Excel Office 365 Protection Options – A Complete Guide!!
Tags: excelpreface, protectionoptionsine, exceltutorials
Published: 2020-12-03 09:57:22

---
title: Excel Office 365 Protection Options – A Complete Guide!!
published: true
date: 2020-12-02 11:09:52 UTC
tags: ExcelPreface,ProtectionoptionsinE,ExcelTutorials
canonical_url: https://geekexcel.com/excel-office-365-protection-options-a-complete-guide/
---

In this guide, we are going to explore the **Protection Options** **(Encrypt Excel File**, **Protect Workbook** , **and Protect Worksheet) in Excel Office 365** with clear-cut screenshots. Get an official version of MS Excel from the following link: **[https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-365/excel](https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-365/excel)**
## Encrypt Excel File:

**Check this too:** [Hide/Unhide Formulas When Protecting a Worksheet](https://geekexcel.com/how-to-hide-or-unhide-formulas-when-protecting-a-worksheet-in-excel/)

In Microsoft Excel, there are three types of encrypting ways available. They are the following:

- **Password to open –** This type of encryption will ask for the password while opening a workbook.
- **Password to modify – ** If you want to modify the workbook, then you must input the password.
- **Read-only recommended – ** This encryption will allow only to read the workbook file if you don’t know the password.

To do this, you need to follow the below steps.

- You need to **open an existing workbook** or [**create a workbook**](https://geekexcel.com/simple-shortcut-to-create-a-new-workbook-in-excel-365/).
- You need to **click** the **File Tab** and **select** the **Save As** option from the menu.

![Save As option](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Save-As-option.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18501">Save As option</figcaption>

- In the **Save As Dialog Box** , you need to **click** the **Tools** button and select the **General Options…** option.

![Select General Options](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Select-General-Options.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18502">Select General Options</figcaption>

- Then, it will open the **General Options Dialog Box**.
- Now, you need to enter a password in the “ **password to open** ” or “ **Password to modify** ” text box.

![Enter the Password](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Enter-the-Password.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18503">Enter the Password</figcaption>

- Then, you need to **re-enter the password** to proceed and **click** the **OK** button.

![Click the OK button](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Click-the-OK-button.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18504">Click the OK button</figcaption>

- When returning to the **Save As Dialog Box** , you need to **click** the **Save** button.
- Now, try to **reopen the above Excel workbook** , it will ask for a password so that it can continue to open.

![Password Dialog Box](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Enter.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18505">Password Dialog Box</figcaption>

- You can make your workbook in read-only format. To do that, you need to check the **Read-only recommended** option in the **General Options** Dialog Box.

![Read-only recommended](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Read-only-recommended.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18506">Read-only recommended</figcaption>

- Finally, you need to reopen the Excel file, one window will pop-out as shown in the below image.

![Prompt box](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1-5.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18507">Prompt box</figcaption>

## Protect Workbook:

In this section, we will see how to protect the workbook structure and window in Excel.

- **Protect Structure –** If this option is enabled, you cannot insert, delete, rename, move or copy, hide, unhide, and set tab color in Excel.
- **Protect window – ** This option is available in Excel 2010 and earlier versions. If you check this option, you may not able to move, resize, close the current workbook window.

You can protect your workbook by doing the below steps.

- You need to **[open the workbook](https://geekexcel.com/open-a-workbook-using-shortcut-in-excel-365/).**
- Go to the **Review tab, select** the **Protect Workbook** option under the **Protect** group.

![Protect Workbook option](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2-5.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18508">Protect Workbook option</figcaption>

- It will open the **Protect Structure and Window Dialog Box**.
- Then, you need to **enter** a **password** in the Password box.

![Protect Structure and Window Dialog Box](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/3-4.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18509">Protect Structure and Window Dialog Box</figcaption>

- You need to **re-type the password** to confirm it.

![Re-type password](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/4-4.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18510">Re-type password</figcaption>

- If you want to [unprotect](https://geekexcel.com/unprotect-multiple-worksheets-at-once-in-excel-office-365/) the workbook, **click** the **Protect Workbook** option again. Then, enter the password to unprotect it.

![Click the OK button](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/5-4.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18511">Click the OK button</figcaption>

## Protect Worksheet:

If you want to [protect the worksheets](https://geekexcel.com/protect-multiple-worksheets-at-a-time-in-excel-office-365/) in Excel, then follow the below instructions.

- On the **Review tab,** select the **Protect Sheet** option.

![Protect Sheet option](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/6-4.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18512">Protect Sheet option</figcaption>

- Then, it will display the **[Protect Sheet](https://geekexcel.com/how-to-password-protect-a-sheet-in-excel-office-365/) Dialog Box.**
- You need to **enter** the **password** and **click** the **OK** button.

![Protect Sheet Dialog Box](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/7-3.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18513">Protect Sheet Dialog Box</figcaption>

- Then, you need to **re-enter** the **password** to proceed.

![Re-type password](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/4-4.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18510">Re-type password</figcaption>

- Now, try to modify worksheet data, and see the result.

![Prompt Box](https://eadn-wc04-371788.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/8-3.png)<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18514">Prompt Box</figcaption>

**Check this too:** [Hide/Unhide Formulas When Protecting a Worksheet](https://geekexcel.com/how-to-hide-or-unhide-formulas-when-protecting-a-worksheet-in-excel/)

## Conclusion:

In the above guide, you can easily understand the **Protection Options** **(Encrypt Excel File**, **Protect Workbook** , **and Protect Worksheet) in Excel Office 365** with clear-cut screenshots. Thanks for visiting **[Geek Excel.](https://geekexcel.com/)** Keep Learning!

### Keep Reading:

- [Excel 365 Ranges and its Types ~ Easy Tutorial for Newbies!!](https://geekexcel.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=18386&action=edit)
- [Use Template in Microsoft Excel Office 365 – With Examples!!!](https://geekexcel.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=18302&action=edit)