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eoreilly's avatar
eoreilly
Copper Contributor
May 02, 2025

Can I spell check an unprotected cell in a protected excel worksheet ?

I have protected a worksheet but have some unprotected cells that I would like to be able to spellcheck.

In the protect sheet dialogue box I have checked "Select unlocked cells", "Edit objects", and "Edit scenarios". Still the spellcheck is not working for my unprotected cells. Am I missing something ?

Thanks.

excel

1 Reply

  • HansVogelaar's avatar
    HansVogelaar
    MVP
    May 03, 2025

    No, spell check doesn't work in a protected sheet. You can create a macro that

    • Unprotects the sheet
    • Checks spelling
    • Protects the sheet again

    For ease of use, you can assign a keyboard shortcut and/or a Quick Access Toolbar button to the macro.

    Sub Spell_Check()
    Const pwd = "secret"
    ActiveSheet.Unprotect Password:=pwd
    Cells.CheckSpelling
    ActiveSheet.Protect Password:=pwd
End Sub

     

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