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How to only allow certain values input or enter in Excel?

In Excel, we can protect cells for limiting users doing some special edit, but it cannot limit users to only input certain values. In this article, I introduce some tricks on only allowing certain values input in some cells in Excel.

Only allow certain values input with Data Validation

Only allow certain characters input with Kutools for Excel good idea3


The Data Validation function in Excel can help you to only allow certain values input in a selection.

1. Firstly, you need to enter the values you allow input in a list of cells. See screenshot:
doc only allow certain value input 1

2. Then select the cells you want to limit only the certain values input, and click Data > Data Validation. See screenshot:
doc only allow certain value input 2

3. Then, in the Data Validation dialog, under Settings tab, select List from the drop down list under Allow section, and click doc select to select the list of values you have edited in step 1 to the Source box. See screenshot:
doc only allow certain value input 3

4. Click OK. Now the selection is only allowed to input with certain values. See screenshot:
doc only allow certain value input 4

If you enter other values which are not in the list, there will be an alert pops out.
doc only allow certain value input 5


If you want to only allow certain characters input in a selection, you can try Kutools for Excel – a handy and multi-functional tool, with it Prevent Typing utility, the selection will be only allowed to enter certain characters you specify.

Kutools for Excel, with more than 300 handy Excel functions, enhance your working efficiency and save your working time.

After free installing Kutools for Excel, please do as below:

1. Select the cells you want to limit, and click Kutools > Prevent Typing > Prevent Typing. See screenshot:
doc kutools prevent typing 1

2. In the popping dialog, check Allow to type in these chars option, and enter the characters you allow input into the below text box, and check Case sensitive option. See screenshot:
doc only allow certain value input 7

3. Click Ok, and a dialog pops out to remind it will remove the Data Validation and click Yes to go to next remind dialog, and click OK to close it. See screenshot:
doc only allow certain value input 8

Now the Selection only can be allowed to type in A, B, C, D, E characters.
doc only allow certain value input 9

Tip: If you uncheck Case sensitive option, the selection can be input A, B, C, D, E, a, b, c, d, e.

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