Protect content in a spreadsheet

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Tips

If you have sensitive content in a spreadsheet, you can restrict people from updating it. Users can then see which content is protected by clicking Viewand thenProtected ranges. A striped background appears over protected cells. Or, instead, you can just show a warning when someone tries to update certain content. If users try to enter content in a protected cell, they get the warning message, and can proceed or not.

Note: Even if you protect content, people can still print, copy, paste, import, and export copies of it.

Protect content in a sheet""

  1. In Sheets, open a spreadsheet.
  2. Click Dataand thenProtected sheets and ranges.
    A box opens on the right.
  3. If you want to protect a range of content:
    1. Click Range.
    2. Click Select data range Select data range.
    3. In the spreadsheet, highlight the range you want to protect and click Ok.
  4. If you want to protect the whole sheet:
    1. Click Sheet.
    2. If you have several sheets, click the Down arrow""and select the sheet you want to protect.
  5. (Optional) To unprotect cells in a protected sheet:
    1. Check the Except certain cells box.
    2. Click Select data range Select data range.
    3. In the spreadsheet, highlight the range you want to unprotect and click Ok.
  6. Click Set permissions or Change permissions.
  7. If you want to restrict people from updating content, click Restrict who can edit this rangeand thenthe Down arrow""and choose an option:
    • Only you: Only you (and the owner if you’re not the owner) can edit the range or sheet.
    • Only domain: If you use Google Sheets for work or school, only people in your domain can edit the range or sheet. This option only appears when everyone in your domain can edit the spreadsheet.
    • Custom: Only the people you choose can edit the range or sheet.
    • Copy permissions from another range: Reuse the same permissions you set up on a different set of cells or sheet.
  8. If you want to show a warning when someone tries to update content, click Show a warning when editing this rangeand thenDone.
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