How to lock cells in Google Sheets
Learn how to lock cells, ranges, or entire sheets in Google Sheets so collaborators can view data without accidentally editing it.
Quick answer
Select the cell or range you want to protect, right-click, and choose Protect range from the menu. Set permissions in the sidebar to restrict editing to yourself or specific people, then click Done. You can also protect entire sheets via Data > Protected sheets and ranges.
Steps at a glance
- Select the cell, range, or sheet you want to lock.
- Right-click and choose "Protect range" from the menu.
- Click "Set permissions" to choose who can edit.
- Select "Restrict who can edit this range" and add people.
- Click Done to save your protection settings.
- Repeat for other sheets or ranges as needed.
Summary
Locking cells in Google Sheets prevents collaborators from changing formulas, headers, or data you want to keep intact while still letting them view or copy the sheet. It's a free feature available to anyone with an editor's Google account, making it useful for shared budgets, templates, and team trackers.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1
Select the cells you want to protect
Open your spreadsheet and highlight the specific cell, row, column, or range you want to lock. You can select a single cell, a block of cells, or an entire tab depending on what needs protecting.
Step 2
Open the Protect range option
Right-click your selection and choose "Protect range" from the context menu, or go to Data > Protected sheets and ranges from the top menu. A sidebar will open on the right side of your screen where you can name the protected range for easy reference.
Step 3
Set permissions for the range
Click "Set permissions" inside the sidebar. Choose "Restrict who can edit this range" and select either "Only you" or "Custom" to pick specific collaborators who are allowed to make changes. This is the same permissions model used when you manage /guides/google-sheets/share-edit-access for a whole file.
Step 4
Choose to warn instead of fully restrict (optional)
If you want people to still be able to edit but see a caution first, select "Show a warning when editing this range" instead of restricting access. This is useful for cells that are usually static but occasionally need manual updates.
Step 5
Protect an entire sheet if needed
To lock a whole tab instead of a range, open the Protect sheets and ranges sidebar, click the Sheet tab, and select the sheet from the dropdown. You can still except specific cells from protection by checking "Except certain cells" and selecting the range that should stay editable.
Step 6
Save and confirm your protection
Click Done to apply the settings. Locked cells will show a light gray or hatched pattern for editors without permission, and they'll receive an alert if they try to type into a protected area.
Step 7
Test the lock and communicate with your team
Ask a collaborator to try editing the protected range to confirm it works as expected. If you need to explain why a section is locked, leave a note using /guides/google-sheets/add-a-comment on the relevant cell so teammates understand the restriction.
Why this matters
You share a budget or project tracker with your team, but someone keeps overwriting formulas or header labels by mistake. Locking those cells lets everyone view and enter their own data while protecting the parts of the sheet that keep calculations and structure working correctly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I lock cells in Google Sheets on the free plan?
Yes, protecting ranges and sheets is a standard feature available to every Google account with no premium subscription required.
Does locking cells stop people from copying the data?
No, protection only prevents editing within Sheets itself. Anyone with view access can still copy, print, or export the data, so it shouldn't be treated as a full security measure.
Can I lock cells from the Google Sheets mobile app?
The mobile app has limited protection controls. It's best to set up range or sheet protection from a desktop browser first, then the mobile app will respect those existing permissions.
Will locking cells break existing formulas or shortcuts?
No, locked cells keep working normally for formulas and calculations. Protection only restricts manual edits, so formulas referencing locked cells continue to update as usual.
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