Protect All Cells With Formulas Using Macros In Excel

We usually have a lot of cells with formulas in our worksheets. Wanted to protect these separately? You can protect all cells with formulas using Excel Macros! Make sure your Excel has the Developer Tab enabled following this tutorial.

I explain how you can do this below step by step!

Key Takeaways

• Secure Your Calculations – Locking formula cells prevents accidental edits that could break your calculations.

• Macros Save Time – A macro can automatically identify and protect all formula cells in a worksheet.

• Leave Input Cells Editable – Only formula cells are locked, allowing users to change inputs without affecting formulas.

• Effortless Sheet Protection – The macro enables sheet protection in one step, applying it consistently.

• Ideal for Shared Files – Protecting formula cells is crucial when multiple users handle the same Excel file.

Quick Overview

What does it do?

Locks all of the cells with formulas

Copy Source Code:

Sub ProtectAllCellsWithFormulas()

'Lock all of the cells with formulas in one go
With ActiveSheet
.Unprotect
.Cells.Locked = False
.Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeFormulas).Locked = True
.Protect AllowDeletingRows:=True
End With

End Sub

Final Result: 

These are our cells with formulas:

STEP 1: Go to Developer > Code > Visual Basic

 

STEP 2: Paste in your code and Select Save. Close the window afterwards.

 

STEP 3: Let us test it out!

Open the sheet containing the data. Go to Developer > Code > Macros

 

Make sure your macro is selected. Click Run.

 

With just one click, all of the cells with formulas are now protected!

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I protect formula cells in Excel?
To prevent accidental or intentional changes that can disrupt calculations or data integrity.

Can I still allow users to enter data while protecting formulas?
Yes, you can protect only the cells with formulas while keeping input cells unlocked for editing.

Do I need a password to protect the sheet with a macro?
No, but adding a password is optional and helps prevent unauthorized changes to protected cells.

Will the macro affect my existing formatting or data?
No, it only changes the protection settings of cells with formulas, leaving formatting and content intact.

Can I unprotect the sheet later if needed?
Yes, you can easily unprotect the sheet manually or with another macro, especially if you used a password.