How to prevent from changing sheet name in Excel?

In Excel, you can change the sheet name by double clicking the tab name quickly and easily, but, sometimes, you wouldn’t allow others to change the sheet name. In this case, how could you prevent from changing the sheet name in a workbook?

Prevent from changing sheet name by protecting workbook

Prevent from changing sheet name by using VBA code

Prevent from changing sheet name by protecting workbook

If you apply the Protect Workbook function, all of the sheet names will not be changed, please do as follows:

1. Click Review > Protect Workbook, see screenshot:

2. In the Protect Structure and Windows dialog box, enter the password, check the Structure under Protect workbook for, and then confirm the password again, see screenshot:

3. Then click OK button, now, when you double click to change the sheet name, a warning message will pop out to remind you the sheet name cannot be changed, see screenshot:

Note: With this feature, except changing sheet name, other functions such as inserting sheet, delete sheet, hide sheet…are disabled as well.

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Prevent from changing sheet name by using VBA code

Here is a VBA code also can help you to prevent a specific sheet name being changed. Please do as this:

1. Right click the sheet tab that you want to protect the sheet name not to be changed, and then choose View Code from the context menu, in the popped out Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window, please copy and paste the following code into the blank Module:

VBA code: Prevent from changing sheet name:

Private Sub worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Excel.Range)
'Updateby Extendoffice
If ActiveSheet.Name <> "Master" Then
ActiveSheet.Name = "Master"
End If
End Sub

Note: In the above code, Master is the sheet name which you want to protect from being changed.

2. Then save and close the code, from now on, when you rename this specific sheet name, it will be restored to the original one at once. See screenshot: