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How to make specific cells unselectable in Excel?

Author Siluvia Last modified

In many cases, you make need to protect some specific cells from editing even selecting in a worksheet. In this article, we will show you how to make specific cells unselectable in a worksheet in details.

Make specific cells unselectable with Excel build-in functions

Make specific cells unselectable with Excel build-in functions

Please do as follows to make specific cells unselectable in an Excel worksheet.

1. Click the select all button button at the top left corner of worksheet to select all cells. Then press the Ctrl + 1 keys simultaneously to open the Format Cells dialog box.

2. In the Format Cells dialog box, go to the Protection tab, uncheck the Locked box, and then click the OK button. See screenshot:

uncheck the Locked box in the dialog box

3. Now you need to only select the specific cells which you don’t want to be selected, then press the Ctrl + 1 keys to open the Format Cells dialog box again.

4. In the Format Cells dialog box, check the Locked box under the Protection tab, and then click the OK button.

check the Locked box under the Protection tab in the dialog box

5. Now please protect your worksheet by clicking Review > Protect Sheet. See screenshot:

click Review > Protect Sheet

6. In the Protect Sheet dialog box, specify a password to protect the worksheet, uncheck the Select locked cells box, and then click the OK button. Go ahead to confirm your password in the Confirm Password dialog box, and click the OK button. See screenshot:

type and retype the password

Now the worksheet is protected, and the specific cells in this worksheet are unselectable.

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