To prevent a user from accidentally or deliberately changing, moving, or deleting important data from a sheet or workbook, you can protect certain sheet or workbook elements, with or without a password. You can remove this protection as needed.
Caution
Passwords in Excel for Mac
and Word for Mac
have a 15-character limit. You cannot open a workbook or document that has been password protected in the Windows-based version of Excel
or Word
if the password is longer than fifteen characters. If you want to open the file in Office for Mac, ask the Windows-based author to adjust the password length.
Sheet and workbook element protection should not be confused with workbook-level password security. Element protection cannot protect a workbook from users who have malicious intent. For an additional layer of security, you should help protect your whole workbook file by using a password.
Do any of the following:
 | Protect workbook structure or window size |
You can lock the structure of a workbook, which prevents users from adding or deleting sheets or from displaying hidden sheets. You can also prevent users from changing the size or position of sheet windows. Workbook structure and window protection applies to the whole workbook.
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On the Review tab, under Protection, click Workbook.
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Do one of the following:
To | Do this |
|---|
Protect the structure of a workbook so that sheets in the workbook can't be moved, deleted, hidden, unhidden, or renamed, and new sheets can't be inserted | Select the Protect structure check box. |
Protect windows so that they are the same size and in the same position each time the workbook is opened | Select the Protect windows check box. |
Prevent others from removing workbook protection | Type a password and verify it, and then click OK. |
 | Note The password is optional.
If you do not supply a password, any user can unprotect and change the workbook. If you do enter a password, make sure that you choose a password that is easy to remember, or write it down and keep it in a safe place. If you lose the password, you cannot access the workbook. |
| Protect and share a workbook |
You can protect the shared status of a workbook and stop other users from turning off track changes.
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On the Review tab, under Share, click Share Workbook, and then click Protect and Share Workbook.
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Select the Sharing with track changes check box.
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Type an optional password. If the password field is not active, the workbook is already shared and you must unshare it before assigning a password.
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Click OK.
If prompted, save the workbook.
| Note The password is optional.
If you do not supply a password, any user can unprotect and change the workbook. If you do enter a password, make sure that you choose a password that is easy to remember, or write it down and keep it in a safe place. If you lose the password, you cannot access the workbookt. |
| Remove protection |
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Open the protected workbook.
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Do one of the following:
To remove protection from a | Do this |
|---|
Workbook | On the Review tab, under Protection, click Workbook. |
Shared workbook | On the Review tab, under Share, point to Share Workbook, and then click Unprotect Shared Workbook. |
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If prompted, type the password for the protected workbook.
If prompted about the effects on other users of removing protection, click Yes.
