Key Takeaways : Excel spreadsheets can be protected by Edit Ranges, Sheet Protection, Workbook Protection, File Modify Password, VBA Project Password, and File Open Password.

Open the spreadsheet you want to protect in Excel, click the "Review" tab and then click "Protect Sheet" in the Changes group to display the Protect Sheet dialog.

If you have sensitive data you'd like to keep from prying eyes in a Microsoft Excel file, the easiest way to protect it is with Excel's built-in password tools.

You can have Excel make a spreadsheet in read only format for others, so that people can read its contents but not edit them, or you can enforce other content restrictions.