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How to lock or unlock cells based on values in another cell in Excel?

In some cases, you may need to lock or unlock cells based on values in another cell. For example, you need the range B1:B4 to be unlocked if cell A1 contains value “Accepting”; and to be locked if cell A1 contains value “Refusing”. How can you do to achieve it? This article can help you.

Lock or unlock cells based on values in another cell with VBA code

Lock or unlock cells based on values in another cell with VBA code

The following VBA code can help you lock or unlock cells based on value in another cell in Excel.

1. Right click the sheet tab (the sheet with cells you need to lock or unlock based on values in another cell), and click View Code from the right-clicking menu.

2. Then copy and paste the following VBA code into the Code window.

VBA code: Lock or unlock cells based on values in another cell

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
    If Range("A1") = "Accepting" Then
        Range("B1:B4").Locked = False
    ElseIf Range("A1") = "Refusing" Then
        Range("B1:B4").Locked = True
    End If
End Sub

3. Press the Alt + Q keys simultaneously to close the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

From now on, when you enter value “Accepting” into cell A1, the range B1:B4 is unlocked.

When entering value “Refusing” into cell A1, the specified range B1:B4 is locked automatically.

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Comments (57)
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Dorte Larsen
Dorte Larsen
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Hi
How to lock all cells with "O" in area AH4:AE370
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Monteiro
Monteiro
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How do I automatically protect a row based on a cell?
Example: if you enter a value in cell E1, it will automatically protect the cells to the left of the row, D1, C1, B1 and A1
And the same would apply to the following lines, if you enter a value in cell E2 it will automatically protect the cells to the left and so on.

Please help me.
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Monteiro
Monteiro
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I need an automatic command that whenever I put something in cell g3, g4, g5 .... it automatically protects the data in the cells on the left ...
example: if you insert data in cell g3, it will automatically protect cells F3, E3, D3, C3, B3, A3... could you help me?


Today I can only save this way by creating a button, and it is very manual and time-consuming...
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Monteiro
Monteiro     Monteiro
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there is this command that protects an entire line, but I can't think of anything to solve my case and automate the protection

If Target.Row = 1 And Target.Value <> "" Then
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Stephanie
Stephanie
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Hello, Is there any way to have this repeat down an entire sheet. I have this code entered:
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Range("X3") = "N0" Then
Range("B3:W3").Locked = False
ElseIf Range("X3") = "Yes" Then
Range("B3:W3").Locked = True
End If
End Sub

This is working fine for that row but I would like it to apply to each row as the value "Yes" is selected in column X. Is this possible and if so how do I do that? 
Thanks! 

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crystal
crystal     Stephanie
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Hi Stephanie,
Do you mean that when Yes is selected in each cell of column X, the corresponding row will be locked? When switching to No, the corresponding row will be unlocked?Or just select Yes in any cell of column X to lock all rows in the current worksheet?
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Alif
Alif     crystal
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Yes, do you know how?
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Venkat
Venkat
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I want to allow only 2 cells to edit as L after the two edits remaining cells should lock in that column can it possible ?
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crystal
crystal     Venkat
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Hi Venkat,You can see if there is an answer you need in this article.
https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/excel/3778-excel-lock-cell-after-data-entry-input.html
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Belcrai
Belcrai
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I'm using this fine to lock Cells B-D when the value in A is entered. I need this to be replicated for almost 500 rows in 8 sheets. is there a way to do this without having to type 400 lines on code? i.e. if the value in a = "accepted" then columns b-D are locked for that row only
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Maz
Maz
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The code does not do anything when I tried it. Does this work on MS Office Professional 2010?
Thanks.
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crystal
crystal     Maz
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Hi Maz,The code has been successfully tested in Excel 2010.
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Jeffrey Scott
Jeffrey Scott
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If my first column has strings can I lock that row specifically to the first column, where when I do a sort the full row will stay together on the sort?
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crystal
crystal     Jeffrey Scott
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Good day,Sorry can't help you for that.
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Steffi
Steffi
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Hello,

I need your favour. when i select No option from a cell i want the columns below to be locked/greyed out.

Is that possible? I tried this formula but dint work

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)

If Range("D90") = "Yes" Then

Range("C94:F104").Locked = False

ElseIf Range("D90") = "No" Then

Range("C94:F104").Locked = True

End If

End Sub
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crystal
crystal     Steffi
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Hi Steffi,
The code works well.
If you want to lock the range of cells to prevent editing, you need to protect the worksheet manually after selecting No option in D90.
And as D90 is in the range C94:F104, after protecting the worksheet, D90 can't be edited either.
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Mike
Mike     crystal
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D90 is not in the range. It's 4 rows above C94
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Kyle
Kyle
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I copied everything from above into a sheet. It worked for a second and now I'm getting the error 'Unable to set the Locked property of the Range class'. I even opened a whole new sheet and copied your example verbatim. Any idea whats going on?
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