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How to do password protect on both view and edit mode?
Hi, I am currently using Office 365 Excel and I have a worksheet that I need password-protected. I would like to add a password when in "view only" mode as well as another password to "edit" mode. I've searched on Google but couldn't find anything. Is there a way around this?
Hi Hermes,
Thank you for answering this question for me. The sheet now requires a password to view but I'm having an issue with edit access.
I sent a test run to my coworker, but when she goes to unprotect the sheet so she can edit, she is receiving an error message (I'll copy it below) even though she's entering the password correctly. Is there a way to fix this? I have also tried it on my ends and it works perfectly.
"The password you supplied is not correct. Verify that the CAPS LOCK key is off and be sure to use the correct capitalization"
4 Replies
Yes, in Excel for Office 365, you can set up a spreadsheet to have two levels of protection: one password to open it in "read-only" mode and another to allow "editing." Here's how you can do it:
Steps to Protect an Excel File with Passwords for Viewing and Editing:
1. Open the Excel file you want to protect.
2. Click on the “File” tab at the top-left corner of Excel.
3. From the left menu, click on “Info”.
4. Next, click on “Protect Workbook” and choose “Encrypt with Password”.
5. Set a password to open the file. This will be the general password used to access the workbook (in either read-only or edit mode). Click OK and confirm the password.6. Click “Save As” to save the file to your preferred location.
7. In the Save As dialog box, click on “Tools” (next to the “Save” button), and select “General Options...”.
8. In the General Options dialog box, you’ll see two password fields:
Password to open: Enter the password that will allow users to open the workbook in read-only mode.
Password to modify: Enter the password that will allow users to edit the workbook.
9. Click “OK” and confirm the passwords.10. Finally, save the workbook with the applied passwords.
Now, your file will have two levels of protection:
Password to open: Users can view the file in read-only mode.
Password to modify: Users will need this password to make any edits.
When someone tries to open the file, Excel will ask for a password. If they enter the "open" password, they will only have read-only access. To edit the file, they will need to enter the "modify" password.Hi Hermes,
Thank you for answering this question for me. The sheet now requires a password to view but I'm having an issue with edit access.
I sent a test run to my coworker, but when she goes to unprotect the sheet so she can edit, she is receiving an error message (I'll copy it below) even though she's entering the password correctly. Is there a way to fix this? I have also tried it on my ends and it works perfectly.
"The password you supplied is not correct. Verify that the CAPS LOCK key is off and be sure to use the correct capitalization"Hi aishatous
This error usually occurs due to one of the following reasons:
Worksheet Protection vs File Protection: There might be confusion between worksheet protection and file protection. If you've protected the worksheet and also set a password to open or modify the file, different passwords are required. The password to modify the file is not the same as the one used to unprotect the worksheet. Make sure your colleague is using the correct password in the appropriate place.
Regional Settings Variation: Check if your colleague is using Excel with different regional settings (like English or Portuguese), which could cause issues with entering certain password characters (e.g., special characters). If the password contains special characters, try using a password with only letters and numbers to see if the issue persists.
Different Passwords for Opening and Editing: Ensure that the password you provided to your colleague is the correct one for unprotecting the worksheet. There could be one password to open the file in view-only mode and another to unprotect the worksheet for editing. Worksheet or cell protection requires a separate password, which is entered when unprotecting the sheet.
Case Sensitivity: As the error message suggests, case sensitivity might be causing the problem. Ensure there are no issues with the "Caps Lock" key or differences in password capitalization.
If these tips don't solve the issue, an alternative is to temporarily remove the worksheet protection, send it to your colleague without the password, and then reapply the protection later. This can help identify if the problem is related to the password or the software version.
