Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Locking Worksheet Names.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 14, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
If you are developing workbooks for others to use, you may want your worksheets to retain whatever names you give them. Excel normally allows users to change worksheet names, as desired. If you don't want them to change, the only way to prevent it is to lock the workbook. You can take these steps:
Figure 1. The Protect Structure and Windows dialog box.
The user can no longer make changes to the names of the worksheet tabs, nor to anything else that affects the structure of the workbook. (For instance, they cannot enter new worksheets or delete existing ones.)
If you want to protect the workbook under the control of a macro, then you can use this code:
ActiveWorkbook.Protect Password:="MyPassword", Structure:=True
All you need to do is provide a password you want to use in place of the "MyPassword" example.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6217) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Locking Worksheet Names.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
When you share a protected workbook with other people, you may not want them to get around the protection by creating a ...
Discover MoreWhen you are developing a worksheet for others to use, you might want to protect some of the information in that ...
Discover MoreWhen you first create a worksheet, all the cells in that worksheet are formatted as locked. As you unlock various cells ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2019-07-27 07:40:59
Alex B
If the concern about the sheet name changing is related to a macro using the name, you might consider using the sheets codename in the macro instead of the tab name.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Comments