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Worksheet.Protect Method

Excel Developer Reference

Protects a worksheet so that it cannot be modified.

Syntax

expression.Protect(Password, DrawingObjects, Contents, Scenarios, UserInterfaceOnly, AllowFormattingCells, AllowFormattingColumns, AllowFormattingRows, AllowInsertingColumns, AllowInsertingRows, AllowInsertingHyperlinks, AllowDeletingColumns, AllowDeletingRows, AllowSorting, AllowFiltering, AllowUsingPivotTables)

expression   A variable that represents a Worksheet object.

Parameters

Name Required/Optional Data Type Description
Password Optional Variant A string that specifies a case-sensitive password for the worksheet or workbook. If this argument is omitted, you can unprotect the worksheet or workbook without using a password. Otherwise, you must specify the password to unprotect the worksheet or workbook. If you forget the password, you cannot unprotect the worksheet or workbook.
DrawingObjects Optional Variant True to protect shapes. The default value is True.
Contents Optional Variant True to protect contents. For a chart, this protects the entire chart. For a worksheet, this protects the locked cells. The default value is True.
Scenarios Optional Variant True to protect scenarios. This argument is valid only for worksheets. The default value is True.
UserInterfaceOnly Optional Variant True to protect the user interface, but not macros. If this argument is omitted, protection applies both to macros and to the user interface.
AllowFormattingCells Optional Variant True allows the user to format any cell on a protected worksheet. The default value is False.
AllowFormattingColumns Optional Variant True allows the user to format any column on a protected worksheet. The default value is False.
AllowFormattingRows Optional Variant True allows the user to format any row on a protected. The default value is False.
AllowInsertingColumns Optional Variant True allows the user to insert columns on the protected worksheet. The default value is False.
AllowInsertingRows Optional Variant True allows the user to insert rows on the protected worksheet. The default value is False.
AllowInsertingHyperlinks Optional Variant True allows the user to insert hyperlinks on the worksheet. The default value is False.
AllowDeletingColumns Optional Variant True allows the user to delete columns on the protected worksheet, where every cell in the column to be deleted is unlocked. The default value is False.
AllowDeletingRows Optional Variant True allows the user to delete rows on the protected worksheet, where every cell in the row to be deleted is unlocked. The default value is False.
AllowSorting Optional Variant True allows the user to sort on the protected worksheet. Every cell in the sort range must be unlocked or unprotected. The default value is False.
AllowFiltering Optional Variant True allows the user to set filters on the protected worksheet. Users can change filter criteria but can not enable or disable an auto filter. Users can set filters on an existing auto filter. The default value is False.
AllowUsingPivotTables Optional Variant True allows the user to use pivot table reports on the protected worksheet. The default value is False.

Remarks

If changes wanted to be made to a protected worksheet, it is possible to use the Protect method on a protected worksheet if the password is supplied. Also, another method would be to unprotect the worksheet, make the necessary changes, and then protect the worksheet again.

Bb179210.vs_note(en-us,office.12).gif  Note
'Unprotected' means the cell may be locked (Format Cells dialog box) but is included in a range defined in the Allow Users to Edit Ranges dialog box, and the user has unprotected the range with a password or been validated via NT permissions.

See Also