Make an Excel Workbook Viewable but Password-Protected for Editing in WPS Office
Question details
User wants to allow anyone to open and read an Excel workbook while requiring a password to make changes.
- Product
- WPS Office Spreadsheet
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Sharing a workbook that should remain viewable to everyone but editable only by users with the modification password.
- Observed behavior
- After saving, the workbook opens read-only without a password, and users must enter the specified password to edit and save changes.
Open the workbook in WPS Office Spreadsheet and decide on the editing password you want to set. Use Save As to create or overwrite the protected file in an Excel-compatible format such as .xlsx.
Set a Password to Modify in Save As > Tools > General Options
Use this method when you want anyone to open and read the workbook but only authorized users to edit it.
The General Options dialog controls both the password to open and the password to modify. Leaving the first field blank keeps the file viewable; setting the second field enforces editing protection when the file is saved in the Excel-compatible .xlsx format.
Open the workbook in WPS Office Spreadsheet, click the Menu button in the top-left corner, and choose Save As to open the Save As dialog.
In the Save As dialog, click the Tools button near the Save and Cancel buttons, then select General Options from the drop-down list.
In the General Options dialog, leave the "Password to open" field empty so anyone can view the workbook.
Type a password in the "Password to modify" field, click OK, re-enter the password in the confirmation dialog, and click OK again.
Click Save in the Save As dialog, confirm overwrite if prompted, then close and reopen the file to verify it opens read-only without the editing password.
Set Read-Only Editing Protection for an Excel Workbook in WPS Office
WPS Office Spreadsheet lets you set a password to modify an Excel workbook while keeping it readable, so you can share a .xlsx file that opens read-only unless the editing password is entered.
- 1. Open the workbook: Launch WPS Office Spreadsheet and open the Excel workbook you want to protect.
- 2. Open Save As: Click Menu in the top-left corner, choose Save As, and select the destination folder.
- 3. Open General Options: In the Save As dialog, click Tools and choose General Options.
- 4. Set the editing password: Leave Password to open blank, enter a password in Password to modify, confirm it, and click OK.
- 5. Save and verify: Click Save, then reopen the workbook to confirm it opens read-only and asks for the password only when editing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove the password to modify later?
Open the workbook with the editing password, go to Menu > Save As > Tools > General Options, clear both password fields, click OK, and save over the file.
What happens if someone opens the protected workbook without the password?
They can open and read the workbook, but WPS Office or Excel opens it as read-only and prompts for the password when they try to edit or save changes.
Can I use this method on an existing .xlsx file from Microsoft Excel?
Yes. Open the .xlsx file in WPS Office Spreadsheet, use Save As > Tools > General Options, and save it as an Excel-compatible workbook.
Does setting a password to modify encrypt the workbook?
No. The password-to-modify setting restricts editing, not encryption. To encrypt the file contents, also set a password in the Password to open field in General Options.
