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.

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.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Separating a Date into Component Columns

Do you need a way to split dates out into the individual parts that make up that date? This tip provides two easy ways ...

Discover More

When Excel Starts, Nothing Shows

When you start up Excel, you should eventually see a blank workbook, ready for you to work with. If you don't, if you see ...

Discover More

Making Word Remember My Settings

Ever had the experience of setting some configuration option in Word, only to have the option revert to a different ...

Discover More

Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Resizing a Text Box in a Macro

Text boxes are easy to add to a document and manually resize, as needed. If you want to resize the text box in a macro, ...

Discover More

Pixels in a Text String

Determining the length of a text string is easy, but figuring out how many pixels are represented by those characters is ...

Discover More

Quickly Duplicating Drawing Objects

Excel provides a couple of different ways that you can quickly duplicate drawing objects in a worksheet. Committing these ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is four less than 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

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.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.