How to Unlock a Sheet in Google Sheets

Do you need to unlock a protected sheet? This article will guide you through the process of removing sheet protection in Google Sheets.

Locking a sheet allows you to prevent others from editing your spreadsheet. Whether you want to grant editing permissions or make changes yourself, unlocking a sheet is essential. In this article, we will explore three methods to easily unlock your sheets: using the Data menu, the Sheets Manager add-on, and a custom app script.

Unlock a Sheet from the Data Menu

You can unlock a sheet directly from the Data menu using the following steps:

1. Open your Google Sheets document.
2. Click on the Data menu.
3. Select Protect sheets and ranges.
4. The Protected sheets and ranges dialogue box will appear on the right side of the spreadsheet.
5. Choose the name of the sheet you want to unlock.
6. Click on the Delete icon in the next window.
7. Confirm the action by clicking on the Done button.
8. Google Sheets will ask you to confirm the removal of the protected range. Click on Remove.
9. Congratulations! You have successfully unlocked the sheet.

Unlock a Sheet with the Sheet Manager Add-on

To unlock multiple sheets efficiently, you can utilize the Sheet Manager add-on:

1. Access the Extensions menu.
2. Select Add-ons and click on Get add-ons.
3. This will take you to the Google Workspace Market.
4. Search for the Sheets Manager add-on by Ablebits and click on Install.
5. Grant the necessary permissions if prompted.
6. Close the Workspace Market and return to the Extensions menu.
7. You will find the Sheets Manager add-on in the dropdown menu.
8. Click on Sheets Manager and select Start.
9. The Sheets Manager window will appear on the right side.
10. Hold down the Ctrl key to select the sheets you wish to unlock.
11. Click on the padlock icon in the menu and choose Unprotect.
12. Alternatively, you can right-click on any of the selected sheets and select Unprotect.
13. You have successfully unlocked your selected sheets.

Unlock a Sheet with an Apps Script

An alternative method is to create a custom unprotect function using an app script:

1. Open the Apps Script editor from the Extensions menu ribbon.
2. Click on Apps script.
3. Use the following script to create a custom menu ribbon called Sheets:

function sheetsUnprotect() {
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActive();
  var protections = ss.getProtections(SpreadsheetApp.ProtectionType.SHEET);
  for (var i = 0; i < protections.length; i++) {
    protections[i].remove();
  }
}

function onOpen(e) {
  SpreadsheetApp.getUi()
    .createMenu("Sheets")
    .addItem('Unprotect Sheets', 'sheetsUnprotect')
    .addToUi();
}

4. After reloading the spreadsheet, you will find the Sheets menu ribbon.
5. Click on Unprotect Sheets in the submenu.
6. This will unlock all the sheets in the spreadsheet.

Conclusion

Sheet protection is an essential feature to safeguard your data. However, there are situations where unlocking sheets becomes necessary. By following the methods mentioned in this article, you can easily remove sheet protection from your Google Sheets.

How do you usually unlock your sheet tabs? Do you have any other tips or tricks? Let us know in the comments below!

This article is brought to you by Mr Reviews, your trusted source for the latest tips and tutorials.