Fix Protected Excel Sheet That Allows Fill Color but Not Font Color in WPS Office
Question details
A protected worksheet lets users edit unlocked cells and change fill color, but font color changes are no longer available; the user needs to restore font color formatting permission.
- Product
- WPS Office Spreadsheet / Microsoft Excel worksheets
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The user manages a protected worksheet where unlocked cells should remain editable and formattable.
- Observed behavior
- Users can change fill color on the protected sheet, but the font color option is disabled or does not apply.
Open the workbook in WPS Office Spreadsheet and make sure you have the sheet password or owner permission to unprotect and re-protect the sheet. If formatting permission changes do not help, check whether Windows High Contrast mode is affecting color display.
Re-protect the Sheet with Format Cells Permission Enabled
Use this when the worksheet protection settings have changed or the Format cells permission was not selected, which blocks font color changes but can still allow fill color.
Sheet protection permissions in WPS Office Spreadsheet can vary for actions such as editing and formatting. If another permission is still allowing the fill action, font color may remain restricted until you reapply protection with Format cells enabled.
Open the workbook in WPS Office Spreadsheet, go to the Review tab, and click Unprotect Sheet. Enter the password if prompted.
Select the cells that users should edit, right-click, choose Format Cells, and on the Protection tab clear Locked if those cells should remain unlocked.
On the Review tab, click Protect Sheet.
In the Protect Sheet dialog, check Format cells so users can change font color and other cell formatting. Also confirm unlocked cell editing permissions are selected.
Set a password if needed, click OK, then test the font color change on an unlocked cell.
Turn Off Windows High Contrast Mode
Use this if colors are displayed incorrectly or the font color picker still appears unavailable even after protection permissions are corrected.
Fix Worksheet Protection Permissions in WPS Office Spreadsheet
Open the protected worksheet in WPS Office Spreadsheet, unprotect it, enable Format cells in the Protect Sheet dialog, and reapply protection so font color changes work again on unlocked cells.
- 1. Open the workbook: In WPS Office Spreadsheet, open the protected .xlsx or .xls workbook.
- 2. Unprotect the sheet: Go to Review > Unprotect Sheet and enter the password if required.
- 3. Protect with formatting allowed: Select Review > Protect Sheet and check Format cells in the permissions list.
- 4. Apply and test: Click OK, then select an unlocked cell and confirm the font color control is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can I change fill color but not font color on a protected Excel sheet?
The sheet protection permission for Format cells is likely not enabled, or the font color command is being restricted by the current protection settings. Unprotect the sheet, re-protect it, and check Format cells.
How do I allow users to change font color on a protected sheet in WPS Office?
In WPS Office Spreadsheet, go to Review > Unprotect Sheet, then go to Review > Protect Sheet, check Format cells, set a password if needed, and click OK.
Does WPS Office open password-protected Excel sheets?
Yes. WPS Office Spreadsheet can open password-protected .xlsx and .xls workbooks. You must enter the correct password to unprotect a sheet before changing protection settings.
What should I do if the font color is not displayed correctly even after changing permissions?
Check Windows High Contrast mode. Open Windows Settings, go to Ease of Access or Accessibility, select High Contrast, turn it off, and then reopen the workbook.
Do I need Microsoft Excel to fix protected sheet formatting permissions?
No. You can use WPS Office Spreadsheet to unprotect a sheet, adjust the Format cells permission, and reapply protection while preserving compatibility with Microsoft Excel files.
