How to Password Protect the Excel Workbook Structure and Windows

Applies to all Excel templates including: "Georges Budget for Excel", "Georges Excel Checkbook Register", "Georges Excel Checkbook for Mac"

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Why protect Excel workbook structure and windows

You can protect the Excel workbook structure and windows of an Excel file. By protecting the workbook structure for a particular Excel file, you can not rename the Excel worksheets, delete the Excel worksheets, move the Excel worksheets, add Excel worksheets, hide Excel worksheets, or view hidden Excel worksheets. The Protect workbook windows option prevents users from moving, resizing, or closing a workbook window, or hiding / unhiding workbook windows.

The password is optional when protecting the Excel workbook structure and / or windows but without adding a password, anyone can remove the workbook protection and make changes. There may be times in an Excel file that you want to protect the Excel workbook structure and or windows, for example in the budget spreadsheet template Georges Budget for Excel, and in the Excel checkbook software, Georges Excel Checkbook Register and Georges Excel Checkbook for Mac, the Excel workbook structure has been password protected to prevent changes such as deleting a worksheet in the Excel files.

How to protect Excel workbook structure and windows

In Excel 2007, Excel 2010, Excel 2013, Excel 2016, and Excel 2016 for Mac, to password protect an Excel workbook and windows for a particular Excel file, click the Review Tab in the Excel Ribbon, and then click Protect Workbook command button, and then in the Window that opens up, put a checkmark next to Structure and / or Windows, and then enter a password (optional), and in the next window, reenter password to confirm and then click OK.

When prompted to reenter your password, there is a note of caution from Microsoft with states: "Caution: If you lose or forget the password, it cannot be recovered. It is advisable to keep a list of passwords and their corresponding workbook and sheet names in a safe place. Remember that passwords are case-sensitive."

Also, the Protect workbook windows option is dimmed out in certain Excel versions and is only available in Excel 2007, Excel 2010, and Excel 2016 for Mac, where you can have more than one Excel file open within the same Microsoft Excel window. 

Considerations in adding passwords to Workbook structure and windows

  • If you forget or lose your Excel workbook structure and windows password, then you will not be able to access those password protected features of the Excel file. Microsoft does not recover lost Excel Workbook structure and Windows passwords. BuyExcelTemplates.com does not recover lost Excel Workbook structure and Windows passwords.
  • Complexity level of password set.
  • Who gets access to the password.
  • Why do you need a workbook structure and windows password and should you add a password. 

Additional Excel protection and security tools

In addition to password protecting an Excel Workbook structure and windows in the Excel file, there are additional ways to protect an Excel spreadsheet.

 

 

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