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How to protect/lock an Excel template being overwritten with password?

General speaking, we rarely want to our Excel templates are modified and overwritten. Setting a password to protect our Excel templates can prevent our templates from being overwritten easily. In this article, I will introduce two methods to protect or lock an Excel template from being overwritten with password.

Protect/lock an Excel template being overwritten with protecting current worksheet

Protect/lock an Excel template being overwritten with open password and modify password

Quickly mass password protect multiple/all worksheets in Excel

Normally Excel's Protect Sheet feature can only protect active sheet. However, Kutools for Excel's Protect Worksheet utility enables to mass protect multiple (or all) worksheets with same password by only 2 steps.

protect multiple sheets


arrow blue right bubble Protect/lock an Excel template being overwritten with protecting current worksheet

To protect or lock an Excel template being overwritten with a password, we can apply the Protect Sheet feature in Excel. And you can do as following:
Step 1: Create a workbook, enter data and format it. Then select the cells you allow users to edit in future.

Note: You can select multiple cells with holding the Ctrl key and selecting multiple range or single cell one by one.

Step 2: Click the Anchor in the Alignment group on the Home tab, then go to the Protection tab of Format Cells dialog box, uncheck the Locked option, and click the OK button.

doc template protect by password 1

Step 3: Go ahead to click the Review > Protect Sheet.

doc template protect by password 2

Step 4: In the opening Protect Sheet dialog box, keep checking the option of Protect worksheet and contents of locked cells, next enter a password into the Password to unprotect sheet box, and click the OK button.

Step 5: Reenter the password into the coming Confirm Password dialog box, and click the OK button.

Step 6: Click the File > Save > Computer > Computer > Browse in Excel 2013, or click the File / Office Button > Save in Excel 2007 and 2010.

Step 7: In the coming Save As dialog box, enter a name for this workbook in the File name box, and click the Save as type box and select Excel Template (*.xltx) from drop down list, at last click the Save button.

doc template protect by password 5

The protection made by this method does not affect other users to apply this Excel template at all.


arrow blue right bubbleProtect/lock Excel template being overwritten with open password and modify password

There is an alternative method to protect or lock an Excel template with configuring the save options and setting open password and modify password. And you can do as following:

Step 1: Create a workbook, enter you data and format it as you need.

Step 2: Click the File > Save > Computer > Computer > Browse in Excel 2013, or click the File / Office Button > Save in Excel 2007 and 2010.

Step 3: In the coming Save As dialog box,

(1) Enter a name for this workbook in the File name box;

(2) Click the Save as type box and select Excel Template (*.xltx) from drop down list;

(3) Click the Tools > General Options.

doc template protect by password 6

Step 4: In the General Options dialog box, enter password:

  1. To set open password, please enter a password into the Password to Open box;
  2. To set modify password, please enter a password into the Password to modify box;
  3. You can set both open password and modify password together.

 

Step 5: Click the OK button in the General Options dialog box. Then the Confirm Password dialog box opens, reenter your open password or modify password into this dialog box, and click the OK button.

Note: If you set both open password and modify password together, in the first Confirm Password dialog box enter your open password and click the OK button; and in the second Confirm Password dialog box enter your modify password and click the OK button.

Step 6: Click the Save button in the Save As dialog box.

Notes:

(1) If you protect an Excel template by modify password, it won’t affect other users applying this Excel template.

(2) If you protect an Excel template by open password, it will ask for entering password when other users apply this Excel template.


arrow blue right bubbleRelated articles:

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Comments (2)
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This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Good day

I would like to enquire whether if you have a product that prevents a person from copying an Excel file to another PC or device such as a flash.
I'm looking for copy Protect, with a license key that works in the work place but will not open on any unauthorized PC.

kindly advise if Kutools or Extenda Office or any other product that has this function.

your assistance will be highly appreciated.

thank you
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi there,

Kutools for Excel has a feature called Encrypt Workbooks could help you. With this feature, after you encryted a workbook, people will have to enter a password to see the content of the workbook.

The feature is on the Kutools Plus tab, in the Security group. For more details, please check this tutorial: https://www.extendoffice.com/product/kutools-for-excel/password-protect-multiple-excel-workbooks-at-once.html

Amanda
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