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.

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

• Worksheet Object
• Worksheet Object Members