If I told you that life hasn’t become a whole lot easier since Google Sheets allowed for collaboration with others, I’d be lying. But the multitude of features it offers also includes the ability to lock cells, making it impossible to adjust or edit data inside a cell without the owner’s permission.
We bet you’ve also run into trouble with this. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here to learn how to unlock a Google Sheet. Well, worry no more! We’re going to show you the easiest way to do it.
How to Change the Cell Lock Status in Google Sheets
- Open your file.
- Click on Data.
- Select Protected sheets and ranges.
- Choose the range you want to unlock.
- Click on the trash can icon.
- Click the Remove button.
Our guide continues below with additional information on unlocking ranges and sheets in Google Sheets.
Can’t see the lines around your cells? Find out where the gridlines in Google Sheets have gone to get them back.
How to Unlock Google Sheets: Step-by-Step
Whenever you come across protected Google Sheets, there’s a reason why they’re kept that way. But that doesn’t mean you never need to unlock cells and add your own numbers. Now, the question is, how are you going to unlock spreadsheet? Well, you can follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Access Protected Sheets and Ranges
First, open a sheet in your Google Drive and click on the Data option you see in the menu bar. After clicking on “Data,” you’ll see Protected sheets and ranges. Once you click on this option, the Protect sheets and ranges pane will appear on the right side, where you’ll see the list of all protected ranges or locked cells/ranges.
Step 2: Remove Protection by Clicking on the Trash Can Icon
First, choose the range/sheet/cell you want to unlock. Then, click on the trash can or delete icon you see next to the “Enter a description” area, and the cell will be unprotected.
That’s how you can unlock a protected spreadsheet. By the way, even though a Google spreadsheet and a Microsoft Excel sheet or Excel file may look somewhat the same, don’t attempt the same unlocking tactic there.
How to Lock Cells and Protect Sheets?
Well, we assume you’re done learning the “unlocking cells in Google Sheets” part now. But to unlock it, you need to know how to lock or protect the sheet first.
After all, sometimes you may need to lock a cell so that only certain people can enter their numbers and modify that locked cell. Luckily, this part has also been made easy in Google Sheets. All you have to do is:
Step 1: Open the Spreadsheet
To add cell, range, or sheet protection, first go to your Google Drive and open a sheet. Right-click on one of the specific cells in Google Sheets that you plan to lock, then click on the Protect range option.
Once the Sheets and protected ranges pane appears, click on Add a sheet or range. And if you wish, you can also enter a description for the cells you’re going to lock.
Step 2: Set Permissions
For the Range option, you’ll see the reference to the selected cell. So, if you need to lock specific cells, you’re free to modify them here. Then, click on “Set permissions”.
Step 3: Add Editors
When you see under “Range editing permissions,” there will be two options under “Restrict who can edit this range,” one of which is “only you” and the other is “Custom”. Choose the second one.
Once you’ve chosen that, you’ll see the option “Add editors:” where you need to enter the email addresses of the users you want to give editing permissions to for the locked sheet/cell/range. And then, click on “Done”. By the way, you can also revoke editing permissions for any user on the selected cells if you wish.
Since Google Sheets cannot be password-protected, this is the best way to restrict document modification and its data by random users. If you really need to password protect your Google Sheets or documents, it’s best to use third-party tools for that purpose.
Why Can’t an Imported Excel File Be Protected?
Well, you read that right. When you upload an Excel spreadsheet to Drive, you’ll find that some tools are missing for that particular document, and that includes protection tools. But is there a way to protect that spreadsheet? Of course, there is!
For that, you’ll need to convert the Excel file to a Google Sheets file first. Then, go to the File menu, where you’ll need to select the “Save as Google Sheets” option. Once you’ve done that, protecting sheets/ranges in that specific file will be a piece of cake.
How to Protect Whole Sheets in a Google Spreadsheet?
And if you want to protect the entire sheet instead of cells, well, that’s possible too. Just follow a series of simple instructions mentioned below.
Step 1: Open the Spreadsheet
Right-click on the spreadsheet tab you want to protect, then select the “Protect sheet” option. If you want to add a description, you can do so by clicking on “Sheets and protected ranges”.
Step 2: Set Permissions
The sheet option will already display the name you want to protect. If you need it, you can edit the name of the spreadsheet. At the bottom of the page, you’ll see the “Set permissions” button, click on it. Then, choose “Only you” from the options under “Restrict who can edit this range” and click “Done” to save the changes.
No matter how many sheets or entire rows you want to protect at once, it’s a piece of cake if you follow this tip.
Final Words
If you’ve made it to this part of the article, we bet you have all the information you needed on how to unlock a Google Sheet and its cells. Now, all that’s left is to open your computer and unlock each of the cells where you want to enter your numbers.
Remember, if you need more information or tips on Google Sheets and other topics related to online marketing, visit Crawlan.com. There, you’ll find a wealth of valuable information to grow your online business. Good luck with your Google Spreadsheet!
