Google Sheets lets you edit the file but blocks certain cells

Separate file access from cell protection

Start with one blocked cell address, such as C7, and the original spreadsheet link. Ask the owner which input cell you are meant to use; a calculated total may be locked deliberately.

When the whole spreadsheet is read-only

Open Share and compare your signed-in account with its role. A Viewer or Commenter cannot edit the file. Ask for Editor access only if your work requires changes; do not make the spreadsheet public to resolve one person's access.

Google's sharing reference distinguishes these file roles. If the link itself will not open, use the shared-file access guide first. A range permission cannot grant access to a file you cannot open.

Find the rule covering the blocked cell

Choose Data > Protect sheets and ranges, select the rule, and compare its Range with the blocked address. For a whole-sheet rule, inspect Except certain cells.

For a project tracker, compare an intended input in B7 with its calculated total in C7. If only C7 is supposed to be locked, the owner should inspect whether the rule reaches B7 too. The useful question is which address belongs in the rule, not whether the entire spreadsheet needs to be unlocked.

Adjust only the intended permission

Record the rule's range and allowed editors first. An authorized editor can use Change permissions > Restrict who can edit this range > Custom, add the intended editor, and select Done. Owners retain access.

A warning-only rule permits confirmed edits; it does not deny access. Google's protection guide explains these controls.

The protection menu is missing

An .xlsx workbook being edited in Sheets may still be an Office-format file. Google's Office-file guide says native protected ranges require conversion, which creates a separate Google-format copy. Keep the original and agree which file collaborators should use before converting; this changes the working format, not someone's permission.

Check the input without opening the whole sheet

Have the intended editor revisit the same link and confirm that the approved input is editable while the calculated cell remains protected. Use an agreed blank input or a harmless value, then restore it; do not overwrite a live total for the check.

Protection controls editing, not confidentiality. People with file access may still copy or export its contents, so keep sensitive information out of a spreadsheet shared with an unsuitable audience.

For an unexplained block, use Need more help? on Google's protection page. Give the file type, blocked address, role, and relevant rule, with names and business data redacted.