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.
Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!
If you need to arrange a group of graphics so that they are evenly distributed between a starting point and an ending ...
Discover MoreIf the graphics that you insert in your worksheet meet a couple of simple requirements, it is possible to have those ...
Discover MoreWant the title of your chart to change based upon what is placed in a worksheet cell? It's easy; just add a formula to ...
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