywhere in the worksheet and click Format Cells

After that, dialog box appear. When you not using often, the default tab is Number, switch to Protection.

When you noticed we have 2 options, Locked and Hidden. Uncheck Locked so that we can apply only specific cells security. Then OK.

Now, it looks like the example above. However, is not the end to lock specific cell. Try to type any words in your worksheet let say “Hello” anywhere in column or rows. Ok, we are going to lock only Hello in a specific cell.

Again, right click on “Hello” word and select Format as what we did in previous. Noticed, in protection tab, all option now is uncheck. Check the option Lock.

Click OK. Make sure the mouse pointing in “Hello” word. In the ribbon area, the default is Home Tab. Toggle to Review Tab and select Protect Sheet.

Now type the password you want. Note: No need to check other options, just follow the default value given. Try to change the name “Hello”.

This dialog box display read – only because you don’t have permission to change it. In order to change the value, click Review Tab and click Unprotect Sheet.

Type your password. Now you may able to modify your record.

Now, you can create your records in excel and restrict those important cells you wish to add permission.

Here is the Video Tutorial


That’s all! Hope this is very helpful.