Excel: Inspecting and Protecting Workbooks
Excel Inspecting and Protecting Workbooks

Before sharing a workbook, you'll want to make sure it doesn't include any spelling errors or information you want to keep private. Fortunately, Excel includes several tools to help finalize and protect your workbook, including the Document Inspector and Protect Workbook feature.

Optional: Download our practice workbook.

Watch the video below to learn more about inspecting and protecting workbooks.

The Document Inspector

Whenever you create or edit a workbook, certain personal information may be added to the file automatically. You can use the Document Inspector to remove this information before sharing a workbook with others.

Because some changes may be permanent, it's a good idea to save an additional copy of your workbook before using the Document Inspector to remove information.

To use the Document Inspector:

  1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view.
  2. From the Info pane, click Check for Issues, then select Inspect Document from the drop-down menu.
    3. Clicking Inspect Document
  3. You may be prompted to save your file before running the Document Inspector.
    4. Document Inspector warning
  4. Document Inspector will appear. Check or uncheck boxes, depending on the content you want to review, then click Inspect. In our example, we'll leave everything selected.
    5. Inspecting the workbook
  5. The inspection results will appear. In our example, we can see that our workbook contains comments and some personal information, so we'll click Remove All on both items to remove this information from the workbook.
    6. Removing personal information from the workbook
  6. When you're done, click Close.
    7. Closing the Document Inspector

Protecting your workbook

By default, anyone with access to your workbook will be able to open, copy, and edit its content unless you protect it. There are several ways to protect a workbook, depending on your needs.

To protect your workbook:

  1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view.
  2. From the Info pane, click the Protect Workbook command.
  3. In the drop-down menu, choose the option that best suits your needs. In our example, we'll select Mark as Final. Marking your workbook as final is a good way to discourage others from editing the workbook, while the other options give you even more control if needed.
    4. Selecting Mark as Final
  4. A dialog box will appear, prompting you to save. Click OK.
    5. Clicking OK to save the workbook
  5. Another dialog box will appear. Click OK.
    6. Clicking OK
  6. The workbook will be marked as final.
    7. A workbook marked as final
Marking a workbook as final will not prevent others from editing it. If you want to prevent people from editing it, you can use the Restrict Access option instead.

Challenge!

  • Open our practice workbook.
  • Use the Document Inspector to check the workbook and remove anything it finds.
  • Protect the workbook by Marking As Final.
  • When you're finished, your workbook should look something like this:
Inspecting and Protecting Challenge Result

Common Questions about Inspecting and Protecting Excel Files

What exactly does "Mark as Final" do?

It makes the workbook read-only and disables typing and editing commands. It serves as an alert to readers that this is the final version, but users can still click "Edit Anyway" to unlock it.

How do I put a password on my Excel file?

Go to File > Info > Protect Workbook and select Encrypt with Password. Keep in mind that if you forget this password, Microsoft cannot recover the file for you.

What kind of personal data does the Document Inspector remove?

It removes hidden metadata such as author names, company names, creation dates, hidden rows/columns, invisible objects, and comments.

Can I undo changes made by the Document Inspector?

No, changes made by the Document Inspector are permanent once you save the file. You should always create a backup copy before running the inspector and clicking "Remove All."

How do I lock only specific cells in a worksheet?

First, highlight the cells you want people to edit, right-click, select Format Cells, and uncheck "Locked" under the Protection tab. Then go to Review > Protect Sheet to lock the rest of the worksheet.

Continue to Next Lesson: Intro to PivotTables →

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