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Create a Google Sheet, share it & protect cells

Updated For Google Workspace

Baca dalam Bahasa Melayu

Google Sheets is a spreadsheet that runs in your browser. Your team can work in the same file at the same time, and every change is saved automatically.

Create a spreadsheet

Section titled “Create a spreadsheet”

Start a new spreadsheet from the Sheets home screen or from Google Drive.

  1. Go to sheets.google.com and click the blank spreadsheet at the top. In Google Drive, you can also click New > Google Sheets.
  2. Click Untitled spreadsheet at the top left, type a name and press Enter.
  3. Type your data. To finish a cell, press Enter or click another cell.

To keep your header row in view while you scroll, click View > Freeze > 1 row.

Share the spreadsheet

Section titled “Share the spreadsheet”

Sharing works the same way as for any Drive file. The Drive sharing guide explains each option.

  1. Click Share at the top right.
  2. Type names or email addresses in Add people, groups, spaces, and calendar events.
  3. Choose Viewer, Commenter or Editor.
  4. Click Send.

To leave a note on a cell without changing it, click the cell, then Insert > Comment.

Protect a range or sheet

Section titled “Protect a range or sheet”

Protect formulas, price lists or totals so colleagues do not change them by accident. Only the owner and Editors can set protection.

  1. Select the cells you want to protect.
  2. Click Data > Protect sheets and ranges. A panel opens on the right.
  3. Click Add a sheet or range.
  4. Choose Range to protect the cells you selected, or Sheet to protect a whole tab. For a sheet, you can tick Except certain cells to leave some cells open.
  5. Click Set permissions.
  6. Choose how strict to be:
    • Show a warning when editing this range: people can still edit, but they must confirm first.
    • Restrict who can edit this range: choose Only you, or Custom to pick the people who can edit.
  7. Click Done.

To see which cells are protected, click View > Show > Protected ranges. Protected cells get a striped background.

Remove protection

Section titled “Remove protection”

You can change or remove protection at any time.

  1. Click Data > Protect sheets and ranges.
  2. Click the protection you want to change.
  3. Click the bin icon to delete it, or Change permissions to edit it.

To build formulas or tables with AI, see Gemini in Google Sheets.

Still stuck

Section titled “Still stuck”

WhatsApp our support team at +60 16-916 3324.

Common issues

Can I put a password on a Google Sheet?

No. Google Sheets does not use passwords. Control who can open the file with Share, and use protected ranges to control who can change specific cells.

I protected a range, but a colleague can still copy the data. Why?

Protection only stops editing. Anyone who can open the spreadsheet can still view, copy, print or download it. Keep private data, such as salaries, in a separate spreadsheet shared only with the right people.

Why is Protected sheets and ranges missing from the Data menu?

You are probably working on an Excel file. Click File > Save as Google Sheets and protect the ranges in the new Google Sheets copy. See open Excel files in Google Sheets.

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