Google Sheets, much like Microsoft Excel, is a fantastic tool for managing and organizing data. However, when you’re sharing your sheets with other people, especially in professional settings, it’s important to protect certain cells to prevent unauthorized changes. In this blog post, we will go through a step-by-step guide on how to protect cells in Google Sheets.
Step 1: Open Your Google Sheets Document
The first step is to open the Google Sheets document that contains the cells you want to protect. Ensure you’re logged into the Google account that has editing access to this Sheet.
Step 2: Select the Cells You Want to Protect
Next, select the cells that you want to protect. You could select a single cell, an entire row, an entire column, or even a range of cells.
For instance, if you want to select cell A1, just click on it. If you’re interested in protecting an entire row or column, click on the header.
Step 3: Right Click and Select “Protect Sheets and Ranges”
After selecting the cells, right-click on them. A drop-down menu will appear; from this menu, select “Protect sheets and ranges”.
Step 4: Set Up the Permissions
A sidebar will appear on the right side of your screen. Click on “Set Permissions”. A new window will pop up where you can select who can edit the selected cells. By default, only you (the owner of the Sheet) will have permission to edit the protected cells.
If you want to grant editing access to other individuals, click on the “+Add Editors” button and enter their email addresses. Conversely, selecting “Only you” means that nobody else except you can edit these cells.
Step 5: Click “Done”
Once everything is set, click on the “Done” button. The cells you’ve selected are now protected, and only authorized users can edit them.
Conclusion
Protecting cells in Google Sheets is a straightforward process that allows you to secure your data from unauthorized changes. It is an excellent feature for shared documents, ensuring that your collaborators only modify what they need to. So, take advantage of this feature and keep your sheets tidy and secure!
