Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Protecting a Graphic.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 16, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Larry asked if there was a way to protect a graphic inserted in a worksheet or the header or footer of a worksheet so that it cannot be removed. The answer (as with many things in Excel) is yes and no.
If you place a graphic in a worksheet, then when you protect the worksheet the graphic is also protected. In fact, once the worksheet is protected, you cannot even select any graphics in the worksheet, which is a prerequisite to them being deleted.
On the flip side of the coin, there is no way to protect graphics placed in headers or footers. Even if you protect the worksheet, the header and footer can still be changed, and thus the graphic can be selected and deleted.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3118) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Protecting a Graphic.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
Add a drawing object to a worksheet and chances are good you'll need to move it in some way. Here's how to use the mouse ...
Discover MoreBackground images for a worksheet are automatically repeated over and over (tiled) by Excel. This tip describes a ...
Discover MoreA common way of representing data is to use a Venn diagram. Unfortunately, Excel doesn't have a precise way of creating ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here:
Comments