Protect a Range or Sheet in Google Sheets

If you don’t want people to change the content in a spreadsheet, you can protect it. This shouldn’t be used as a security measure. People can print, copy, paste, and import and export copies of a protected spreadsheet. Only share spreadsheets with people you trust.

  1. Click Data > Protected sheets and ranges. A box will open on the right.
  2. Click Add a sheet or range or click an existing protection to edit it.
  3. To protect a range, click Range. To protect a sheet, click Sheet
    • Range: To change or enter the range you’re protecting, click the spreadsheet icon and highlight the range in the spreadsheet
    • Sheet: Choose a sheet to protect. If you want a set of cells to be unprotected in a sheet, check the box next to Except certain cells
  4. Click Set permissions or Change permissions
  5. Choose how you want to limit editing:
    1. To show a warning when anyone makes an edit: Select Show a warning when editing this range. It doesn’t block people from editing, but they’ll see a message asking them to confirm if they really want to make an edit.
    2. To choose who can edit the range or sheet: select Restrict who can edit this range. Choose:
      1. Only you: Only you (and the owner if you’re not the owner) can edit the range or sheet.
      2. Only domain: If you use Google Sheets for work or school, only people in your domain can edit the range or sheet. This option is only available when everyone in your domain can edit the spreadsheet.
      3. Custom: Only the people you choose can edit the range or sheet.
      4. Copy permissions from another range: Reuse the same permissions you set up on a different set of cells or sheet.

  6. Click Save or Done

To see protected cells, click View > Show > Protected ranges. A striped background will appear over the cells.

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