Unlocking Charts

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 7, 2026)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

A common task done in macros is to lock and unlock different cells and objects in a workbook. This is often done for protection reasons, so that things cannot be modified inadvertently by users. If you need to unlock the charts that are in your workbook, you can easily do so if you remember that even though charts can be considered drawing objects, you don't unlock them as drawing objects--you specifically unlock the chart object.

In addition, how you unlock a chart depends on whether it is a Chart sheet or a Chart object on a regular worksheet. The following code, named ChartUnProtect, provides an example of how to successfully unprotect both types of charts.

Sub ChartUnProtect()
    Dim wks As Worksheet
    Dim cht As Chart
    Dim chtObj As ChartObject
    Dim PW As String
    PW = "mypass"

    'Unprotect all Chart sheets
    For Each cht In ActiveWorkbook.Charts
        Sheets(cht.Name).Unprotect password:=PW
    Next

    'Unlock all Chart objects on each worksheet
    For Each wks In ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets
        wks.Unprotect password:=PW
        For Each chtObj In wks.ChartObjects
            wks.DrawingObjects(chtObj.Name).Locked = False
        Next
        wks.Protect password:=PW
    Next
End Sub

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ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2264) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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