To lock formulas in Excel, it needs to be achieved by protecting cells and worksheets. 1. Right-click the cell where the formula is located and select "Format Cell" > "Protect" > check "Lock". 2. If other cells need to be editable, these cells need to be unlocked in advance. 3. Click "Review" > "Protect Worksheet", set the password and select permissions to allow users to operate. 4. Optional: Authorize specific users to modify specific scopes through the "Allow users to edit areas" function. Locked cells are only effective when the worksheet is protected, so the protection steps must be completed to effectively prevent formulas from being edited.

If you want to lock a formula in Excel so it can't be edited, the key is to protect the worksheet after setting up the right protections. Excel doesn't have a direct "lock formula" button, but by using a combination of cell protection and sheet protection, you can make sure only the formula stays off-limits while other parts of the sheet remains editable if needed.

Protect the Cell Containing the Formula

By default, all cells in Excel are locked, but that lock only takes effect when the sheet is protected. So first, you need to make sure the cell with the formula is set to locked.

• Right-click the cell or range of cells with the formula
• Choose Format Cells
• Go to the Protection tab
• Make sure the Locked checkbox is checked (it usually is by default)

If you want other cells to remain editable, you'll need to unlock those cells before protecting the sheet — which brings us to the next step.

Protect the Sheet to Prevent Editing

Once the correct cells are locked, you need to protect the sheet. This is what actually prevents changes to the formula.

• Go to the Review tab
• Click Protect Sheet
• Set a password (optional but recommended)
• Choose what users can still do (like selecting cells or formatting)

With the sheet protected, any attempt to edit the locked formula cell will be blocked. If you didn't unlock other cells earlier, users won't be able to edit those either.

Optional: Allow Editing for Specific Users

If you're working in a shared environment, you might want to allow certain people to edit specific cells or ranges while keeping the formula locked.

• Go to Review > Allow Users to Edit Ranges
• Add ranges and assign users who can edit them
• You can still protect the sheet normally

This feature is especially useful for collaborative workbooks where only certain parts should be editable by specific users.

Locking a formula in Excel isn't complicated, but it does require a few careful steps. The main thing to remember is that locking a cell only works when the sheet is protected. If you're sharing the file, test the protection before sending it out — it's easy to accidentally leave a formula editable or lock down too much.

Basically that's it.

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