Protect Certain Cells in Excel (lock some, leave the rest open)

The usual case: you want most of the sheet editable and only a few cells (formulas, headings) protected. The trick is that Excel starts with every cell locked, so you reverse it.

Steps

1. Click the corner triangle to select the whole sheet.
2. Press Ctrl + 1 › Protection tab › untick Locked › OK. Now nothing is locked.
3. Select the cells to protect. To grab every formula at once: F5 › Special › Formulas › OK.
4. Ctrl + 1 › Protection › tick Locked › OK.
5. Review › Protect Sheet › password optional › OK.

Check it worked

Type in a formula cell — refused. Type in any other cell — fine.

Also hide the formulas

In step 4 tick Hidden too. Protected formula cells then show the result but the formula bar stays blank.

Let people format but not change values

In the Protect Sheet dialog tick Format cells, Format columns, Format rows.

Different people, different cells

Review › Allow Edit Ranges lets you give each range its own password before protecting the sheet.

Undo it all

Review › Unprotect Sheet.

Common mistake

Skipping step 1–2. Then protecting locks the whole sheet and nobody can type anywhere.