Google Sheets
How to Lock Columns in Google Sheets? Whether you’re sharing data with other users or using it on a collaborative project, locking columns can help keep your data safe.[1]This is especially helpful when you’re working with formulas that depend on specific values.
You can protect a range of cells or sheets in Google Sheets and give editing permission to other users of your choice. You can also leave a warning message when other users try to edit the range.
Lock Cells And Give Edit Permission to Selected
Locking cells and sheets in Google Sheets can be beneficial when you need to control data and prevent human error. It can also protect formulas and important information.[2]
however, you need to know how to do this correctly. There are a few simple steps to follow.
First, you’ll want to open the spreadsheet you’d like to protect. This could be an entire sheet or just a cell range.[3]
To do this, press the Keyboard Shortcut Ctrl+1. Once you’ve selected the cells you want to protect, bring up the Format Cells pop-up window (Ctrl+Shift+F).
Next, select the protection tab and check the Locked box. Once you’ve done that, click OK.
Now, you need to choose who should be able to edit the range of cells you’ve locked. If you’d like to give anyone edit permission to the range of cells, simply type their email address in the Add editors box.[4]
Once you’ve done this, click OK again. This will lock the range of cells you’ve selected and only allow those with the correct password to edit it.
Another option is to password protect the entire sheet. This is best if you want to ensure that only people who know the password will be able to edit the sheet.
If you do this, other users who try to modify the sheet will see a warning message when they try to edit the protected cells. This will stop them from editing the cells unless they contact the owner of the sheet or the person who set up this editing restriction.[5]
This can be very useful when you’re trying to manage a large number of people who access your spreadsheet. You can also customize this level of protection with add-ons, so you have a lot of granular control over the restrictions.
Protect Entire Sheets in Google Sheets
Sometimes, you want to lock specific cells in Google Sheets so that other people cannot edit them unless they have permission. [6]This is especially useful if you share sheets with multiple users and have to make sure that their changes are not inadvertently changing the data or formatting of the sheet.
One way to do this is by using the protect sheet tool. This tool allows you to limit editing of a range of cells and also show a warning sign pop-up if someone tries to update this range.
Another option is to set up data validation criteria for these specific cells. This will help you prevent the accidental modification of these cells by showing a warning sign if people try to change them before they understand the criteria of the data validation.
You can also customize the data validation criteria to include a specific value or range of values. You can even choose a help text that will explain what the data validation criteria are.[7]
In addition to restricting the editing of specific cells in Google Sheets, you can also lock entire sheets. This can be helpful if you have a lot of sheets that are shared with various team members and you want to ensure that they cannot change the content in any way without your permission.
To do this, go to Data – Protected sheets and ranges. A box will open on the right, and a button will appear on the top ribbon. Click Add a sheet or range to begin protecting it.[8]
How to Lock Cell in Google Sheets Mobile App
If you want to keep a certain cell in Google Sheets protected from editing by other users, you can do so by locking the cell[9]. This can help to prevent people from altering important data and formulas in your spreadsheet, which can cause a lot of damage.
If someone edits a cell that you’ve locked, they’ll get a warning prompt about it. This may be annoying, but it can also be useful for preventing accidental errors from happening.
In order to lock a specific cell in Google Sheets, you need to select that cell and click the Protected Sheets & Ranges option on the document’s right-hand side. This will display a window where you can provide a description for the cell and set permissions to the range that contains it.[10]
Once the protection is complete, a padlock icon will appear on the right-hand side of the page. This means that the sheet has been protected, and anyone who tries to edit it will be prompted to unprotect the sheet or range.
You can also protect a single cell by clicking on the Cells tab and selecting the Locked option. This will prevent the cell from being edited, but you’ll be able to see the content of the cell in the worksheet.
Another way to protect a cell is by checking the Hidden checkbox. This will hide the cell from view and make it difficult to access.
A locked cell can also be protected by checking the Formula Associated with this Cell checkbox. This will hide the formula that is associated with it, making it difficult for others to edit it. [11]
There are some times when you might want to lock a specific cell in your spreadsheet. This can be a useful tool when you need to keep certain data safe from accidentally being deleted or changed.
One of the most effective ways to do this is by using a named range. This feature allows you to give a preferred name to a range of cells in your spreadsheet, making it easy to reference them and locate the specific cells you need.
Why Lock Cells in Google Sheets
You can lock columns in Google Sheets to prevent other people from making unwanted edits. This is particularly helpful when you want to share a spreadsheet with someone else or if there are important calculations in the sheet that you don’t want to be changed accidentally.[12]
In addition, you can also protect an entire sheet of cells in Google Sheets if you want to restrict editing to you or only a few people. To do this, click the Protected sheets and ranges tab on the right side of the screen.
Then, select the rows, columns, or cell range you want to lock. In some cases, you’ll need to choose adjacent cells. If so, you can use the arrow keys in conjunction with the Shift key to select them.[13]
Once you’ve selected the cells or ranges you want to protect, click on the Set permissions button. This will open a window called “Range editing permissions.”
From this window, you can choose whether to give people Edit permission for this range or not. Either way, other users will be prompted to contact you before they can make changes to the sheet.
If you’re working with large amounts of data, it can take a long time to scroll through all the worksheets in a spreadsheet and find the information you need. By locking rows and columns, this process is reduced, which can save you a lot of time.
Another benefit of locking rows and columns is that they remain visible even as you scroll down a sheet to view other rows or columns. This can be useful for comparisons, since you won’t have to scroll through the whole sheet each time you want to see the data in a particular row or column.[14]
A third reason why it’s beneficial to lock cells in Google Sheets is that it makes the spreadsheet easier to use. This can be especially helpful if you have a lot of data in your spreadsheet and you’re not sure what cell to enter the information into.
If you’re using a desktop computer, you can freeze your rows and columns with the toolbar or tab section. Alternatively, you can also use the mouse to freeze your rows and columns. Regardless of the method you choose, it is a great option to help you get your work done faster and easier.[15]
How to Lock a Single Cell
If you’re working with a large amount of data in Google Sheets, it can be useful to lock columns so that other people can’t edit them. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to do.
First, select the entire row or column that you want to protect from editing. Keeping it selected, right-click and select “Protect range.” Under the Protected sheets & ranges window, click on the set permission button. [16]Choose Only you to restrict who can edit this range under the Range editing permissions and then click Done.
After that, you’ll see that the entire range has been locked and protected from editing. If anyone tries to edit it, they’ll get a warning.
In most cases, however, the best way to lock a single cell in Google Sheets is to select it and then format it using the Protection tab. This reveals two options next to check boxes, “Locked” and “Hidden.” Uncheck the box for “Locked” to make it hidden.[17]
Another method is to select multiple cells (e.g. C5:F9 cell range) and then lock them. This is particularly helpful if you have formulas in them.
Finally, you can also choose to lock a particular range of cells on your spreadsheet. Then, you’ll need to create a rule that allows users to access the range but doesn’t let them change any of its formulas.[18]
Alternatively, you can also select cells and then use the “Go To Special” feature from the Find & Select option in the Home tab to highlight and select the cells that you want to protect.[19]
After you’ve locked a certain range of cells on your spreadsheet, you can then turn off the protection by clicking “Review” and then “Protect Sheet.” Then, enter a password to unlock it. Once you’ve done that, any user who tries to open the sheet will be asked for a password. This password can be entered multiple times and the sheet will then be protected again.[20] This is especially handy if you have a team of users who all need to have access to the same spreadsheet.
