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Excel provides an option to suggest that a workbook be opened in read-only mode, though
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this does not enforce it. To set this recommendation, click on the File tab and select Info
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Click on the Protect Workbook icon and choose Always Open Read Only from the list of options
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Save, Close, and reopen the workbook for the change to take effect
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When you open the workbook, you will see a prompt recommending read-only mode, but you
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can still opt to edit if you choose. This feature serves as a gentle nudge to encourage readers to open the workbook in
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read-only mode. When you open a workbook in read-only mode, any changes you make can't be saved
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To disable read-only mode, open the workbook and select an O when Excel asks if you want
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to open in read-only mode. Once the workbook is open, go to the File tab and choose Info
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Click on Protect Workbook and select Always Open Read Only to toggle it off, allowing
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you to save changes to the workbook as usual. You can also make a workbook read-only when saving it for the first time to demonstrate
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Open a new workbook, then save it. When the Save dialog box appears, click More Options to choose where you'd like to save
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the workbook. Next, click the Tools menu at the bottom of the Save as dialog box and select General Options
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Check the box labeled Read-only Recommended, then click Save to finalize the workbook
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Another method that can make a workbook read-only is to use the Mark as Final Excel feature
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When a workbook is marked as final, a warning message appears upon opening, suggesting it's
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for viewing only. Although users can override this setting and still edit the workbook, it serves as a strong
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indication to treat it as a completed file. A third way to prevent accidental modifications in Excel is to set the file as read-only in Windows
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First, close the workbook, then navigate to its location, right-click on the file, and
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select Properties. In the General tab, check the Read-only box, then click OK
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This sets a Windows File attribute that stops changes to the file until the Read-only setting
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is removed. Thanks for watching. If you found this helpful, don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to my channel
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